ISB - Understanding Public Policy in India

Apply between 17^th November & 7^th December and avail our seasonal enrolment benefit of 10%. Use the code FUTUREYOU10 during payment to apply.

To ensure that holiday plans on the occasion of Christmas and New Year are not interrupted, no new modules will be released during this time and participants will receive a 2-week extension for submitting assignments. Participants will continue to have access to course material on the platform during this time.

Programme Overview

With the objective of molding future leaders in the sphere of public policy, ISB Executive Education has designed the Understanding Public Policy in India programme, keeping in mind the challenges that are specific to an Indian context. Participants will learn not only about development of public policy and policy analysis, but also the aspects of finance, ethics and accountability, as well as best practices of public policy management, across the domains of administration and governance. With a keen focus on building capabilities on data analysis, critical thinking, and decision-making, the programme will help you shape and drive policy changes in the political, environmental, and social spheres.

Why choose this Programme?

Gain an overview of India's constitution, public policy laws, regulations, and ordinances

Learn at one of the most reputed business schools in India

Learn from Prof. Ashwini Chhatre - one of the most distinguished professors of public policy in India

Envision the future of policymaking in India with guidance from prominent administrators, politicians, and academicians in the field

Programme Highlights

Recorded Videos from
renowned ISB Faculty

9 Quizzes

Certificate from ISB Executive Education

Discussion Boards

2 Case Study Assignments

Fireside chats with policy-makers, administration members and political figures

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Key Programme Takeaways

Leverage insights from industry leaders to work towards creating solutions for India's enduring policy and governing challenges
Learn how data and technology can change policymaking and impact the future of public policy in India
Understand how economical and financial reforms have affected major policy drivers and envision the future of India's public policy
Interpret the impact of policy changes through close monitoring by understanding the current challenges faced across different sectors

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Emeritus Career Services

Please note:

This service is available only for Indian residents enrolled into select Emeritus programmes.
ISB Executive Education or Emeritus do NOT promise or guarantee a job or progression in your current job. Career Services is only offered as a service that empowers you to manage your career proactively. The Career Services mentioned here are offered by Emeritus. ISB Executive Education is NOT involved in any way and makes no commitments regarding the Career Services mentioned here.

Who is this Programme for?

ISB Executive Education's Understanding Public Policy in India Programme is specifically designed for mid-level and senior professionals who have a keen interest in shaping policies that will benefit the country and its people.

Ideal candidates include:

Mid-level professionals and/ or consultants in general management, strategy, planning, government and policy advisory roles.
Professionals and/ or consultants who want to understand the challenges faced in the Indian political, economical, and social spheres, and want to learn new trends dominating digital and public-private partnerships.
Senior-level professionals in government roles, non-profits, think tanks, CSRs, consulting, etc. who lead or guide their organizations' public policy decisions or liaise with the government externally,and are interested in public policy trends.

ISB Executive Network

Upon successful completion of the programme, participants will be a part of the ISB Executive Network. Benefits include:

ISB Newsletters with the latest updates
Learning and Networking opportunities via ISB Executive Education Network Group on LinkedIn
Exclusive invitations to Online and Offline events like Webinars, Conferences, Master Classes, etc
Scope to facilitate as a Guest Speaker at ISB Executive events
Preferential pricing with 10% discount on course fee on ISB Executive Education Open programmes
Upgrade to ISB Executive Alumni Group with 100+ learning hours

*This excludes ISB Post Graduate and AMP alumni networks

Programme Modules

Module 1: Overview - Public Policy

An overview of public policy in India
Laws, Ordinances, Rules, Regulations, Orders, Policies and Notifications

Module 2: Constitution of India and the Balance of Powers

Legislature, Judiciary, Executive systems in India
Elected executive and the permanent bureaucracy
Special provisions - Schedule V and VI, 73rd and 74th amendments, Article 370A
System of Parliamentary Standing Committees
Statutory constitutional authorities - election commission, finance commissions, CAG, etc.

Module 3: The Framework of Public Administration

Federal structure and central, state, and concurrent lists
Ministries and departments
The incongruent geographies of public administration
Tehsil vs. block vs. forest vs. police vs. irrigation
District as the lynchpin of implementation
System of approvals and accountability
Public services and the correct identification of beneficiaries

Module 4: The Economics and Finance of Public Policy

Fiscal policy as a system of carrots and sticks
Macroeconomic policy - balancing unemployment and inflation
Money supply and credit. Ease of doing business

Module 5: India Since Independence (achievements and challenges)

Successes: Election Commission. Green Revolution. Immunization. Biometric Identity
Mixed Successes: Land Reforms. Environmental protection. Decentralization
Failures: Primary Education. Primary Health. Nutrition. Justice
COVID stories: Food distribution. PPE kits manufacture.

Module 6: Drivers of Public Policy over the Decades

Defense of territory
Economic development (land acquisition, special economic zones)
Equity and social justice (reservations, special protections)
Safety nets (PDS, MGNREGA, NSAP).
Social mobilization (new states, autonomous territories)
Global cooperation (WTO, NDPS Act, 2-F authentication, e-KYC)

Module 7: Economic Reforms

Industrialization through import substitution
Inspector-license raj
Reform efforts through the 1980s
The 1991 balance of payments crisis
First generation reforms (1991-94) - liberalization, privatization, globalization
Market (de)regulation: Dismantling the regulatory regime after 1991 for production and imports/exports (licensing, quotas, tariffs), Government interventions in agricultural markets, Deregulation of capital markets
Modes of public-private engagement: Lease of government property (Taj Mansingh), Debt finance (Infrastructure), Viability Gap Funding (UDAN), Build-Operate-Transfer model (Toll roads), Equity partnership (land pooling).

Module 8: Impact of Digital Technology

E-governance
E-taal dashboard
E-KYC for private services
Direct Benefit Transfer - cash and kind
Biometric attendance
Land records
Digital payments (UPI, FASTag, IMPS)

Module 9: Impact Evaluation of Policies

Counterfactual analysis
Difference-in-differences
Randomized control trial
Regression discontinuity

Module 10: What is Evidence?

The science of muddling through
The absence of evidence for future outcomes
Multiple simultaneous causes of an outcome in the real world
Spurious correlations
Ecological fallacy

Module 11: Wicked Problems and Policy Innovation

Definition of wicked problems
Example - soil fertility and girls’ school enrolment
Complex adaptive social systems
Unintended but anticipated outcomes of interventions
The measurement challenges
Monitoring, evaluation, and learning

Module 12: Policy as an Experiment

Policy as an experiment
Learnings from Experiments: MGNREGA
Shadow of History: PM-KISAN, Rythu Bandhu, KALIA Scheme

Note: Modules/ topics are indicative only, and the suggested time and sequence may be dropped/ modified/ adapted to fit the total programme hours.

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Complimentary Annual Digital WSJ Membership

As a participant in the programme, you can enjoy a complimentary annual digital membership to The Wall Street Journal, giving you unlimited access to award-winning journalism across any device. From business and world news, to technology and life and arts, WSJ provides ambitious and fact-based reporting that readers can trust.

Free 6 Months Access to Emeritus Insights

This programme features 6 Months of free Premium Access to Emeritus Insights—a mobile app with 5,000+ bite-sized, business-focused videos to help you meet your daily learning goals on the go.

Programme Faculty

Prof. Ashwini Chhatre

Executive Director,

Bharti Institute of Public Policy, ISB

Prof. Ashwini Chhatre was the first Giorgio Ruffolo Post-Doctoral Fellow in Sustainability Science at Harvard University from 2006 to 2007 and has spent 11 years working in different parts of India on issues related to natural resources like land, forests, and water. He was the founding Editor-in-Chief of World Development Perspectives from 2016 to 2019 and served as the Senior Editor of Conservation Letters from 2009 to 2014. His extensive background in economics, political science, anthropology, geology, and environmental history makes him one of the top public policy experts in the country. Prof. Ashwini Chhatre currently serves as the Executive Director of Bharti Institute of Public Policy at the Indian School of Business while serving on its faculty as an Associate Professor of Public Policy.

Programme Certificate

On successful completion of the programme, you will be awarded a certificate in Public Policy from ISB Executive Education.

Note: All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of ISB Executive Education.

In collaboration with

Erulearning Solutions Private Limited (a company incorporated in India) is a subsidiary of Eruditus Learning Solutions Pte Ltd (a company incorporated in Singapore), and operates under the brand name of 'Eruditus' and 'Emeritus'.