[4] It was conceived as an idea after Sanjeev Bikhchandani and Ashish Dhawan approached Pramath Raj Sinha, a former dean of the Indian School of Business, for his assistance in setting up the university.

The founders' list named 22 people, including Ashok Trivedi, Dilip Shanghvi, Nirmal Jain, Sanjeev Bikhchandani and Jerry Rao.

[27] Ashoka University offers Ph.D. programmes in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics, English, History, Physics, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology.

The programme provides students with science and mathematics courses, practical life skills lessons, regular support from mentors and access to internship opportunities.

During their tenure, they represent the Chief Minister's Office and work closely with the Deputy Commissioner and district officials to drive changes at the highest and grassroots levels of the Government.

The centre aims to encourage good mental health by devising effective coping mechanisms through skill-building and awareness programmes.

KCDH-A is a joint centre of the Trivedi School of Biosciences and the Department of Computer Science at Ashoka University, established with support from Koita Foundation in August 2023.

The Centre employs 28 faculty members from across 9 departments, including Gautam Menon,[46] Iain Stewart, Srinath Raghvan, Sumana Roy, L.S.

The centre also generates content in the form of blogs, research papers, policy briefs, and social and economic commentaries[51] among other things.

The faculty membership is spread across departments with names such as Nayanjot Lahiri, Kritika M. Garg,[57] Shibani Bose, Alok Bhattacharya and Upinder Singh.

It aims to advance the science and practice of behavior changes, harnessing cross-disciplinary expertise in the areas of nutrition, sanitation, maternal health, family planning, and financial services.

In 2019, the NITI Aayog partnered with CSBC and BMGF to institute an embedded Behavioral Insights Unit for India and introduce a novel paradigm of behaviorally-informed policy design and implementation in the country.

[62][63] Through its research and knowledge products, convening and facilitation opportunities, and leadership development programs, CSIP is cultivating a stronger civil society for a vibrant and equitable India.

The Centre organizes several events such as a speaker series, student seminars, workshops, performances, and film screenings to initiate discussions around topics that are considered taboo.

The centre's purpose is to provide a forum in which to raise and address questions to do with both creative practice and critical argument by bringing together novelists, poets, translators, artists, scholars, filmmakers, journalists and publishers with different traditions and histories from all over the world.

Shashidhara and Anjali Taneja,[74] the centre is involved in creating the right environment[75] for policy research[76] and capability building through active support and expert leadership.

One of the larger goals of SPI is to augment scientific research and innovation and to serve as a knowledge hub, initiating discussions on issues and defining the roadmap for the future with the help of evidence-based white papers and policy briefs along with partnerships and collaborations.

Ashoka University has further entered into a MoU with Max Healthcare Institute to initiate long-term, high-quality research collaborations.

[94] He resigned from Ashoka University in March 2021, when trustees Pramath Raj Sinha and Ashish Dhawan are said to have told him that his "intellectual interventions were something they could no longer protect.

[98] As reported by The Free Press Journal, the VC elucidated that Ashoka University grants its faculty members the autonomy to engage in teaching and research within their fields of interest.

It was pointed out that while the university does not directly oversee or moderate the research pursuits of its faculty and students, this ethos of academic freedom was extended to Professor Das as well.

The Vice Chancellor underscored that Ashoka University's rise in less than a decade is attributed to its unwavering dedication to both research and pedagogical excellence.

He further explained that his resignation was prompted by what he perceived as a significant lapse in judgment in the handling of the attention garnered by the controversial paper on social media.

Professor Balakrishnan highlighted his experience of unbridled intellectual freedom during his eight-year tenure at the university, where he openly expressed his opinions in class, participated in street demonstrations, and contributed to media discussions without encountering any restrictions.

He pointed out that Ashoka University had generously funded his latest book project, obviating the need for formal proposals or meetings.

He disclosed that the publisher promptly approved the project upon its proposal and that the resultant study, a comprehensive examination of the nation's economic history, was a culmination of his professional journey, including a candid analysis of the present scenario.