India's Place in the Robot Race + Volunteer with PPI!
Policy Post #190
Dear Reader,
This week’s Policy Charcha is packed with timely reads, exciting opportunities, and thought-provoking updates from the policy world. We start with a sharp critique of India’s diminishing parliamentary oversight and what it’ll take to strengthen accountability. Then, we turn to robots, India saw a record 59% spike in industrial installations last year. Is this our big automation moment?
We’re thrilled to announce a new Opportunity Highlight from PPI itself! We're inviting passionate folks to become City Chapter Leaders - check it out!
Also in this edition: stifling heat in Chennai, stunting stats that demand urgent attention, and your go-to public policy databases.
A big thank you to everyone who made it to our Policy Meetups this quarter, we’re just getting started.
As always, thank you for reading and championing better policy.
Do consider supporting PPI by buying us a coffee ☕ (or two!) if you’ve found our work to be valuable :)
With that, we bring to you: Policy Post #190!
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 Parliament has the tools to hold the executive accountable—but is falling short. From disrupted Question Hours to underutilised committee reports, oversight is often ineffective. This piece argues for reforms like post-legislative reviews, tech-enabled scrutiny, and stronger committee work to ensure that ‘Maximum Governance’ also delivers ‘Maximum Accountability’.
📚 Data-focused Quick-read:
India is catching up in the global robot race. In 2023, it saw a massive 59% jump in industrial robot installations, its highest yet, marking a sharp rise in automation adoption. As the world increasingly leans on robots for manufacturing, can India sustain this momentum and emerge as a global automation hub?
🚨 Opportunity Highlight (except this time it’s with PPI!):
We're looking for enthusiastic individuals to step up as City Chapter Leaders/Coordinators for Public Policy India (PPI). This is a completely voluntary role that requires a commitment of just 2-3 hours per week, allowing you to contribute while balancing your other responsibilities.
If you're interested, please reply to this e-mail with a couple of suggestions on how PPI can better engage its community members via WhatsApp, along with a link to your LinkedIn profile. Looking forward to hearing from you!
📊 Database Highlight:
Explore our revamped Policy Schools Database! Now covering policy schools and policy/development programs in 20+ countries worldwide. Check it out!
🔎 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!
▶️Video Highlight:
👉🏽 Chennai is battling not just rising temperatures but relentless humidity and delayed sea breezes, turning every day into a test of endurance. In this episode, Down To Earth explores how the city’s residents, especially coastal communities, are coping with these stifling conditions and what’s being done to help them adapt. A gripping look at life inside one of India’s hottest urban heatscapes.
Climate + Health Corner
In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst
👉🏽 Why are Indian children among the shortest in the world?
Child Stunting By State (2021)
Over a third of Indian children under five are stunted; meaning they’re too short for their age due to chronic undernutrition. This isn’t just about height; stunting reflects long-term deprivation that can severely impact a child’s health, learning ability, and future earning potential.
Despite some progress since the 1990s, stunting levels in India remain alarmingly high and are similar to much poorer countries. Why has India struggled to reduce it as quickly as neighbours like Bangladesh? This piece explores the data and deeper social and environmental roots of the crisis.
👥 Community Updates:
We’ve recently wrapped up our 12th and final Policy Community Meetup for this quarter, and we’re so grateful to everyone who joined us across cities! From engaging discussions to fresh ideas, your presence and participation made each gathering truly special. These meetups were only the beginning, and we’re excited for what’s next. Stay connected through your city chapters—we’re just getting started.
All our communities are free to join, open to everyone and are continuously growing and evolving to maximise the opportunities and awareness about policy and careers in this broader space that we can create in cities across India’s 20 most vibrant cities.
The aim is to organise regular in-person meet-ups, workshops, and career activities throughout the year to support your growth and learning. Most knowledge in public policy and social impact resides with individuals, not institutions, and knowledge transfer happens most effectively when we meet and exchange ideas. Join us and help spread the word so we can grow this space together in your city and across India. :)
Join our absolutely free pan-India communities on WhatsApp and be a part of the next in-person meet-up!
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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