Regional Science ‘as a discipline, concerns the careful and patient study of social problems with regional and spatial dimensions of analytical and empirical research’ (Isard, 1975). It is a field of study that analyses concrete development problems and formulate policies for solving problems. The spatial element is central to the discipline. Its outcomes are aimed at decision making and conflict resolution. It integrates of regional economics, regional geography and regional dimensions of all branches of the social and spatial sciences. The geographic space is the base and human aspects are contents of the field of study. Quantitative and analytical techniques are formulated and applied to the development problems at sub-national regions to achieve balanced regional development. Within its preview, analysis is carried out to formulate appropriate strategies that are problem-solving planning solutions.
The primary objectives of Regional Science Association, India(RSAi) is to foster research in the field of Regional and Spatial Sciences, to encourage development of analytical tools and evolve a continuous engagement with policy perspectives towards achieving developmental goals, in the regional and national levels. These objectives are sought to be realized by encouraging publications of research papers, reports, journals and monographs; undertaking research investigations and empirical studies, organizing/sponsoring national and international level Conferences and Seminars regularly and by rendering services to the cause of advancement of learning in the applied field of regional sciences. The association forms a committee every year to examine and take decision the best papers for Manas Chatterjee Award from the published research paper in the previous published volume and Young Scientist Award for the best paper presented in the seminar and conference. The Young Scientist best paper will publish in the following issue of the journal with minor revision. To mark the 50 years celebration of Regional Science Association, India; 12th World Congress of Regional Science has been organized in Goa between 29 May to 1 June, 2018. The Regional Science Association, India has successfully organized 50 international and national conferences in various universities and institutions in India without any break on various themes from regional development issues. The Association has also participated in World Conference held in different countries.
The implementation of these plans, however, has not kept the pace accordingly. The States’ five-year plans, which are essentially regional in their jurisdiction, have also followed the pattern of the national plans and principally devoted to allocating existing and projected financial resources to the aggregate development programmes without reflecting any comprehensive spatial and zonal distribution of activities, projects and programmes basic to a regional plan.
There exists a big gap between the regional planning and its translation into reality. Most of the regional planning in India lacks proper analysis of the existing situation and also of the historical perspective. The methods and techniques adopted in regional planning have largely been a superimposed phenomenon in almost an entirely different situation and consequently planning has not brought about results upto the expectation. Lack of adequate and proper analysis of the different regional aspects was evident. And this analysis could be done efficiently only by applying Regional Science techniques and methods. Advancement of Regional science is therefore an essential pre-requisite and its importance in regional planning cannot be over-estimated.
The Indian Journal of Regional Science(IJRS) is devoted to the publication of original research works on the regional planning and development perspective. It is a referred peer review and membership journal. The journal is published two issues per volume in a year- June and December. Papers and articles already published elsewhere shall not be accepted for publication in this journal and published paper cannot be reproduced elsewhere without permission. The members of the association shall get the journal free of cost, however the libraries, publishers and distributors could purchase at discount rate from the office of the association. The journal is available both in print and online version.