About the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)

Established in 1976, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is a premier institute of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, for research and capacity building for urban sector in India. NIUA’s broad objective is to bridge the gap between research and practice on issues related to urbanisation. For more than 45 years now, NIUA has been the vanguard for contributing to and building the urban narrative for a fast-evolving urban India. The Institute has been actively working on bringing forth key areas of concern for urban India in order to build the discourse at various scales. It has utilised its competencies in research, knowledge management, policy advocacy and capacity building to address urban challenges and continuously strive to develop sustainable, inclusive and productive urban ecosystems in the country.

PROJECT BACKGROUND:

The Government of Bihar (Board of Revenue), through the "Vesting of Bettiah Raj Properties Act—2024," owns significant land parcels, presenting a unique opportunity for strategic development and economic growth. Passed by the legislature on November 26, 2024, and subsequently receiving the Governor's approval, the Act empowered the state to take control of approximately 15,221 acres of land in Bihar and 143 acres in Uttar Pradesh. The government has stated its intent to utilise this land for public development projects, including the establishment of medical colleges, hospitals, and sports facilities. This legislative move marks a significant development in the region, prioritising public welfare and infrastructure development.

These land parcels hold immense potential to contribute to the state’s urbanisation agenda and economic growth. The vision of leveraging these land parcels for fostering sustainable and inclusive urban development aligns with the broader goal of transforming Bihar into a prime investment destination for projects of national importance, thereby contributing to the larger vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’.

As a Strategic Partner with the Board of Revenue, NIUA will play a multifaceted role in providing end-to-end support for the strategic development of Bettiah Raj lands in Bihar. This will encompass:

• Preparation of a geo-spatial base map alongside site profiling and baseline assessments
• Building a socio-economic profile for the region to guide planning efforts
• Knowledge support for stakeholder engagement to ensure effective collaboration
• Defining optimal land use strategies for identified parcels
• Assisting in the formulation of zoning regulations aligned with designated land uses

1. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Senior Research Associate will provide support in managing the project outputs and deliverables in close consultation with the counterpart and as per the scope of work defined in the MoU. The candidate should be comfortable working in an interdisciplinary environment and should be able to manage multiple tasks and meeting deadlines. The ideal candidate should be able to provide cutting-edge and integrated solutions to India’s urban development challenges by bringing together expertise across diverse domains of knowledge and practice. Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Project coordinator, the Senior Research Associate shall undertake the following tasks:

1. 1. Assist in the research related to global best practices in the field of overall ecosystem of land assembly and optimum utilisation of land;

   2. Provide required support in development, implementation and monitoring of the programme components, plans and activities in close consultation with the state and city-level counterparts;

   3. Provide data science and analytics support to the project team and partners for informed and evidence-based decision making;

   4. Coordinate with the representatives at the state, districts & local level, and provide support w.r.t the technical inputs towards policy documents;

   5. Support in undertaking the variety of stakeholder consultation and key informant interviews  with government officials, private sector, civil society institutions and research institutions; and coordinating inputs for the defining the best suitable use of the identified plots for achieving overall development of the region;

   6. Provide expertise and guidance on matters related urban planning and GIS to ensure compliance with standards and regulations, maintaining high-quality deliverables;

   7. Utilise geo-informatics tools and techniques to understand and interpret trends in spatial data relevant to land assembly and re-classification of uses;

   8. Support in preparing weekly reports and steering fortnightly discussion (including financial progress) in close consultation with the Project Team;

   9. Facilitate recording of proceedings at various internal meetings, workshops, conferences and other fora, organised as part of the Project;

   10. Support in tracking project performance, specifically to analyse the successful completion of short- and long-term goals;

   11. Participate in the periodic review meetings and discussions related to project implementation, monitoring and follow-up;

   12. Ensure on-time and high-quality delivery of project outputs, deliverables, and required reports;

   13. Any other duty and responsibility assigned by the Director, NIUA and Project Coordinator.

2. QUALIFICATION & EXPERIENCE:

   1. Master’s degree (in Urban Planning/ Urban Management/GIS and Geomatics/ Environment/ Public Policy or related fields) with an understanding of project management, sustainable development, public policy, capacity building, advance knowledge of GIS & Remote sensing, etc.;

   2. Minimum 5 years full time work experience after post-graduation, in urban development sector with experience in geo-spatial mapping, utilisation of GIS for physical planning; policy writing/ program implementation/ project management;

   3. Software proficiency: MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Knowledge of professional software like ARC GIS, AutoCad, Adobe, In design etc. will be an added advantage;

   4. Excellent written and verbal communications and presentation skills, including the ability to speak persuasively and to present ideas clearly and concisely to authorities;

   5. Ability to work flexibly as well as independently, on a range of assignments showcasing strong teamwork and collaboration and adjust to a variety of complex and evolving tasks to meet deadlines.

DESIRABLE:

1. 1. Advance degree and diploma in GIS; Geomatics; Geo-informatics etc

   2. Experience with State Govt/ Central Govt/Local Bodies/ Resource Centres/ NGOs/ Communities/ National Urban Missions (SMART City, AMRUT, PMAY, etc.)/ multilateral/ bi-lateral organisation like ADB, KFW,UNDP, GIZ etc

   3. Language Proficiency: English and Hindi

APPLICATION PROCESS:

1. 1. Applications to be only submitted online through NIUA’s portal

   2. Only candidates whose applications are complete in all regard and adhere to the prescribed format will be considered

   3. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified