Many of us have a passion to solve the world’s problems which are more complex than what meets the eyes. These require policy level changes which not only involve the government, but also civil society organisations and the community. Finding solutions to the problems in the society also requires one to understand the issues in-depth and offer alternatives and cost-effective solutions. One of the subjects that deals with this field is Public Policy and Administration.
Earlier, Public Policy and Administration was mostly restricted to civil servants choosing the subject to crack civils. However, with time, Public Policy has gained immense popularity and the no.of students opting for courses in Public Policy have increased drastically. Whether your focus is on your local community or the society on a whole, a career in Public Policy is apt for those who want to make a difference to the world around us.
Job opportunities:
A degree in public policy gets you opportunities in non-profit organisations, consulting firms, international organizations like the World Bank, United Nations, and governments, serving public interest. These professionals offer solutions to global challenges employing quantitative analysis, economics, finance, management skills, etc.
- Policy Analyst
- Development Manager
- Grant Writer/ Speech Writer
- Non-profit Executive Director
- City Government Elected Official
- Government Affairs Director
- Legislative Analyst
- Federal Intelligence Analyst
- Health Program Analyst
- Clinical Research Associate
- Environmental Analyst
- Sustainability Manager
- Policy Consultant
- Communications Director
- News & Politics Editor
- Policy Reporter
Today, more so than ever before, the Indian government is hiring individuals from outside the civil service to help carry forward India’s Governance through the challenges of the 21st century. The next generation of India’s policy makers will have to navigate the nexus between politics, governance, private sector and civil society.
Eligibility criteria:
Most universities will ask for a 12th pass and have individual entrance exams. For those pursuing Masters, a good bachelor’s degree in any subject, and you do not usually need to have previously studied a similar subject. However, it may be beneficial if you have studied a related program, such as politics, economics or business studies or public policy. Alternatively, professional work experience in the area may be considered if you do not have a degree.
Courses in Public Policy:
- BA in Public Policy & Administration
- MA in Public Policy
- Masters in Public Administration
- Masters in Social Work
- Masters in International Studies
Curriculum:
A good public policy programme today therefore combines quantitative skill building courses such as policy analysis, programme evaluation, apart from courses on politics and political economy, governance and institutional analysis, public administration, anthropology and ethics to gain insights into the lived experience of people with the state on the ground.
Colleges offering Public Policy in India:
- JNU, Delhi (School of Social Science, School of International Studies)
- St. Xavier’s College Mumbai
- Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi
- Miranda House, Delhi
- University of Madras
- National Law School of India University, Bangalore
- Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
- Tata Institute of Social Sciences
- Christ University, Bangalore
- Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi
- Indian School of Business, Hyderabad
- IIM, Ahmedabad
- IIM, Bangalore
- Azim Premji University
- Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University
- RNB Global University
- Takshashila Institution
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