Evidence, Impact, and the Future of Social Development Consulting in India: Interview with Paresh Kumar, CEO - DevInsights

New Delhi. August 21, 2025.

Over the past decade, DevInsights has emerged as a leading management consulting firm in India’s social development sector, providing expertise in Research, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Consulting. With operations spanning 29 states and union territories, a respondent base of more than 350,000 individuals, and over 100 successfully completed projects, the firm has established itself as a trusted partner to NGOs, CSR foundations, think tanks, international agencies, and policy-making bodies.

In this interview Paresh Kumar, CEO & Co-founder, DevInsights In Conversation with economicdiplomacy.in shares insights into the firm’s journey, the transformation of the RMEL (Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning) landscape in India, the increasing emphasis on transparency in CSR impact assessments, and DevInsights’ strategic direction for the future.

Let’s start at the beginning. How has your journey been from founding DevInsights to where it stands today?

The journey has been both humbling and fulfilling. When I started DevInsights nearly a decade ago, it was a one-person operation with a single belief: that data, when harnessed meaningfully, can drive real social change. Today, we’re a 30-member strong organization, recognized for our work in research, monitoring, evaluation, and learning across sectors like health, education, WASH, livelihoods etc.

But the path wasn’t linear. We learned from failures, especially from my first startup and turned those learnings into stepping stones. What kept us going was our conviction that evidence matters. And that conviction has brought us from small-scale studies to large-scale national evaluations, partnerships with top INGOs, CSOs and donors, and now even thought leadership through publications and media.

Over the last 10 years, what changes have you seen in the RMEL (Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning) space in India?

The space has matured significantly. Ten years ago, M&E was often seen as a donor requirement, more of a box to tick. Today, there’s a deeper appreciation of evidence-led design and adaptive learning. Three shifts stand out:

• First, the rise of theory-based evaluations like Contribution Analysis and Outcome Harvesting. These were once academic concepts but are now being implemented across programs.

• Second, the digitization of data collection, including dashboards, real-time analytics, and AI tools for data synthesis. What took months is now visible in near-real time.

• Third, a growing shift from just quantitative outputs to learning-oriented mixed methods, capturing the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’.

Additionally, government bodies are becoming more demanding and discerning about evidence quality, which is a very welcome trend.

Your organisations conduct a lot of Impact Assessments for CSRs. The Government of India now mandates that all Impact Assessment reports under CSR be made public. Why do you think this change was brought in?

This move is both timely and necessary. Mandating public disclosure of CSR impact assessments aligns with the principles of transparency, accountability, and learning. For too long, impact reports remained confined to boardrooms.

• By making them public, the Government is:

• Encouraging peer learning across sectors;

• Nudging companies to invest in rigorous evaluations rather than superficial reporting.

And empowering civil society, media, and academia to scrutinize and learn from the data.

In a way, it democratizes development data. It also pushes firms to focus not just on spend, but on outcomes and systemic impact.

What are some of the recent strategic initiatives taken by DevInsights?

We’ve consciously evolved from being just a research agency to a knowledge and insight partner. A few recent initiatives mark that shift:

• Working Paper Series: We’ve launched a series of thematic papers that bring evidence to the forefront. The topics range from mental health, to technology to statistics to adolescent nutrition. These are not just reports, but thought-provoking dialogues with the sector.

• CSR Report Series: Our ‘Beyond Profits’ series distills insights from CSR-funded evaluations in  various sectors like healthcare, education and climate change. It provides a sector-wide view of what’s working and what’s not. We believe this will be a valuable resource for CSR heads, implementers, and policymakers alike.

  
  

• Clear Cut Magazine: Perhaps our boldest step yet is launching Clear Cut, a digital and print magazine focused on social development storytelling, evidence-based reporting, and policy discourse. This is not just a magazine. It’s a platform for sharp analysis, clear voices, and underrepresented narratives, reaching CSR leaders, development professionals, and curious citizens alike.

  
  

All these initiatives reflect our belief that good data must travel, spark conversations, and inform decisions.

What’s next for DevInsights?

We’re just getting started. The vision is to become the go-to hub for credible evidence and powerful stories in the development space. Our upcoming focus will be on:

• Creating simulations and toolkits for capacity building,

• Leveraging AI for synthesis of large-scale qualitative data, and

• Fostering cross-sectoral collaboration through roundtables and co-authored publications.

  
  

We want to be remembered not just for evaluations, but for insights that shaped decisions, changed narratives, and inspired action.

The strategic shift by the Government of India to mandate public disclosure of CSR impact assessments is a key development, which Paresh Kumar praises for promoting greater transparency and accountability. DevInsights has proactively responded to the changes by expanding its role beyond a research agency to a knowledge and insight partner, evidenced by its new Working Paper Series, CSR Report Series, and the launch of Clear Cut Magazine. Looking ahead, the firm is committed to leveraging technology, fostering collaboration, and becoming a leading voice for credible evidence and impactful storytelling in India's development landscape. Their journey is a testament to the power of data to drive meaningful social change.