The Department of Sociology, Rajiv Gandhi University (A Central University) was established in 2011. The department started with Masters Programme (MA Sociology) and subsequently, MPhil and PhD programmes were introduced in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

The Department has been engaging in various sectors viz., training, capacity building programmes and extension activities in collaboration with Government and Non Governmental agencies. It has completed a project with National Health Mission(NHM), Arunachal Pradesh under Ministry of H & FW, GoI (Urban Vulnerability Mapping & Assessment for Urban Health in Capital Complex, Arunachal Pradesh) and the other withSocial Research & Evaluation Div. (SRED), Development & Educational Communication Unit of Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO), Ahmadabad, Gujrat (Study on Health Information & Communication Needs in Arunachal Pradesh with Spl. Ref. to Maternal & Child Health of Lower Subansiri, Arunachal Pradesh). It has taken up four major projectswith Dept. of Social Justice, Empowerment and Tribal Affairs (SJETA), GoAP under Ministry of SJETA, GoI.  The department also aims to work with State Institute of Rural Development and State Livelihood Mission to enhance skills and commitment of students and placement thereof. The corroboration works are taken up in conducting Training and Environmental field programmes periodically and till date the department has completed 9 Major Field Studies.

The Dept of Sociology, RGU with the technical support of Sulabh International, New Delhi, jointly developed and started the 18 months curriculum of the state’s first ever course on PG Diploma on Environmental Sanitation(PGDES),a Self Financed course in 2019. The course has been designed with the specific aim to fill up the gap that hinders the progress of Environmental Safeguard, Hygiene, Water and Sanitation programmes.

The department is devoted toward crafting competent and socially sensitive intellectual capitals through rigorous classroom training and research activities. While emphasizing concepts and theories central to the discipline, the department’s teaching and research activities have been oriented towards contemporary questions that have both basic and applied dimensions. The endeavor is to stress inter-disciplinary exchange with other schools of disciplines. The faculty members of the department have a wide range of interests and proficiency, who are engaged in teaching and research areas such as Political Sociology, Sociology of North East India, Sociology of Health, Environmental Sociology, Indian Society, Ethnicity & Tribal Studies, Social Exclusion, Development, Education, Ethnic Conflicts, Gender Studies, Urban Sociology, Social Sustainability etc. The issues and perspectives on North East India constitute a special focus of the teaching and research of the department.

The students pursuing their Masters and PG Diploma in the department not only are involved in theoretical learning in the classroom but are also encouraged to participate in empirical field works as part of their obligatory research methodology dissertations and assignments. The department also takes care to expose the students to the prevailing social realities through activities such as outreach programmes in adopted village of the department under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan- a flagship programme of Govt. of India. Workshops, seminars and other programmes in collaboration with various governments and cognate disciplines/social organizations are periodically conducted.

The broader objective of the various programmes of the department is to develop a cadre of professionals with scientific and social skills to effectively manage the society. The department aims to let the learners imbibe learning of Sociology as a major discipline and to develop research and promotion in the field of Social Science. The department provides a brilliant scope for students and research scholars to become self reliant to be able to survive in the society. Students are inculcated with resilience in their field of interest and further the special teaching, learning and extension activities equip them to become employable members in the society.