The governing council sets CRAN's research direction and holds field and financial operations to account.
| Member category | Position |
|---|---|
| Retired Senior Officer, Government of Karnataka | Chairperson |
| Professor, ISEC (Institute for Social and Economic Change), Bangalore | Member |
| Retired Professor, Universities of Government of Karnataka | Member |
| Special Invitee – Academic / Research Domain | Member |
| Special Invitee – Policy / Development Domain | Member |
| Special Invitee – NGO Sector Representative | Member |
| Executive Director, CRAN, Mysuru | Member Secretary |