The ISPP organised a panel discussion keeping in mind the rising demand for careers in public policy on 25 May. The event was graced by Mandar Kagade (Head, Public Policy and Outreach, RupeePower); Arun Bhagat (President – Corporate Affairs and Advocacy, GMR Group; Vineeta Hariharan (Senior Leadership, Public Policies and Programmes – GoI and Multilaterals); Chetan Krishnaswamy (Director, Public Policy, India and South Asia, Google); and Ashish Aggarwal (Senior Director and Head- Public Policy, NASSCOM). The discussion was based on the topic Public Policy Careers in the Corporate Sector.       

The event was held on 25 May, 2019 at the Constitution Club, New Delhi and was moderated by Rajesh Chakrabarti (Professor and Dean, Jindal Global Business School, Jindal Global University). The session began with an introduction by Dr. Parth J. Shah, Founder and Director, Centre for Civil Society and was succeeded by a panel discussion that addressed issues such as state of public policy making in India, need for policy making minds in the corporate sector in India, and comparison of a corporate’s engagement in public policy outside India.

Expressing his opinion on public policy as a career, Chetan Krishnaswamy, Director, Public Policy, India and South Asia, Google said, “Public policy, as a profession, has undergone a rapid evolution in India over the past few years, especially in the corporate sector. Unlike many other professions, public policy often welcomes individuals from incredibly diverse educational backgrounds and work experiences. Strong analytical and interpersonal skills, along with the ability to distil complicated developments in a manner that they are easy to grasp for non-experts, are arguably the two most vital requirements from a public policy professional.”  

Ashish Aggarwal, Senior Director and Head – Public Policy, NASSCOM told that public policy has expansive yet challenging careers to offer for young graduates. He further added, “Select domain expertise and experiential learning would be crucial.” Another eminent panellist Mandar Kagade, Head, Public Policy & Outreach, RupeePower, stressed that public policy can serve as a vast career alternative because it serves as an interphase between corporates and government.   

Arun Bhagat, President- Corporate Affairs & Advocacy, GMR Group said that earlier public policy was seen as integral part of business in earlier times. But, public policy is now seen as an emerging career choice.  According to him, the skill sets required for a professional in this domain may be varied, but now focus is on liaising with public bodies, panoramic knowledge and awareness of micro-economics, as well as basic intelligence.