PPI Turns 5!+ Fellowships at IGF and Dalberg
Policy Post #195
Dear Reader,
We’re turning five this August!
Run by a very tiny and passionate team, it's been half a decade of nurturing, shaping and democratising the policy space in India for one and all with big dreams and an even bigger belief: that policy should be for everyone, not just the few.
Since then, we’ve grown with you and if PPI has nudged you forward in any way, helped you land a role, discover a fellowship, or simply made policy feel a little more human, we’d love to hear your story.
Now, onto this week’s edition.
In this episode of Policy Pod by PPI, we sit down with Prerna Mukharya, founder of Outline India and a Chevening Fellow at Oxford, for a sharp, honest conversation on building a data-for-impact enterprise, navigating founder burnout, and why fixing India’s on-ground data systems is non-negotiable for real policy change.
We also spotlight an essay with a bold argument for overhauling India’s aviation regulator, because when it comes to air safety, institutional design might matter more than technology and an important study about how heat resilience measures are in place for just 11% of the country's urban population.
And don’t miss: The Youth IGF Fellowship 2025 (for anyone curious about digital rights and tech policy) and a great research fellow opportunity at Dalberg.
Here’s to the next five! 🥂
As always, thank you for reading and championing better policy.
With that, we bring to you: Policy Post #195!
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:
DGCA Needs a Design Overhaul — Amandeep Gill
Air safety isn’t just about skilled pilots and modern aircraft, it’s also about the institutions that regulate them. This sharp essay makes the case that India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, is stuck in an outdated, overburdened setup that’s failing to keep pace with the booming aviation sector. From staff shortages and weak autonomy to gaps in accountability, the piece lays out why a complete rethink of the DGCA’s institutional design is long overdue. If you care about safer skies, and smarter regulation, this is essential reading.
🚀Opportunity Highlight:
Youth IGF India 2025 Fellowship – Now Open!
Passionate about digital rights, internet governance, or tech policy? This is your moment. The Youth IGF India Fellowship 2025 is looking for young changemakers who want to shape the future of the internet. Fellows will get hands-on exposure to global digital policy debates, mentorship from top experts, and a chance to represent India on international platforms.
🗓 Deadline: 6th August 2025, 11:59 PM IST
Research Fellow at Dalberg
If you’ve ever wanted to shape the big questions in global development—from climate finance and gender equity to the future of work—this one’s for you.
Dalberg is a mission-driven strategy firm working with everyone from the UN to local governments to rethink how change happens. They’re now hiring a Research Fellow for a 6-month role to help build a new research and thought leadership initiative. It’s a chance to co-create bold research, publish insights, and explore themes like AI in public services, systems change, and inclusive education.
🗓️ Deadline: 10 August 2025, 11:59 PM IST
📍Location: India (Remote/hybrid possible)
📊 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 include150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!
▶️Video Highlight:
PPI’s Policy Pod: Fixing India’s Data Plumbing with Prerna Mukharya
In this episode, PPI sits down with Prerna Mukharya, founder of Outline India, whose team has worked across 65,000+ villages to improve how policies are designed, implemented, and measured. A Chevening Fellow at Oxford and one of Fortune India’s 40 Under 40, Prerna talks about the nuts and bolts of data collection, transitioning from corporate to development, hiring in the research space, and building tech tools like Pulse to make data accessible.
A must-listen for anyone curious about data, research, or what it really takes to make policy work on the ground.
Climate + Health Corner
In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst
👉🏽 India’s Heat Plans Cover Just 11% of Urban Population
A new report estimating India’s readiness for rising temperatures found that heat resilience measures are in place for just 11% of the country's urban population, and even then, mostly in at-risk cities. The study assessed long-term planning efforts in nine heat-vulnerable cities using 88 interviews with city officials.
While short-term actions like water kiosks, altered work hours, and expanded hospital capacity are widely implemented, deeper adaptation tools are missing. As cities sizzle, are we dangerously underprepared for what’s coming?
👥 Community Updates:
This August, Public Policy India turns 5. Run by a very tiny and passionate team, it's been half a decade of nurturing, shaping, and democratising the policy space in India for one and all. And honestly? We couldn’t have done it without YOU.
Has PPI made a difference in your journey? Helped you find opportunities? Sparked a career idea? We’d love to hear your story.
👉 Send us a short testimonial on how PPI has impacted you—and we’ll feature these amazing stories at our 5-year celebration event!
This is your chance to shine, inspire others, and show the power of a community that truly cares. 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.
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!
