India's Higher Education Goals + YuWaah's YPAT!
Policy Post #171
Dear Reader, Hope you're doing well! This week’s Policy Focus delves into India’s higher education landscape—while our institutions are expanding, we still have a long way to go to meet ambitious GER targets. We also explore deep-seated caste biases in legal education and the judiciary, unpacking systemic barriers that continue to exclude marginalised voices.
In Policy Charcha, we bring you a curated mix of the best podcasts, articles, and career resources, including an exciting fellowship opportunity with UNICEF YuWaah’s Young People’s Action Team—your chance to advocate for youth employment and skills development.
Our Climate + Health Corner examines the abrupt USAID shutdown and its ripple effects on India’s health and climate programmes. We also highlight why menopause deserves urgent attention in public health policies, given its links to chronic health risks and overlooked impact on women’s well-being.
Lastly, our video highlight takes us to rural Kenya, where an experiment tested whether giving free cash aid to millions could lift people out of poverty—or cause economic disruption. The results challenge long-held economic theories and could redefine global development aid strategies.
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With that, we bring to you: Policy Post #171!
This Week’s Policy Focus 🔎
India's Higher Educational Institution numbers have been steadily increasing, from 39,050 colleges in 2017 to 42,825 in 2022. However, we currently have just 1,317 universities, far short of the 2,500 needed to meet the 50% GER target by 2035. At present, our GER stands at 28.4%, which is still below the global average of 36.7%. While we’re seeing promising growth in female enrolment and higher postgraduate and PhD numbers, we need more universities to meet the demands of an expanding student population.
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!
💡 Article Highlight:
India’s legal community remains overwhelmingly upper-caste, with systemic biases shaping both legal education and the judiciary. Caste, gender, and language barriers continue to exclude marginalised groups, reinforcing existing hierarchies rather than dismantling them. But how deep do these inequalities run—and what can be done about them?
🎓 Fellowship Highlight:
Applications are now open for UNICEF YuWaah’s Young People’s Action Team (YPAT)! If you're 15–29 and passionate about advocating for youth employment, skilling, and community action, this is your chance to collaborate with key decision-makers and drive meaningful change. Apply now!
🔎 Databases and Guides:
Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include over 150 organisations that are always on the lookout for talent, 200+ scholarships for Indian students, and 150+ public policy courses. Dive in and unlock incredible opportunities!
Climate + Health Corner
In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst
👉🏽 USAID Shutdown: Setback for India’s Health, Climate, and Development Goals
The abrupt closure of USAID threatens key health, sanitation, and climate programmes in India, with experts warning of major setbacks. While India’s economy may cushion some impact, vulnerable populations in crisis-hit nations could face devastating consequences. But what led to this decision, and what happens next?
👉🏽 Why Menopause Needs Urgent Attention in India's Public Health Programmes
Despite its link to non-communicable diseases, hysterectomies, and chronic health risks, menopause remains overlooked in India’s public health efforts. With women experiencing early menopause at alarming rates, there’s an urgent need for awareness, better healthcare strategies, and inclusive solutions.
▶️Video Highlight:
👉🏽 In 2014, a groundbreaking experiment in rural Kenya tested whether giving millions in free cash aid could lift people out of poverty or trigger inflation. The study put Milton Friedman’s and John Maynard Keynes’ economic theories to the test—did free money help or harm? Watch to see how this could reshape global development aid forever.
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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!
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