The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, observed its 3rd CSR Day on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2nd), following a suggestion made by former President Shri Ram Nath Kovind in 2019 to dedicate this date to Corporate Social Responsibility. The event served as a curtain-raiser to the 3rd National Conference and Exhibition on Corporate Social Responsibility (NCCSR 2026) scheduled for October 6-7, 2026, at The Ashok in New Delhi.
Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Director General & CEO of IICA, delivered a special address to participants of Batch 11 of the IICA Certified CSR Professional Programme, emphasizing that CSR in India has its foundation in Indian tradition and the concept of trusteeship rather than emerging solely from the Companies Act. He referenced Section 166(2) of the Companies Act, 2013, which recognizes that companies operate within society and owe responsibility to employees, community, and environment beyond shareholders.
The address traced the evolution of India's CSR framework, noting that CSR expenditure has grown from approximately ₹10,000 crore in the first year of the mandate to nearly ₹35,000 crore in FY 2023-24. Singh described the regulatory journey from the initial "comply or explain" phase through the 2019 amendments and 2021 Rules, which introduced the Unspent CSR Account, multi-year projects, certification of fund utilization, and impact assessment requirements.
Singh criticized the current predominantly supply-driven approach to CSR where projects are chosen based on familiar areas, geographies, and agencies. He advocated for needs-based CSR with community participation, standardized procedures for need assessment and social impact assessment, and stronger capacity among implementing agencies. He highlighted the Ministry's CSR Exchange Portal as a platform for district administrations, organizations, and communities to present documented needs to companies, and encouraged sector-wide pooling of resources for high-impact national projects.
Regarding the Viksit Bharat vision, Singh emphasized that developed India requires "developed thinking and a developed social consciousness" beyond economic size alone. He called for a fundamental shift from spending to transforming, compliance to commitment, reporting to evidence, and isolated initiatives to collaboration, supported by technology-enabled monitoring.
Dr. Garima Dadhich, Head of the School of Business Environment and Course Director, noted that the CSR ecosystem needs trained professionals capable of turning obligation into outcome, with the training program linked to the National Conference as part of its curriculum. She reported that NCCSR 2026 has attracted over 550 delegates from across India.
The upcoming NCCSR 2026 conference on October 6-7 will feature five High Level Panels, a Fireside Chat, and a National Exhibition with 30-40 stalls organized around four thematic zones aligned with Viksit Bharat @ 2047 vision: Yuva (education, skilling and employability), Garib (aspirational districts, tribal and marginalized communities), Annadata (agriculture and rural livelihoods), and Nari Shakti. The event will bring together senior representatives from government, corporate sector, Central Public Sector Enterprises, corporate foundations, implementing agencies, United Nations agencies, academic institutions, and State Governments.