Promoting public policy research & governance

Updated on: Thursday, June 02, 2011

OP Jindal Global University has established its fourth school, The Jindal School of Government and Public Policy in Sonipat. It is one of the few colleges that focus only on government and public policy by offering a two-year Master's programme in public policy starting in August 2012.

"The aim of establishing this school is to promote public policy research that facilitates a better understanding of issues related to governance and public affairs. The school will be offering programmes that aim to bridge the gap by offering a strong base to students in the classroom so that they can analyse the actual implementation of policies by drawing upon comparative and international perspectives in public policy," said C Raj Kumar, vicechancellor of OP Jindal Global University.

The MA in public policy (MPP) has been launched to create a new cadre of students who will understand the conceptual framework and practical skills needed to succeed in public service. "The course will focus on areas such as development studies, rural development , climate change, environmental policy, comparative governance and economic policy, among others," informed Kumar.

Students will also be provided with scholarships that will be merit-based . They will have to fill in a separate scholarship form along with the regular form. The college will open with 60 students.

Talking about the faculty, Kumar said, "We have a multi disciplinary faculty and we aim to have a 1:15 teacher ratio because we want to promote research. We will also be hiring about 10 faculty members soon."

The MPP is also designed to enhance the effectiveness of mid-career professionals in managerial and decisionmaking roles.

Talking about job opportunities that students will have once they complete the course, Kumar said, "We are training leaders for the future. Students can work with government, private, NGOs and inter-government agencies. They can also get into consulting and go for further research and collaborate with the government."

An entrance exam will be conducted in March 2012 and students will be asked to write an essay on a topic of choice. The undergraduate marks will be taken into consideration and students have to get three references from their teachers. Any form of publication by the students will be preferred

Times of India

Promoting public policy research & governance

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