'Social impact' programmes grow despite tepid job scene

Changing government sector and civil society organisations boost public policy and development management programmes even as jobs get hit by fund cuts and regulations

- Sheena Sachdeva

The job market has cooled and funds have shrunk but management programmes leading to “social impact careers” – specialisations in public policy and development management – continue to grow.

Just this year, two top-tier management institutions – XLRI’s Xavier School of Management and Indian Institute Management (IIM) Sabhalpur – have launched programmes in public policy. XLRI now offers a one-year hybrid programme in public policy and sustainable leadership and IIM Sambhalpur, an undergraduate BSc in Management and Public Policy. The new Nayanta University in Pune has also included a Masters in Public Policy in its list of new offerings.

These join existing 'socially-minded' executive and full-time programmes, such as MBA in development management at Azim Premji University and the PGDM in rural management at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), now, 'Tribhuvan' Sahkari University.

That said, graduates emerging from such programmes, even top institutions, are finding employment a struggle. a consultant with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.

Public policy vs development management

Both programmes concern themselves with the achievement of development objectives for the wider public. The difference is one of perspective.

Richa Govil, vice-chancellor of Azim Premji University, explained the different thus:

“A public policy programme views development challenges from the perspective of the state and government institutions. So these graduates focus on how the policy is designed, analysed and implemented, including management of government schemes and programmes. It prepares people to work within or closely with government systems... A development management programme does cover aspects of public policy, it is from the perspective of the people (citizens) and civil society, and views government institutions as key stakeholders.”