The Jindal School of Government & Public Policy (JSGP) of Sonipat (Haryana) based O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) successfully concluded its placement session for academic year 2018-19 with graduates embarking on new age careers.
The prominent job positions are with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), American Chamber of Commerce, Sports News Media Pvt. Ltd., Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries (RIS), Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), and the Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) Fellowship. There were job offers from the Centre for Science and Environment, Cyber Peace Foundation, Centre for Civil Society Academy, Accountability India, Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associate – Haryana, the Navjyoti Foundation, and the New Development Bank (NDB).

Speaking about career opportunities for public policy graduates, Dr. C. Raj Kumar, vice chancellor JGU, said, “In the past, the study of Public Policy was seen as confined to a civil service career or academic posts. However, JSGP breaks this notion as it has diversified career options, and has showed the path to a variety of full-time positions for its graduating students that go beyond UPSC and PhD. Our students are faring quite well finding full-time positions in the corporate sector, embassies, think tanks, consultancies, NGOs and intergovernmental bodies.”

Professor R. Sudarshan, Dean of JSGP, said, “Our aim is to broaden career opportunities which are attractive and customised for public policy post-graduates.  Many national and international institutions, including those in the not-for-profit sector and in corporate social responsibility organisations (CSR), are taking graduates from JSGP.  A number of them have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with our university for offering internships and capstone projects. JSGP faculty –  the university’s dedicated career and placement staff, mentor students and connect them with potential employers to pursue meaningful careers, which can promote public interest in different walks of life.”

The Capstone Project is an innovation in the curriculum of JSGP, enabling its students to work for ‘client institutions’ on assignments given to them. Their performance is appraised by supervisors in those organisations.  In the process of completing capstone projects, employers are able to evaluate capabilities of public policy students, who, in turn, become familiar with a potential employer, gaining valuable experience. Recent JSGP students have acquitted themselves well in capstone projects undertaken with the US – India Business Council, The Asia Foundation, Sri Lanka, Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, and the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies. Previous ‘capstone clients’ have been Pratham, CUTS-Jaipur, NIRD, Hyderabad, among others.