Across cities and sectors, policy conversations are increasingly being shaped by lived experiences, how people engage with systems, access opportunities, and navigate constraints in real time.

This week’s edition reflects that ground-up perspective. From Policy Circles in Bhopal and Chandigarh and upcoming ones in Kochi and Bhubaneswar to research on digital financial inclusion among women street vendors in Pune, the focus is on how policy plays out in everyday contexts.

We also spotlight Aditi Chugh, a practitioner whose work sits at the intersection of food systems, research, and policy implementation, alongside a piece on Bhutan’s climate burden raising broader questions around responsibility, capacity, and regional coordination.

As always, we wrap up with a curated list of opportunities.

Let’s get into it!

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ PPI Policy Circle: Bhopal and Chandigarh

Last week, Policy Circles were hosted in Bhopal (24th April) and Chandigarh (25th April), bringing together individuals exploring careers in public policy for an evening of conversations, peer exchange, and shared learning.

Designed as an in-person policy workshop, these circles focused on building community, creating room for participants to engage with each other, reflect on their journeys, and navigate questions around policy careers in a grounded way.

The conversations continue this week, with Policy Circles coming to Kochi (1st May) and Bhubaneswar (2nd May).

We’re bringing Policy Circles to more cities, with more conversations ahead!

📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group for all updates

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy?

Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is currently accepting applications.

This two-year residential programme focuses on understanding how policies are designed, implemented, and shaped by political and institutional realities.

KSPP offers scholarships for eligible candidates, and applicants applying through PPI may be considered for fee waivers depending on the school’s evaluation, including academics, interview performance, and financial background.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

Spotlight of the Week

Bridging research and real-world impact is often at the heart of effective policymaking. In this week’s Spotlight of the Week, we feature Aditi Chugh, an agriculture policy practitioner and researcher at the International Food Policy Research Institute.

Her work focuses on the practical implementation of food policies across global contexts, with particular attention to input subsidies, food fortification, and agricultural commercialization. Having previously worked with the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare on MSP systems and data frameworks, she brings a unique perspective that connects policy design with on-ground realities.

Her journey reflects the value of interdisciplinary thinking combining economics, politics, and data to better understand how institutions and incentives shape outcomes, and to build more effective, sustainable policy solutions.

Read the full spotlight on LinkedIn!

📝 Essay of the Week

Empowering Women Street Vendors: UPI and Financial Inclusion

Financial inclusion, a critical component of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has emerged as a cornerstone of economic development. This study examines the potential of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as a cost-effective and scalable FinTech solution to enhance financial inclusion among women street vendors in Pune, one of the most financially excluded segments of the informal economy.

Using a mixed-methods approach combining surveys, interviews, and triangulation, the research finds that while UPI adoption contributes to social empowerment, seamless access remains a privilege. Statistically significant links between education, income, and adoption indicate that lower literacy and income reduce the likelihood of usage. The study identifies social exclusion as a major barrier to financial inclusion, underscoring the need for governments and regulators to make UPI more inclusive and ensure a more equitable distribution of its benefits.

Read the full paper here

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Bhutan’s Climate Debt: A Regional Challenge

Bhutan, a carbon-negative country, is facing severe climate impacts—from drying water sources to glacial risks despite contributing little to global emissions.

The piece highlights a key tension: the costs of adaptation are high and underfunded, making Bhutan’s “climate debt” not just a national issue, but a shared regional concern for South Asia especially given its interconnected river systems and economic linkages.

Read the article here!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Policy today is increasingly being shaped at the intersection of governance, public finance, and institutional capacity.

This week’s newsletter explores these themes through the lens of systems and scale, from a Policy Careers Workshop in Mumbai centered on exploring pathways into the policy space to reflections on India’s urban governance and the need for stronger local institutions.

Also in this edition: a closer look at direct cash transfers and their role in welfare delivery, alongside a piece examining whether tools like debt-for-nature swaps can address broader questions of inequality and development finance.

As always, we wrap up with a curated list of opportunities.

Let’s get into it!

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ PPI Policy Circle: Mumbai

We hosted an engaging in-person Policy Careers Workshop and Community Meetup in Mumbai on 17th April, in collaboration with Kautilya School of Public Policy, bringing together a vibrant group of aspiring policy professionals and practitioners.

From meaningful conversations to actionable insights, the meetup created a space for learning, exchange, and community building.

We’re bringing Policy Circles to more cities, with more conversations ahead.

📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group for all updates

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy?

Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is currently accepting applications.

This two-year residential programme focuses on understanding how policies are designed, implemented, and shaped by political and institutional realities.

KSPP offers scholarships for eligible candidates, and applicants applying through PPI may be considered for fee waivers depending on the school’s evaluation, including academics, interview performance, and financial background.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

🎥 Video of the Week

India’s Urban Governance – Past and Future

Featuring insights from Vijay Kelkar in a fireside chat hosted by Indian Institute for Human Settlements, the discussion reflects on the evolution of India’s urban governance framework and the challenges shaping its future. The conversation offers a sharp policy perspective on the need for empowered local governments, stronger financial autonomy, and institutional innovation to make Indian cities more resilient, accountable, and growth-oriented.

📝 Essay of the Week

Direct Cash Transfers: Evidence & Caveats

Published by The Nudge Institute, this report examines the growing role of direct cash transfers as a tool for poverty alleviation in India. Drawing on global and Indian evidence, it highlights how cash transfers can improve income stability, asset creation, and human development outcomes such as education, nutrition, and well-being. At the same time, the report cautions against viewing them as a silver bullet.

The piece makes a nuanced case for treating cash transfers as a complement not a substitute for public services and infrastructure, arguing that their effectiveness ultimately depends on context, institutional capacity, and careful policy design.

Read the Report Here

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Debt-for-Nature Swaps

Debt-for-nature swaps aim to ease sovereign debt while funding environmental protection, but their impact remains small and uneven.

The piece raises a key question: can such instruments scale to address global inequality and climate finance needs, or are they ultimately a limited, niche solution?

Read the Full Article Here!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Climate Change is redefining the way policies are shaped from housing and infrastructure to health and labour.

This week’s newsletter explores cities as interconnected systems, linking planning, environment, and everyday life. From a Policy Circle in Bhopal, designed to offer direction and help navigate pathways in the policy space, to questions around urban biodiversity and whether our cities are truly equipped to handle these challenges.

Also in here: a video that breaks down how global economic shifts are shaping India’s outlook, from currency pressures to broader macroeconomic uncertainty, and a piece on how cities may heat up faster than their rural surroundings, raising urgent questions for urban planning and climate adaptation. As always, there’s a curated list of opportunities at the end.

Let’s get into it!

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ PPI Policy Circle: Bhopal

PPI, in collaboration with the Anant Fellowship in Sustainability and Built Environment, is hosting a free, in-person policy careers workshop in Bhopal for those exploring careers in public policy.

The evening will feature a careers workshop led by Yash Agarwal, along with a speaker session featuring Sourabh Popli, an Associate Professor at the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal, whose work engages with landscape phenomenology, ecological resilience, and the relationship between people and environments, and Hardika DayalanI, Director of the Anant Fellowship in Sustainability and Built Environment.

Beyond the sessions, the event is also designed to foster meaningful, grounded conversations among peers navigating similar questions around policy careers.

📅 Friday, 24th April

⏰ 6–8 PM

📍 Oneworx Co-working Space

The session is free to attend and coffee’s on us!!

Register Here!

We’re bringing Policy Circles to more cities, with more conversations ahead.

📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group for all updates

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy?

Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is currently accepting applications.

This two-year residential programme focuses on understanding how policies are designed, implemented, and shaped by political and institutional realities.

KSPP offers scholarships for eligible candidates, and applicants applying through PPI may be considered for fee waivers depending on the school’s evaluation, including academics, interview performance, and financial background.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

🎥 Video of the Week

How is India’s Economy Positioned in 2026

Featuring insights from V. Anantha Nageswaran, the Chief Economic Advisor of India, the video unpacks how global economic turbulence is influencing India’s macroeconomic stability. From currency pressures to external vulnerabilities. It offers a concise policy perspective on navigating uncertainty while sustaining growth.

📝 Essay of the Week

Urban Biodiversity: Leveraging Natural Capital and Social Innovation

Urbanisation is putting increasing pressure on biodiversity, often isolating and degrading natural ecosystems within cities. Using Delhi as a case, the piece argues that integrating “natural capital” (like green spaces, water bodies, and urban forests) into city planning is essential for improving quality of life and ensuring long-term sustainability.

This piece makes a strong case for positioning urban biodiversity not as an afterthought, but as central to resilient and livable cities.

Read full essay here

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Uneven Heat Burden

Indian cities may heat up far more than expected, even under a 2°C global warming scenario. New research shows that urban areas could experience up to 45% higher temperature increases than surrounding rural regions, meaning the actual heat people feel in cities could be significantly underestimated.

The finding raises a key policy question: are urban climate plans accounting for the true scale of heat risk, or relying on projections that miss how cities actually warm?

Read the full article here!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

There’s a difference between knowing about policy and actually sitting with the questions it raises.

This week’s newsletter sits right at that intersection — from a Policy Circle in Kolkata that looks at cities through arts and culture, to a closer look at India’s demographic window and what it really demands from policy today.

Also in here: a video that unpacks how policy thinking plays out beyond textbooks, and a climate transition story that’s as much about equity and health as it is about energy. And as always you will find a list of opportunities at the end.

Let’s get into it.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ PPI Policy Circle: Kolkata

In collaboration with Anant National University, this is a free, in-person careers workshop + panel discussion on a slightly different way of thinking about cities.

We have with us Dr. Jenia Mukherjee — urban water researcher at IIT Kharagpur and Coordinator at the Global Centre of Spatial Methods for Urban Sustainability, TU Berlin — someone who approaches cities in ways that stay with you long after the conversation ends.

Come for the workshop, stay for the conversation, leave with people you actually want to stay in touch with ☕

🟣 Free entry + careers workshop
🟣 Networking ice breaker
🟣 Panel: Arts, Crafts and Cities — why the humanities matter in urban policy

📅 Saturday, 18th April
⏰ 6:00 – 8:00 PM
📍 Collab Deck, Russel Street, Park Street area, Kolkata

Register Here!

More cities, more conversations, and more Policy Circles coming up soon.
📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group.

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy?

Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is currently accepting applications.

This two-year residential programme focuses on understanding how policies are designed, implemented, and shaped by political and institutional realities.

KSPP offers scholarships for eligible candidates, and applicants applying through PPI may be considered for fee waivers depending on the school’s evaluation, including academics, interview performance, and financial background.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

🎥 Video of the Week

How policy thinking actually plays out

A useful watch if you’ve ever wondered how policy decisions move from theory to practice — and what gets lost (or negotiated) along the way.

📝 Essay of the Week

India’s demographic dividend — opportunity or ticking clock?

India’s much-discussed demographic dividend isn’t automatic — it depends on whether jobs, skills, and policy can keep pace with a rapidly shifting population.

This piece breaks down what’s at stake, and why the window may be narrower than we think.

Read the full essay here!

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

India’s green transition — fast, but uneven

India is electrifying faster than many expected, driven by cheaper renewable technologies and policy push. But transitions like these are never just about speed — they’re about who benefits, who gets left out, and how systems adapt.

What’s interesting here is not just the scale of change, but the trade-offs: grid stability, affordability, and access — all of which directly shape health outcomes, especially for vulnerable communities.

A useful read if you’re thinking about climate not just as environment, but as infrastructure, equity, and public health.

Read the full article here!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Policy can feel abstract, until you’re in a room where people are actually trying to figure it out.

That’s what Policy Circles have been about. And this week, we’re bringing that room to Ahmedabad.

Alongside that: a free masterclass on breaking into the policy job market, and a sharp look at how India is positioning itself globally. And as always you will find a list of opportunities at the end.

Let’s get into it.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ PPI Policy Circle: Ahmedabad

In collaboration with Anant National University, this is a free, in-person careers workshop + panel discussion on urban policy — designed for anyone trying to figure out where they fit in this space.

Come for the workshop, stay for the conversation, leave with people you actually want to stay in touch with ☕

🟣 Free entry + careers workshop
🟣 Networking ice breaker
🟣 A room of people who are genuinely curious, not just credentialing

📅 Saturday, 11th April
⏰ 6:00 – 8:00 PM
📍 Uncubate Co-working Space, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad

Register Here!

More cities, more conversations, and more Policy Circles coming up soon.

📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group for more such meet-ups

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy?

Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is currently accepting applications.

This two-year residential programme focuses on understanding how policies are designed, implemented, and shaped by political and institutional realities.

KSPP offers scholarships for eligible candidates, and applicants applying through PPI may be considered for fee waivers depending on the school’s evaluation, including academics, interview performance, and financial background.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

Community Highlight

Thousands of you write to us every month with the same struggle- great profiles, but applications that don’t convert. So we decided to do something about it. PPI has collaborated with TSL Careers, a one stop Public Policy careers platform, to bring you a completely FREE masterclass designed to fix exactly that.

Speaker: Akshat Agarwal (Public Policy Veteran | 15+ years across PwC, Pratham, EIU, Accenture & HSBC)

Topic: From Application to Offer- Cracking the Public Policy Job Market
Date: Saturday, 11th April
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Platform: Zoom

Register Here!

(Only 100 seats. First come, first served.) If cracking a top public policy role is on your list, this is the session you shouldn’t miss.

🎥 Video of the Week

India’s Foreign Policy: Playing All Sides?

India today is balancing relationships with the US, Russia, and China — while trying to hold on to strategic autonomy.

In this conversation, Samir Saran and Leslie Vinjamuri unpack what that actually looks like in practice — and what it signals about India’s long-term positioning.

It’s less about diplomacy optics, more about how power is negotiated in real time.

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Climate, Law & Accountability

For a long time, climate action has largely depended on political will — negotiations, commitments, and voluntary targets that often fall short of urgency. But a new push led by Vanuatu, supported by an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, is beginning to shift that conversation.

This is worth your time if you’re interested in where climate governance is headed — especially how international law might start shaping real accountability, particularly for countries in the Global South already facing the worst impacts.

Read Here!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

This week reflects that idea in different ways: through our Chennai Policy Circle, a closer look at where India is placing its long-term economic bets, and a spotlight on Rumit Walia, whose journey shows how consistent action can grow into long-term impact. And as always you will find full database of resources, opportunities and so much more at the end.

Let’s get into it.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ Community Highlight: PPI in Chennai

On March 22nd, we brought the PPI community to Chennai for a Policy Circle in partnership with ISDM and the room showed up.

What stood out wasn’t just attendance, but the kind of conversations that followed. From careers in policy to questions around implementation and impact, the discussion moved quickly beyond surface-level interest into how governance actually works in practice.

These spaces remind us that public policy becomes far more accessible when it is discussed, questioned, and unpacked collectively.

More cities, more conversations, and more Policy Circles coming up soon.

📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group for more such meet-ups

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy?

Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is currently accepting applications.

This two-year residential programme focuses on understanding how policies are designed, implemented, and shaped by political and institutional realities.

KSPP offers scholarships for eligible candidates, and applicants applying through PPI may be considered for fee waivers depending on the school’s evaluation, including academics, interview performance, and financial background.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

🎥 Video of the Week

Where Is India Placing Its Long-Term Bets?

This breakdown looks at where government capital is being directed — and what that signals for India’s economic trajectory.

From semiconductor manufacturing and rare earth corridors to defence capex, PLI 3.0, and data centre incentives, the discussion maps how policy is shaping opportunities across sectors.

This isn’t political commentary — it’s a business and economic lens on policy decisions, and what they could mean over the next 10–20 years.

Spotlight of the Week

What starts as a small habit can sometimes grow into a lifelong commitment to change. In this week’s Spotlight of the Week, we feature Rumit Walia, Founder of Tears of the Earth, a youth-led initiative focused on environmental action and sustainability.

Working at the intersection of climate, peace, and technology, Rumit’s work brings together youth participation, creative engagement, and program design to address complex global challenges. His journey reflects a simple but powerful idea: meaningful change is built through consistent action over time.

Read the full spotlight on LinkedIn!

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Municipal Bonds & Urban Reform

As Indian cities grow, financing urban infrastructure is becoming a critical challenge.

Municipal bonds offer a pathway for cities to raise capital while improving financial discipline and governance standards — but their success depends on stronger institutional capacity and investor confidence.

The larger question: can municipal finance evolve fast enough to support India’s urban transition?

Read More!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

We often think of policy in terms of design and intent. But its real test lies in implementation — in whether systems are accessible, responsive, and equitable for the people they are meant to serve.

This week’s edition brings together an upcoming Policy Circle in Jaipur, a research brief examining gaps in road crash compensation in India, and a recent PPI campus conversation in Coimbatore. Together, they reflect how policy is shaped not just through institutions, but through people, practice, and lived realities.

As always, you will also find resources and opportunities at the end of the newsletter.

Let’s get into it.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ Community Highlight: PPI in Jaipur

Free, in-person workshop on building careers in the policy space in Jaipur :)))

If you’ve ever wondered how intentions turn into real impact in the policy world — this one’s for you.

We’re bringing PPI Policy Circle to Jaipur, supported by the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM), for an evening where we unpack what careers in public policy actually look like — the work, the decisions, the challenges + the opportunities.

Think of it as a space where curiosity meets conversation.

📅 Saturday, 28th March 2026
⏰ 6:00 – 8:00 PM
📍 Creware Coworks, Mansarovar

Free entry + coffee’s on us ☕

Register Here!

📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group for more such meet-ups

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy?

Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is currently accepting applications.

This two-year residential programme focuses on understanding how policies are designed, implemented, and shaped by political and institutional realities.

KSPP offers scholarships for eligible candidates, and applicants applying through PPI may be considered for fee waivers depending on the school’s evaluation, including academics, interview performance, and financial background.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

⚖️ Research Spotlight: Justice Unserved

A new research brief by Crashfree India highlights a critical gap:

👉 Most road crash victims in India never receive compensation.

Titled “Justice Unserved,” the brief maps where the system breaks — from low awareness and delays to complex legal processes and unequal access.

Drawing on insights from practitioners across law, police, insurance, and policy, the report shows that the issue isn’t just road safety — it’s post-crash justice.

The team has also begun documenting 120+ victim experiences and is piloting solutions like hospital helpdesks and AI-based support tools, alongside working with Gurugram Police to improve claim access.

Read the Full Brief!

🎤 PPI Talks! — Coimbatore

PPI recently engaged with students at Hindustan College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, exploring what careers in public policy and development can look like in practice.

From navigating career pathways to understanding how policy intersects with real-world challenges, conversations like these aim to make the field more accessible to young people across contexts.

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Peatlands are among the world’s most effective natural carbon sinks, capable of storing large amounts of carbon dioxide over long periods. However, they are increasingly being drained for energy production and agriculture, leading to significant emissions and ecosystem loss.

Across regions — from Finland to the United States — researchers and communities are working to restore these landscapes. The challenge lies in balancing conservation with livelihoods, especially for farmers and local economies dependent on these lands.

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Public policy is not only about decisions made in government — it is about how societies organize themselves to solve problems.

Most people encounter policy indirectly — through news headlines, reports, or the occasional public debate. But the most meaningful conversations about governance often happen in smaller rooms: community meetups, workshops, classrooms, and everyday discussions between curious people trying to understand how systems work.

This week’s edition brings together one such upcoming Policy Circle in Chennai, a leadership opportunity for those looking to deepen their engagement with policy, and a new episode from our Policy Panchayat podcast exploring the work of sexual health educators in India.

As always, you will also find a set of resources and opportunities at the end of the newsletter.

Let’s get into it.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ Community Highlight: PPI in Chennai

Free, in-person workshop on building careers in the development and policy space in Chennai :)))

If you’ve ever wondered how intentions turn into real impact in the development sector — this one’s for you.

We’re bringing PPI Policy Circle to Chennai for an evening where we unpack what careers in development management actually look like — the work, the decisions, the challenges + the opportunities.

Think of it as a space where curiosity meets conversation.

📅 Sunday, 22nd March 2026
⏰ 5:00 – 7:00 PM
📍 Backyard, Gandhi Nagar, Chennai

Free entry + coffee’s on us ☕

Register Here!

📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group for more such meet-ups

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy?

Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is currently accepting applications.

This two-year residential programme focuses on understanding how policies are designed, implemented, and shaped by political and institutional realities.

KSPP offers scholarships for eligible candidates, and applicants applying through PPI may be considered for fee waivers depending on the school’s evaluation, including academics, interview performance, and financial background.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

🌏 Policy Pioneers Program — Call for Applications

The Policy Pioneers Program is a 16-week hybrid leadership program in public policy designed for students and early- to mid-career professionals interested in engaging with governance and public systems.

The program focuses on practical exposure, including:

• Networking with senior practitioners
• Live policy projects
• Specialisations in Trade, Technology, and Public Systems & Governance

The program is run in collaboration with:

• Public Systems Lab (IIT Delhi)
• The Pranava Institute
• Pahle India Foundation

Selections are on a rolling basis.

Already 1000+ people have signed up.

Apply Here!

🎙️ Podcast of the Week

In this episode of #PolicyPanchayat, Yash Agarwal from PPI speaks with Ms. Niyati Sharma, the founder of Pratisandhi Foundation and a leading sexuality education advocate.

Ms. Sharma shares her journey of building Pratisandhi into a platform for sexual and reproductive health education and discusses the challenges of expanding conversations around sexuality, consent, and health in India.

The conversation also explores how civil society organisations navigate policy spaces while working on sensitive but essential public health issues.

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Hydropower’s Role in the Clean Energy Transition

As countries expand solar and wind energy, hydropower is gaining attention as a key stabilizer for renewable-heavy grids. Technologies like pumped-storage hydropower can store energy and release it during peak demand.

But expanding hydropower also raises important policy questions around environmental impact, water governance, and displacement.

Read More!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

“Public policy is about how we make decisions as a society.”
— Thomas Dye

Public policy often feels distant — something that happens in government buildings, conference halls, or official reports.

But the reality is simpler: policy comes alive when people understand it, question it, and participate in the conversations shaping it.

This week’s edition reflects exactly that — from our Delhi Policy Circle meetup, to a look at Mumbai’s evolving infrastructure landscape, to this week’s spotlight on Jhoomar Mehta, whose work focuses on translating complex policy ideas into narratives that people can actually engage with. As always you will find a detailed list of resources at the end of the newsletter.

Let’s get into it.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ Community Highlight: PPI in Pune

There’s something special about seeing the PPI community come together in person.

Our Pune Policy Circle meetup brought together students, early-career professionals, and policy enthusiasts for conversations on careers, governance, and the realities of working in the policy ecosystem.

These gatherings remind us that public policy is not just about ideas — it’s about people who care enough to sit together, exchange perspectives, and ask better questions about how change actually happens.

📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group for more such meet-ups

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy?

Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is currently accepting applications.

This two-year residential programme focuses on understanding how policies are designed, implemented, and shaped by political and institutional realities.

KSPP offers scholarships for eligible candidates, and applicants applying through PPI may be considered for fee waivers depending on the school’s evaluation, including academics, interview performance, and financial background.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

🌟 Spotlight of the Week

Jhoomar Mehta is the founder of Prod, a communications and strategy studio working at the intersection of public policy, climate action, and social impact.

Through narrative strategy, research-led storytelling, and experiential communication spaces, Prod helps organisations translate complex policy and technical interventions into narratives that diverse stakeholders can engage with.

For Jhoomar, storytelling isn’t simplification — it’s translation: breaking down complexity so people from different walks of life can meaningfully participate in conversations shaping our collective future.

Read the full spotlight on LinkedIn

🎥 Video of the Week

Mumbai’s Infrastructure Push — What It Means for the City

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport, one of several major infrastructure projects reshaping the city’s connectivity.

In this episode of Cut The Clutter, Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta looks at the transformation of Mumbai’s infrastructure — from the Coastal Road and Trans Harbour Link to Metro Line 3 — and what these projects could mean for the city’s mobility, urban planning, and economic growth.

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Institutionalizing Climate Resilience in Asia

Across Asia, climate adaptation is shifting from localized projects to systemic integration. Despite growing investment in risk assessments and resilience planning, climate insights often remain advisory rather than embedded in planning, financing, and governance systems.

Read the full analysis!

Lasting resilience will depend on making climate risk screening, community-informed planning, and adaptive governance standard practice across institutions.

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Policy sometimes happens when someone realises that the gap between a good idea and a good outcome isn’t just about politics — it’s about management. About implementation. About the often-invisible machinery that sits between a policy on paper and a life that changes.

That’s what Lucknow gave us last Friday. And we’re just getting started.

This week: our first-ever Lucknow meetup and what it opened up, a reminder about Kautilya School of Public Policy’s scholarships for those thinking about structured learning, and a look at the policy world’s most interesting reads from the past fortnight — from a landmark India-US trade deal to what bureaucracy and state capacity research is quietly telling us about why good governance is harder than it looks.

Let’s get into it.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

🏙️ PPI Comes to Lucknow — For the First Time

On February 21st, we held our very first Policy Circle in Lucknow. And the city showed up.

India doesn’t have a shortage of policy ideas. What it has is a persistent gap between design and delivery. Lucknow put that conversation front and centre — and we think it’s a conversation every city deserves.

If you want a room full of people who care about governance, want to go beyond the headlines, and are willing to sit with hard questions about how change actually happens — this is your space.

📅 Details going out through city chapters shortly

📍 Keep an eye on your chapter’s WhatsApp group

Not in a chapter yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 If You’ve Been Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy...

The Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at Kautilya School of Public Policy is worth a serious look.

The Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at Kautilya School of Public Policy is now accepting applications for 2025. This 2-year, full-time, residential programme is designed to help you understand not just what policies say, but how they get made, implemented, and shaped by the world around them.

KSPP offers generous scholarships for eligible candidates, and those applying through PPI may qualify for a 100% fee waiver, depending on the school’s evaluation.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

💡 Research Highlight

"Bureaucracy Needs a Rebrand" — VoxDev

VoxDev's 2025 year-in-review has a quietly important section on state capacity. In Chile, merit-based recruitment to public hospitals reduced mortality rates.

In India and Pakistan, how bureaucrats are posted matters enormously for delivery outcomes. If the implementation gap is the problem, this is where the evidence for solving it lives.

Read Here!

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

🧊 When the Ice Goes, Everything Goes

Our Planet on Netflix follows polar bears, walruses, seals, and penguins navigating a world of disappearing ice — and it’s as heartbreaking as it sounds. But it’s also more than a nature film.

What happens at the poles ripples outward — into sea levels, weather systems, food security, and eventually, the health crises that land on frontline workers’ desks across the Global South. Watch it as a briefing, not just a documentary.

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

There’s a version of “working in policy” that looks very linear from the outside — degree, internship, job, repeat. But spend any time in this community and you’ll notice it’s rarely that clean.

Most people in this space got here through a door that barely existed when they walked through it. A program that launched two years ago. A community that didn’t have a chapter in their city yet. A conversation that shifted something.

This week, a Policy Circle coming to Delhi, opportunity for those thinking about the MPP at Kautilya School of Public Policy, and a look at what’s happening to one of the world’s saltiest oceans — and why it matters far beyond the coastline. As always you will find a list of resources at the end of the newsletter.

Let’s get into it.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

☕ The Policy Circle is Coming to Delhi!

The Policy Circle rolls into Delhi the following week.

If you’re in the capital and want a room full of people who care about governance, policy, and where this country is headed — this is your Friday plans sorted.

📅 February 26 | Details via your city chapter
📍 Delhi

Details going out through the Delhi WhatsApp chapter shortly. Not in it yet? Find and join your city chapter here →

🎓 If You’ve Been Thinking About Structured Learning in Policy...

The Policy Circles are a great starting point — but if you’re ready to go deeper, the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at Kautilya School of Public Policy is worth a serious look.

The Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at Kautilya School of Public Policy is now accepting applications for 2025. This 2-year, full-time, residential programme is designed to help you understand not just what policies say, but how they get made, implemented, and shaped by the world around them.

KSPP offers generous scholarships for eligible candidates, and those applying through PPI may qualify for a 100% fee waiver, depending on the school’s evaluation.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

Policy Pioneers by India House — Applications Are Live!

If you’ve been waiting for a program that doesn’t just talk about policy but actually puts you inside it — this one’s worth a serious look.

Policy Pioneers is a 16-week hybrid leadership program built for students, early-career professionals, and mid-career folks who want to engage meaningfully with public policy — not just read about it. You’ll learn directly from leading practitioners, work on live policy projects, and build real-world exposure across three of the most consequential domains shaping India’s future right now: Trade, Technology, and Public Systems & Governance.

This isn’t a certificate program dressed up in policy language. It’s structured around the kind of learning that actually changes how you think — and what you’re capable of doing when you walk out.

Lead. Learn. Reform.

Start your journey here!

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

🌊 The Ocean Is Changing — And the Consequences Are Bigger Than You Think

The Southern Indian Ocean off the coast of southwest Australia has historically been one of the saltiest stretches of water on the planet. A new study published in Nature Climate Change by Colorado University Boulder finds that it’s getting fresher — fast. The salty area has shrunk by 30% over the past six decades, in what researchers are calling the most rapid freshwater increase observed anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere

.For policy professionals working on climate adaptation, health systems, or food security — this is the kind of upstream environmental shift that quietly reshapes everything downstream.

Read the full story here

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Here’s something nobody tells you when you’re starting out in the policy space: there’s no single path in.

Some people come through law. Others through economics, data, journalism, development work. Some build careers in government, others in think tanks or consulting. And some of the most interesting people in this space took routes that didn’t exist five years ago.

That’s partly what this week’s edition is about—routes. New ones we’re building, ones our community is exploring, and one that GenAI might be redrawing entirely.

As always, we’ve got databases, resources, and opportunities to help you find your next move.

Let’s get into it.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

☕ The Policy Circle is Coming to Lucknow — Feb 21

We’ve been taking The Policy Circle to more cities, and this time we’re heading to Lucknow.

PPI is partnering with the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) to bring you a session we honestly wish existed when we were figuring things out ourselves.

From Intention to Impact: Exploring a Career in Development Management

Because let’s be real—most of us grew up hearing “do something meaningful” but nobody sat us down and said here’s how you actually build a career in social impact without burning out, getting underpaid, or feeling lost.

Development Management sits at an interesting intersection: public policy, business strategy, social impact, and grassroots action. Development managers work with governments, nonprofits, social enterprises, CSR teams, and international organisations to design, implement, and scale solutions across education, healthcare, livelihoods, climate action, financial inclusion, and more. It’s not just about passion—it’s about strategy, leadership, data, operations, and sustainable impact.

🎤 Speakers: Sanjana Kaushik and Madhumita Mukherjee, ISDM

Whether you’re a student exploring options, a young professional wondering if the social sector is really for you, or someone already in it trying to figure out the next step—this one’s for you.

✅ Completely free to attend ✅ One-of-a-kind session ☕ And yes, coffee’s on us

📅 21st February | 5:00–7:00 PM 📍 Lucknow

Register Now!

If you’ve been thinking about structured learning in development management...

ISDM’s programmes are designed for people who want to move from intent to impact—combining policy thinking with management practice to build careers that actually work in the social sector. Their admissions are currently open, and those applying through PPI may be eligible for special consideration.

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference for scholarships

Apply Now!

🎉 Community Highlight: A Week of Firsts

Last week was a big one for us, and we want to share it with you—because honestly, none of this happens without this community.

PPI Signs Its First-Ever MoU — with RV University, Bengaluru

Five years ago, PPI started as a small community of people who cared about policy. This week, we signed our first-ever formal Memorandum of Understanding with RV University—an 8-decade-old institution in Bengaluru.

The partnership focuses on supporting RV University’s students in the years ahead with capacity building, training, and careers support in the policy and governance space.

For a community-driven platform that’s just five years old, this feels like a milestone worth pausing on. We’ve more than doubled our work, partnerships, and reach in just the past six months—and this MoU is a signal of what’s ahead.

More updates on this partnership soon. We’re just getting started.

Community Highlight

Our Bengaluru Policy Circle with Dr. Amrendra Pandey from Kautilya School of Public Policy (KSPP) brought together a room full of curious, sharp minds who wanted to understand one thing: how are public policy decisions actually made?

If you missed this one, don’t worry. The Policy Circle is heading to India’s 20 largest cities in the coming few months, and we’ll keep bringing in practitioners who can walk you through what the process actually looks like from the inside.

If you’ve been thinking about structured learning in policy...

The Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at Kautilya School of Public Policy is now accepting applications for 2025. This 2-year, full-time, residential programme is designed to help you understand not just what policies say, but how they get made, implemented, and shaped by the world around them.

KSPP offers generous scholarships for eligible candidates, and those applying through PPI may qualify for a 100% fee waiver, depending on the school’s evaluation.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

#PPPTalks | GenAI, Tech Policy and the Future of Public Policy Careers in India

Join Yash Agarwal in an online masterclass on “GenAI, Tech Policy and the Future of Public Policy Careers in India” on Feb 21, 11 AM - 2 PM.

What you’ll walk away with:

• The Automate-Augment-Elevate framework for GenAI in policy work

• India’s AI governance approach & IndiaAI Mission

• Career pathways & your own 12-18 month GenAI policy roadmap

If you’ve been wondering how AI is changing the nature of policy work—or where you fit into that shift—this is the conversation to be part of.

Register Here

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

🎬 Watch: Against the Tide

Rising seas, more floods, longer droughts — and the question every sector will eventually face: what happens when the environment shifts faster than institutions can respond?

This episode tracks how the Netherlands is building climate-resilient infrastructure while communities in Bangladesh, Wales, and Florida struggle without it. Sharp, grounded, and relevant well beyond climate policy.

Watch it here →

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Technology moves fast. Policy? Not always. But that tension between innovation and governance, between what’s possible and what’s responsible is exactly where some of the most consequential work happens.

This week, we spotlight Kriti Trehan, whose work at the intersection of tech, law, and policy ensures that Global South perspectives stay central to digital governance.

We’re also bringing you The Policy Circle | Bengaluru this Saturday—a free workshop with Dr. Amrendra Pandey from Kautilya School of Public Policy (KSPP), walking through how one real policy decision actually unfolded. Registrations are open, and yes, we’re doing on-spot sign-ups too.

And because GenAI is reshaping policy work right now, Yash’s masterclass on GenAI, Tech Policy, and Career Pathways (Feb 21) is one you won’t want to miss.

As always, we’ve got databases, resources, and opportunities to help you find your next move.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

☕ The Policy Circle | Bengaluru – This Saturday!

We keep hearing the same question: how are public policy decisions actually made?

Public Policy India (PPI), in collaboration with Kautilya School of Public Policy (KSPP), is hosting The Policy Circle | Bengaluru—a free, in-person, guided workshop with Dr. Amrendra Pandey, Assistant Dean (Research) at KSPP.

This session is about process, not positions. We’ll walk through one real policy decision and unpack how it unfolded inside the system—the parts you don’t read about in white papers.

📅 Date: 7 February (Saturday)
⏰ Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
📍 Venue: Koramangala, Bengaluru
💰 Access: Free (coffee’s on us ☕)

Registrations are open, and we’re also accepting on-spot sign-ups—so if you’re around, come through. If you know someone in Bengaluru who’d benefit from this, share the link. Policy conversations are better when more voices are in the room.

Register Here!

If you’ve been thinking about structured learning in policy...

The Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at Kautilya School of Public Policy is now accepting applications for 2025. This 2-year, full-time, residential programme is designed to help you understand not just what policies say, but how they get made, implemented, and shaped by the world around them.

KSPP offers generous scholarships for eligible candidates, and those applying through PPI may qualify for a 100% fee waiver, depending on the school’s evaluation.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

📺 Video Highlight

A Reality Check on India’s Social Infrastructures with Karthik Muralidharan | SparX by Mukesh Bansal

Why is the education sector not producing good results? How can illegal practices be reduced in healthcare? What’s the main problem in India’s job market?

This episode examines the education and healthcare sectors, and touches on challenges in India’s job market. If you’re interested in systems thinking, evidence-based reform, or just understanding why things work (or don’t) the way they do, this is a grounded and insightful watch.

#PPPTalks | GenAI, Tech Policy and the Future of Public Policy Careers in India

Join Yash Agarwal in an online masterclass on “GenAI, Tech Policy and the Future of Public Policy Careers in India” on Feb 21, 11 AM - 2 PM.

What you’ll walk away with:

• The Automate-Augment-Elevate framework for GenAI in policy work

• India’s AI governance approach & IndiaAI Mission

• Career pathways & your own 12-18 month GenAI policy roadmap

If you’ve been wondering how AI is changing the nature of policy work—or where you fit into that shift—this is the conversation to be part of.

Register Here

🌟 Spotlight of the Week | Kriti Trehan

Technology is evolving faster than ever—and the policies shaping it matter just as much as the innovation itself.

This week, we feature Kriti Trehan, Founder of Data & Co – Law & Policy Advisors, a boutique consultancy working at the intersection of technology, law, and public policy.

With over 12 years of experience across global tech regulation, AI governance, privacy, digital payments, and online safety, Kriti’s work focuses on helping organisations anticipate regulatory change with clarity and responsibility—while ensuring that Global South perspectives remain central to digital governance conversations.

Read the full feature here

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

India Refocuses Climate Action: Development First, Adaptation Central

India’s Economic Survey 2025–26 reframes climate action as a development-first strategy, placing adaptation, resilience, and human welfare at the centre of policy design. What makes this approach interesting is the underlying rationale: the Survey warns against treating energy transition as a narrow climate exercise, arguing that sustained growth requires affordable, reliable electricity—not just renewable capacity additions.

It’s a useful lens on how climate policy gets shaped by development imperatives and competing priorities when filtered through India’s policy system.

Read the full article here!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

As admissions open across public policy schools, skilling programmes, and fellowships, this week’s newsletter focuses on process, perspective, and making informed decisions—before committing to a path.

We begin with The Policy Circle | Bengaluru, a free, in-person workshop in collaboration Kautilya School of Public Policy. Rather than positions or prescriptions, the session focuses on process. Through one real policy decision, it unpacks how trade-offs are negotiated, constraints navigated, and outcomes shaped inside the system.

That focus carries into our coverage of policy education and career pathways, as admissions open at KSPP and beyond including details on generous scholarships and a 100% fee waiver for eligible candidates applying via PPI.

Taken together, this issue is about understanding how decisions are made—before making your own.

Let’s get into Policy Post #220.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

☕ Workshop Highlight | The Policy Circle – Bengaluru

How are public policy decisions actually made?

Rarely in a straight line. They evolve through institutional constraints, political trade-offs, and timing pressures that don’t show up in policy briefs or official documents.

Public Policy India (PPI), in collaboration with the Kautilya School of Public Policy (KSPP), is hosting The Policy Circle | Bengaluru—a free, in-person, guided workshop focused on process, not positions.

The session will walk through one real policy decision, unpacking how it unfolded inside the system.

📅 Date: 7 February
⏰ Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
📍 Venue: Dialogue Cafe, Koramangala, Bengaluru
💰 Access: Free (coffee on us ☕)

Register Here!

As we explore how policy decisions are made in practice, it’s natural to wonder what a structured path into this world looks like, here’s a chance to explore it firsthand. The Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at the Kautilya School of Public Policy is now open for applications.

This 2-year, full-time, residential programme offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to expand your knowledge and skills, while engaging with the real challenges of India.

KSPP provides scholarships for eligible candidates, and those applying through PPI may qualify for a 100% fee waiver, depending on the school’s evaluation. It’s a way to make this learning opportunity accessible to motivated individuals who want to understand policy from the inside.

Apply Now!

📌 If you apply via PPI, be sure to mention us as your reference to be considered for the waiver.

📺 Video Highlight

Policy Panchayat | Building Careers in Public Policy

An attempt to answer some of the most common questions we receive about entering and navigating the policy space—skills, trade-offs, and what the work actually looks like.

Do share it with anyone considering a policy career, and let us know what you’d like us to cover next.

You can also reach out to Yash directly for queries:
👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashagarwalm/

🔎 Global Policy Schools Database

Exploring policy programmes in India and beyond?

We’ve put together a free, searchable database of global public policy schools and the programmes they offer.

Explore Here!

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Transforming Healthcare in Tabaco City: A Data-Driven Approach

What does data-driven public health reform look like beyond dashboards and pilots?

This case study from Swasti examines how Tabaco City’s healthcare system was strengthened through better use of data, local capacity-building, and institutional coordination. Rather than focusing on technology alone, the piece highlights how feedback loops, administrative ownership, and on-ground decision-making shape health outcomes.

For readers interested in health systems strengthening, decentralised governance, and evidence-led reform, this is a grounded and instructive read.

Read the full piece here

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Capacity, continuity, and follow-through matter more than novelty.

This week’s edition is anchored in that reality. We begin by recognising sincerity within our own community through the Sinceriti Giveaway an attempt to pause and acknowledge work that is consistent rather than visible. It surfaces most clearly in this week’s essay from The Leap Journal, which argues that the next five years of reform will not be defined by new announcements, but by whether existing reforms are embedded deeply enough to survive institutional and political churn.

On Policy Panchayat, Kriti Trehan reflects on building a career in tech policy, a space where credibility is earned slowly, regulation lags innovation, and progress is often invisible. In our Climate + Health Corner, Kingsmill Bond reframes climate action around electrification, highlighting how transitions succeed or fail based on institutional readiness rather than technological ambition alone.

We return to these questions through our Spotlight of the Week, which traces Ashish Kejriwal’s path from corporate finance to government. His journey challenges the idea of a single policy pathway and reinforces a simple truth: public policy functions best when it draws on diverse forms of expertise and allows for movement across domains.

Taken together, this edition is less about change as an event, and more about change as a practice — sustained, uneven, and deeply institutional. As always, find a list of resources to up skill, learn and for opportunities in the space.

Let’s get into Policy Post #219.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

📺 Video Highlight

Policy Panchayat | Yash in conversation with Kriti Trehan

In this episode of Policy Panchayat, Yash Agarwal speaks with Kriti Trehan, tech policy and regulatory advisor and founder of Data & Co - Law & Policy Advisors.

The conversation explores Kriti’s journey into tech policy, the realities of working at the intersection of law, technology, and governance, and the growing gap between technological innovation and regulatory capacity. They also discuss the skills required to build credibility in emerging policy domains, and why interdisciplinary thinking is no longer optional in this space.

🎁 Giveaway | Mission Billion Summit 2026

Public Policy India (PPI) is offering a 30% discount to selected participants for the Mission Billion Summit 2026—a one-day, founder-first convening for leaders building at scale.

📍 India International Centre, New Delhi
🗓 29 January 2026

The Summit brings together practitioners and system-builders, including Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Praveen Pardeshi, and founders from ACT Grants, Samagra, Vidhi, Central Square Foundation, Avanti Fellows, among others.

How to participate in the giveaway:
👉 Comment on the LinkedIn post linked below with:

• Why you’re a good fit for the Summit

• One change you want to see in the world 🌍

• Your email ID

✨ Selected participants receive 30% off their Summit pass
🎓 Students: 20 sponsored passes available (selection-based)

Comment to participate!

💡 Essay Highlight

Reinforcing the Anchor: The Next Five Years of Reform

This essay from The Leap Journal looks beyond headline reforms to ask a harder question: what will determine whether India’s recent reform efforts actually last?

The piece argues that the coming phase of reform will depend less on new policy announcements and more on institutional capacity, administrative continuity, and the ability to embed reforms deeply enough to withstand political and bureaucratic churn.

For readers interested in governance, state capacity, and long-term reform trajectories, this essay offers a grounded and timely perspective.

A timely read as debates around labour reform, employment, and worker security continue to evolve.

Read the Full Article Here!

🎁 Giveaway Update 🚨

Sinceriti Giveaway Results for the PPI Community

Last month, Sinceriti brought an exclusive giveaway to the PPI community, inviting nominations for individuals who have shown sincerity and consistency in their work.

We’re happy to announce the winners of the Sinceriti Giveaway:

Karthik Shekhar, Bhuvanesh Soni, Prasun Ranjan, Sanjana Kaushik, Sibabrata Choudhury, Rhea Varma, Gopal Kumar, Naman Gambhir, Anushka Abhijeet Chendke, and Reeti Prakash.

All winners will be contacted over email with details about their prizes.

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

✨ Spotlight of the Week

Career Pathways in Public Policy

There’s a persistent myth that public policy careers follow only one route.

This week’s Spotlight features Ashish Kejriwal, whose journey challenges that assumption. Trained as a Chartered Accountant, Ashish worked across corporate finance roles at Goldman Sachs, Tata Steel, and Indian Oil before transitioning into government. Today, as Assistant Director at the National Cooperative Development Corporation, he works on institutional credit and cooperative sector development under the Ministry of Cooperation.

His trajectory highlights an often-overlooked reality: policy spaces need financial, regulatory, and systems thinking as much as they need subject expertise.

Read the Full Feature Here!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Why Electrification May Be the Defining Climate Story

Decarbonising energy is only one part of the climate transition. The other half is electrification — of transport, industry, and everyday life.

In this episode of Zero, Kingsmill Bond, strategist at Ember, speaks with Akshat Rathi about why electrification may become the most important climate story of 2026.

The conversation explores why electrification is advancing rapidly, what happens to economies and workers left behind in the transition, and how climate action reshapes labour markets, health systems, and governance priorities.

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Policy debates often move quickly, but their consequences unfold slowly.

This week’s edition focuses on that gap. On how reforms, especially in areas like labour, only reveal their real impact once they reach workplaces, institutions, and people’s everyday lives.

The pieces in this newsletter look closely at that journey. From explaining what India’s labour codes could change, to questioning how reform balances flexibility and protection, to surfacing key data points shaping public discourse, the focus is on understanding policy beyond intent.

We’ve curated explainers, commentary, and resources to help make these shifts easier to understand and engage with, you will find them at the end.

Let’s get into Policy Post #218.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

📺 Video Highlight

Rethinking Regulation in India — Ajay Shah

In this lecture, economist Ajay Shah offers a clear overview of how the field of regulation has evolved in India. Rather than focusing on individual laws or sectors, the talk steps back to examine the big ideas that shape regulatory thinking — how regulation is designed, why it often fails, and what effective regulatory frameworks require.

Shah links India’s regulatory challenges to broader economic and institutional literature, making this a valuable primer for anyone trying to understand regulation as a field, not just a compliance exercise. The lecture is especially useful for readers interested in how state capacity, incentives, and institutional design affect outcomes in practice.

💡 Essay Highlight

Four labour codes, one big leap

This column examines the intent and implications of India’s four labour codes, arguing that while the reforms aim to simplify and modernise labour regulation, their success will ultimately depend on implementation, state-level adoption, and safeguards for workers.

The essay raises critical questions about balancing flexibility with protection, and whether the new framework can genuinely improve conditions for India’s vast informal workforce.

A timely read as debates around labour reform, employment, and worker security continue to evolve.

Read the Essay

📊 Policy in a Snapshot

This week’s snapshot highlights a key policy data point shaping public discourse right now a reminder that behind every statistic lies a set of choices, priorities, and trade-offs.

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Anxiety in a Warming World: My Goodbye to Delhi’s Toxic Embrace

This personal essay from Down To Earth captures an increasingly visible but less discussed impact of climate change and pollution: their toll on mental health. Through the lens of living in Delhi’s toxic air, the piece reflects on how prolonged exposure to environmental stressors fuels anxiety, exhaustion, and a sense of loss, especially among young people.

The article reminds us that climate and health conversations cannot be limited to physical illness alone. Air quality, heat, and environmental degradation also shape emotional wellbeing, decisions about migration, and how people experience everyday life in cities. A timely read for those thinking about climate policy through a public health and lived-experience lens.

Read the Full Feature Here!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

A lot of people talk about change. Far fewer talk about what it takes to stay with it.

This week’s edition is shaped by that idea. What it looks like to build inside systems that move slowly. What it means to choose work where progress is measured in years, not announcements. And why some of the most meaningful policy work is also the least visible.

Through our Spotlight on The Education Alliance and a candid conversation with Amitav Virmani, we explore what long-term leadership and systems change actually demand patience, trade-offs, and the willingness to keep showing up when progress is not immediately visible.

As always, we’ve paired these reflections with essays, research, and learning resources that help make this kind of work more legible, especially for those trying to understand where they fit in the policy ecosystem and how to build capacity over time. You’ll find these resources gathered toward the end of the newsletter.

Let’s get into Policy Post #217.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

📺 Podcast Highlight

PolicyPod | Ayush in conversation with Amitav Virmani

In this episode of PolicyPod, Ayush speaks with Amitav Virmani, Founder and CEO of The Education Alliance, for a wide-ranging and deeply reflective conversation on leadership, education reform, and building change that lasts.

In the conversation, Amitav reflects on what drew him to education reform, the realities of pay and progression in the social sector, how government partnerships actually function on the ground, the role of NGOs and civil society in sustaining reform, and what it takes to build a long-term career rooted in public purpose.

🎁 Giveaway Alert 🚨

India’s Future Policy Leaders Workshop

In partnership with the American Center (U.S. Mission India)

PPI is glad to partner with the American Center for a fully funded workshop designed to expose undergraduate students to policy leadership and public engagement.

What’s included

• 4-day intensive training (Feb 9–12) at the American Center

• “Chat with a Diplomat” opportunity

• U.S.-certified leadership and communication modules

Who can apply
Undergraduate students aged 17–22

How to enter

1. Follow PPI on Instagram and LinkedIn

2. Comment on the giveaway post with one policy issue you care about and why

3. Share with a friend who should not miss this

📅 Comment by 15 January 2026

Enter the Giveaway

💡 Essay Highlight

Green Horizons: Mobilising Climate Capital to Support Safe Routes for Green-Skilled Displaced People

In this essay, the Center for Global Development examines a less discussed side of climate policy: what happens to people as economies transition to green growth.

The piece argues that climate action will inevitably reshape labour markets, displacing workers in some sectors while creating green jobs in others. The challenge for policymakers is not just to mobilise climate finance, but to ensure that this capital supports safe, equitable pathways for displaced and climate-affected workers to re-skill, migrate, and participate in the green economy.

Read the Essay!

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

✨ Spotlight of the Week

Our newest initiative at Public Policy India!

This week’s Spotlight features The Education Alliance (TEA). Founded in 2014, TEA works with state governments to strengthen India’s public education system from within. Rather than running parallel interventions, TEA embeds high-capacity teams inside government systems to co-design and implement reforms at scale.

For anyone interested in education policy or governance, TEA’s journey reinforces a simple lesson: sustainable reform scales when institutions are strengthened, not bypassed.

Read the Full Feature Here!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Why Climate Change Is a Health Systems Challenge

Climate change is already reshaping public health outcomes through heat stress, food insecurity, air pollution, and the spread of climate-sensitive diseases. These impacts place growing pressure on health systems that are often under-resourced and unevenly prepared.

This explainer highlights why climate adaptation must be embedded into health policy and planning, and why resilience depends on strengthening systems before crises hit.

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

Most people don’t enter policy with a plan. They enter with curiosity, urgency, and very little clarity about where they fit. Over the past year, that tension kept surfacing across PPI’s work — in classrooms, workshops, and institutional spaces alike. People want to do meaningful policy work, but often find a gap between learning the language and knowing how to operate within the system.

How do people actually find their way into policy?
Where does learning stop and practice begin?
And what does it mean for a policy community to build capacity, not just access?

This edition reflects on those questions. You’ll see them play out in conversations on accidental policy careers, in debates on digital governance and public infrastructure, and in the pathways we’re shaping with partners like Sinceriti, where intent meets real-world constraints. Resources responding to these gaps are gathered toward the end of the newsletter.

We’re carrying these questions into 2026 — not as promises, but as work we’re committed to doing, openly and alongside the community.

Let’s get into Policy Post #216.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

📺 Podcast Highlight

Accidental Policy Careers & the Evolving Tech Policy Space

In this episode of Policy Panchayat, Uthara Ganesh, Head of Public Policy at Snapchat India and South Asia, speaks with Yash Agarwal about her journey from the LAMP Fellowship into tech policy.

The conversation reflects a familiar reality in the policy space — most people don’t plan their way in. They discover the field gradually, learning its complexities only after stepping inside. A timely listen, especially as fellowship season picks up.

👥 From the PPI Community #PolicyTalks

Yash at the Andhra Pradesh State Youth Festival 2025

As part of #PPITalks, PPI was at the Andhra Pradesh State Youth Festival 2025, spending time with young people thinking seriously about policy, institutions, and what it takes to enter public life.

The room was driven by questions — about governance, opportunity, and where young voices sit within systems that shape everyday outcomes.

🔎 Research & Resources

Careers and Public Policy: An A–Z Guide to the Public Policy Field in India

Our e-book brings together lessons from across the policy ecosystem to make the field more legible — mapping spaces, functions, and pathways without pretending there is a single route in.

Careers and Public Policy+ YOUR A-Z GUIDE TO THE PUBLIC POLICY FIELD IN INDIA

4.67MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

🏛️ Event Highlight

Digital Governance Summit — Shaastra 2026

📍 IIT Madras | 🗓️ 3–5 January

At Shaastra 2026, global leaders across GovTech, policy, and implementation will come together to examine how Digital Public Infrastructure is reshaping governance in India.

In partnership with eGov, iSPIRT, eMudhra, and DigiPin, the summit focuses on what it takes to build digital systems that are accountable, scalable, and institutionally sound — where policy is written not just in legislation, but in platforms and code.

Register Here!

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

✨ Spotlight of the Week

Our newest initiative at Public Policy India!

This week’s Spotlight features Rai Sengupta, an evaluation specialist whose work sits at the intersection of evidence, institutions, and people. Currently an Evaluation Consultant with the UNICEF Evaluation Office, Rai supports global evaluations across health and nutrition, child protection, climate change, and WASH. Her work spans governments, bilateral agencies, and multilaterals — including roles with Invest India, the Asian Development Bank, and Ecorys in London.

A global recipient of the Feminist Innovations in Monitoring and Evaluation (FIME) award, Rai leads work advancing feminist evaluation in crisis contexts and has presented her toolkit at UN Women, the World Bank, and ADB. Alongside this, she is deeply committed to mentoring early-career evaluators, having led 40+ capacity-building workshops across institutions such as NITI Aayog, the University of Cambridge, and the World Bank. Her advice is simple: stay curious, stay human — and never lose sight of the stories behind the data.

Read the Full Feature Here!

📣 Why Authenticity Is Getting Harder to Signal — And One Tool Trying to Fix It

Across the impact and policy ecosystem, applicants are discovering a tough truth. With applications increasingly polished and often AI-assisted it has become harder for recruiters to see what genuinely drives a candidate over time. This is the gap Sinceriti is trying to address.

Built by senior leaders in the social impact sector (including a former Partner at Dalberg), Sinceriti introduces a simple idea: every applicant receives 100 “commitment points” each year, which they allocate across causes and organisations they truly value. These allocations are timestamped, tamper-proof, and locked — creating a credible trail of what you’ve consistently cared about and worked toward.

Fellowships like the LedBy Accelerator and the Gandhi Fellowship are already using Sinceriti in their application cycles. For candidates exploring roles in the impact space, the platform is free.

Reach the team at contact@sinceriti.co

Build Your narrative Sincerely!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Before the Flood: Climate change is a governance failure unfolding in real time.

Directed by Fisher Stevens and fronted by Leonardo DiCaprio, Before the Flood traces the global, interconnected impacts of climate change while asking uncomfortable questions about political will, power, and accountability.

What sets the film apart is its refusal to stop at awareness. It points directly to policy choices from fossil fuel subsidies to carbon taxation and argues that climate action cannot rely on individual behaviour alone.

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

As the year begins to slow down, we’ve been thinking about how rarely meaningful work is ever done alone.

None of us build policy ecosystems from scratch. We arrive through institutions we inherit, people who guide us, communities that shape our choices—and through commitments that find their way into real opportunities, sometimes with the help of platforms like Sinceriti. What looks like individual effort is almost always collective labour.

This week at PPI reflected that spirit—from Yash’s sessions at the Observer Research Foundation to our Bengaluru climate meet-up, and the people and pathways we’re spotlighting across this edition.

Many of these stories circle the same quiet question: how do people find their way into policy—and how do they stay? PPI exists in that space—by connecting people to conversations, communities, and resources, some of which you’ll find gathered toward the end.

Let’s get into Policy Post #215.

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

💡 Essay Highlight:

Bharat, Youth, and Power — Youth Power Foundation

This essay reflects on how young people engage with power, responsibility, and institutions in India today, moving beyond symbolic participation toward sustained, meaningful involvement.

A thoughtful read for anyone navigating public life, leadership, and long-term engagement in policy spaces.

🔗 Read the essay →

👥 From the PPI Community #PolicySabha

Bengaluru Climate Meet-up

Our Bengaluru community came together for an in-person conversation on climate, policy, and collective action. These meet-ups continue to be some of PPI’s most meaningful spaces—where ideas move from screens into shared dialogue.

More city conversations coming soon!

📲 Highlight of the Week

Yash at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF)
Yash recently conducted a session at ORF, engaging with a sharp cohort on: Policymaking as a science, The evolving landscape of technology policy and his journey through the policy ecosystem

The conversation focused on rigour, values, and how ideas translate into institutions—and what it takes to build a meaningful path in public life.

📷 Video Highlight

Reforming the Indian State — The Seen and the Unseen

To reform India, economist Karthik Muralidharan argues, we must first reform the Indian state.

In Episode 375 of The Seen and the Unseen, Muralidharan joins Amit Varma to discuss his much-awaited new book—especially the chapters examining India’s bureaucracy, state capacity, and why implementation remains the hardest challenge in governance.

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

✨ Spotlight of the Week

Our newest initiative at Public Policy India!

Each week, Spotlight we’ll bring forward stories of people and organisations shaping India’s public policy and social impact landscape in their own unique ways

This week’s Spotlight: Ruchi Tripathi.
A Senior Policy Associate in the Rajya Sabha, Ruchi’s journey spans district-level governance work, the Ministry of Culture, legislative research, and mentoring students navigating entry into policy spaces. Alongside her parliamentary work, she collaborates on women-centric empowerment initiatives, consults with think tanks as an independent professional, and writes regularly for national publications.

Her work reflects what sustained policy engagement looks like—rigour, mentorship, and growth from within the system.

Read the Full Feature Here!

📣Why Your Career Story Needs More Than a Polished CV, Sincerely

Across the impact sector, applicants are discovering a tough truth: strong writing alone isn’t enough anymore. With AI smoothing out essays and cover letters, it’s becoming harder for hiring teams to understand what actually drives a candidate – the interests that exist long before an application is due. The result is a hiring ecosystem where intention is often invisible.

PPI is thrilled to bring Sinceriti to our community of changemakers. Built by senior leaders in the social impact sector (including a former Partner at Dalberg), the platform introduces a simple idea: every applicant receives 100 “commitment points” each year, which they allocate to the causes and organisations they truly value. These allocations are timestamped and locked, forming a steady trail of your interests over time – choices that reflect what you consistently care about, not what sounds impressive the night before a deadline.

Leading programs like the LedBy Accelerator and the Gandhi Fellowship have already woven Sinceriti into their selection process. For anyone shaping their path in the impact space, the platform is free. The team can be reached at contact@sinceriti.co

Build Your narrative Sincerely!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

How Climate Breakdown Is Putting the World’s Food Systems at Risk

This powerful visual article maps how climate change is already reshaping global food systems—through heat stress, droughts, floods, and declining crop resilience.

It shows how food security, public health, and climate vulnerability are deeply intertwined, with the heaviest burden falling on communities with the least room to adapt.

Read the Article Here!

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee

This week at PPI has been a reminder of how much powerful work grows out of thoughtful communities. After months of collaboration, we’re excited to finally share Sinceriti—a platform built to honour authentic commitment in a landscape increasingly shaped by AI-generated applications. It’s an idea close to our heart, and one we hope you’ll explore with us.

Yash returned to the Indian School of Public Policy for his annual session with scholars, reflecting on what it means to build a meaningful policymaking journey in India today and the values that sustain it.

The pieces in this edition echo that same spirit: young leadership redefining consent education, women powering the unseen labour behind global AI systems, evidence on India’s climate–health risks, and opportunities shaping the future of policy learning. Different stories, but connected by the people driving them.

As always, you’ll find the updated jobs and opportunities database at the end.

Let’s get into Policy Post #214

Policy Charcha 💬

The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!

💡 Essay Highlight:

Human Touch — FiftyTwo

This longform narrative traces the invisible labour powering global AI systems. Women in rural and semi-urban India spend hours annotating data that trains advanced machine-learning models.

What appears to be “back-end work” becomes a story of autonomy, income, dignity, and the real human backbone of the digital economy.

Read the Full Article Here!

👥 Community highlight

Yash at the Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP)

Yash joined scholars at the Indian School of Public Policy for his annual session on policymaking trajectories and the realities of careers in public life. A candid discussion on values, sector expectations, and finding direction in the policy landscape.

📲 Highlight of the Week

Sinceriti: Special Giveaway for the PPI Community
PPI is excited to partner with Sinceriti, a platform that allows candidates to stand out with their genuine dedication and commitment in a sea of gen-AI crafted applications that currently inundate social impact recruiters. Sinceriti is the first currency of authentic human intent, giving you a fixed number of 100 annual points across 2 categories (completely free) to allocate to things you truly care about.

Know someone who embodies genuine dedication to impact? We’re inviting PPI members to nominate the “most sincere person” they know (or ask a friend to nominate you!) and share why this person’s commitment stands out.

10 selected nominees will receive: A complimentary copy of The New Alchemists on Kindle

This is our way of honoring the people who’ve been quietly, consistently showing up for causes they believe in.

🔗 Submit your nomination: https://forms.gle/sH76Emot9Ei4q8DU6
✉️ contact@sinceriti.co

Your authenticity is your superpower. It’s time the hiring process recognized that.

Nominate Here!

📷 Video Highlight

Building a Development Sector Communications agency in 2025: What, how and why

In this Episode of the #PolicyPanchayat, Yash Agarwal from PPI speaks to Ms. Dhriti Jain, a Development Communications Professional and Founder of Arth Communications. Ms. Dhriti speaks about the development sector, her journey as a communications professional and the impact of AI on the sector.

🔎 Databases and Guides:

Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include 150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses, podcasts and a lot more. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!

100s of Resources!

✨ Spotlight of the Week

Our newest initiative at Public Policy India!

Each week, we’ll bring forward stories of people and organisations shaping India’s public policy and social impact landscape in their own unique ways. There’s thoughtful work happening across the country, and this series is simply a space to recognise it and learn from it together.

At 17, Niyati Sharma founded Pratisandhi to challenge India’s silence around sexuality education. Today, the youth-led nonprofit has reached 75,000+ young people directly and impacted over 150,000 through teachers and parents.

From the Consent Project in Kolkata to an 8,000+ signature petition backed by MPs, her work is reshaping how consent and safety are taught in India. Now a law student at Oxford, she continues pushing for systemic reforms in safeguarding and school-based consent education.

Read the Full Feature Here!

📣 Opportunity: India Public Policy Education Conference (IPPEC 2025)

The Association for Public Policy Education (APPE) is hosting the India Public Policy Education Conference (IPPEC) bringing together educators, university leaders, policymakers, government representatives, and corporate policy professionals to discuss the future of public policy pedagogy. It seeks to align policy education with India’s governance needs and emerging market realities.

Date: Saturday, 20 December
Time: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Venue: Dr. Ambedkar International Centre (DAIC), New Delhi

PPI is the Official Outreach Partner for the Conference and the first 15 people from the PPI Community to register will get a 30% Discount. Please write ‘Public Policy India’ as a response to Q1 to avail the discount.

Register Here!

🌟 Avenues for Upskilling

Public Policy Puzzle

Public Policy Puzzle (PPP) is a platform on a mission to make public policy accessible, engaging, and useful for students, young professionals, and curious citizens. Through courses, resources, and interactive formats.

Check out their website!

🌍Climate + Health Corner

In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst

India’s Rising Climate–Health Risks

The Lancet Countdown 2024: India Data Sheet highlights a steep rise in climate-related health pressures. In 2023, people were exposed to 2,400 hours of heat-stress risk—nearly 100 unsafe days outdoors. Heat exposure led to 181 billion lost labour hours and US$141 billion in potential income losses, with agriculture hit the hardest. At the same time, 42.7% of India’s land experienced at least one month of severe drought, and dengue transmission potential has climbed 85% since the 1950s. These trends make clear the need for health-focused climate action and stronger protections for vulnerable communities.

Read More

Careers Corner 💼

A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.

📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!

Jobs/Internships Master Database!

You won’t believe it, but it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee to support our work ☕

We're a community-driven platform dedicated to delivering fresh policy insights, creating career opportunities, and helping thousands thrive in India's policy space. To keep all our work free and accessible, we need your support. A small contribution of just Rs. 80 can help sustain and grow our mission. Please consider buying us a coffee and powering our work. Thank you!

Buy us a coffee