Prof. Alka Sharma's research spans over three decades and reflects a deep commitment to addressing critical social issues through empirical, interdisciplinary, and policy-oriented approaches. Her scholarship has made significant contributions to the fields of gender studies, digital sociology, public health, ageing, tribal development, and education reform.
A major focus of her research is women’s empowerment and social equity, particularly through the lens of affirmative policy, health awareness, and education. Her recent studies explore the effectiveness of social media interventions in enhancing breast cancer awareness among rural women and the role of digital media in transforming public health communication. Several of her articles, published in leading Scopus-indexed journals, address gendered dimensions of technology, such as the use of Hinglish in digital spaces and the social construction of mobile telephony.
Prof. Sharma’s work also critically engages with structural inequalities and social policy. She has conducted comparative studies on affirmative action in India and the United States, and has led projects on decentralization, gender budgeting, and women's participation in local governance. Her research on ageing—especially on adjustment patterns among elderly living alone—contributes to debates on social sustainability in ageing societies.
She has successfully supervised more than 30 PhD and MPhil dissertations and coordinated numerous national and international research projects, including collaborations with BITS Pilani and Ben-Gurion University, Israel. Through her extensive publication record, editorial leadership, and mentorship, Prof. Sharma continues to shape the discourse on inclusive development and social transformation in South Asia.