The Policy in Action Program is a month long engagement for young professionals and university students who are keen to explore the fields of public policy and development. The program is designed to deliver core skills in policy analysis, advocacy and leadership, along with the experience of working on live projects for policymakers – MPs, MLAs, ministries and other government institutions.
 
Public policy can be a potent tool for civic action. The Policy in Action Program is YLAC’s attempt to increase citizen engagement with the policymaking process and equip people with the skills necessary to drive change. It is also an attempt to strengthen the development and governance ecosystem in India by expanding the pool of talented individuals committed to working in the space.
 
First launched in 2016, the program has become a flagship YLAC engagement that receives a large number of outstanding applications from a diverse pool of candidates. It is designed as a mix of weekend sessions and remote collaboration that makes it easy to accommodate alongside regular study and work commitments.

Schedule

(Nov-Dec 2023)

 
This edition of the Policy in Action Program is scheduled to run from 18^th Nov to 17^th Dec. Skilling sessions will be held at the IIC Annexe in Central Delhi and mentorship sessions will be run online. Fellows will be divided into teams on the first weekend and tasked to work on specific projects. Check-ins with mentors will serve as structured platforms for guidance on direction and pace. Teams can also connect separately, as and when required, apart from the check-ins marked in the given schedule.
 
The sessions will be facilitated by the YLAC team, including the founders. You can view their profile here.

Project Work & Program Rigour

 
The Policy in Action Program is designed as a short but rigorous program. It rests on the philosophy that learning by doing is the best way to internalize material. While sessions impart training in policy research, analysis and advocacy, a large part of the learning comes through the work on live projects.
 
Projects are sourced from policymakers (Members of Parliament, Members of State Legislatures, Ministries and Government Departments as well as Institutions such as NITI Aayog) and focus on policy problems that their offices are engaging with. Typically, a team of 4-6 fellows is tasked to work on one project. Fellows are expected to undertake research and/ or develop powerful narratives to support the policymaker in addressing the identified problems. The final output is either a policy brief and/ or advocacy material.

Eligibility & Deadlines

In each edition, promising candidates are carefully selected, trained and mentored over a period of five weeks to explore the fundamentals of policymaking and apply the learning to real-life policy problems. The program is open to young professionals and students between 20 and 30 years of age. There are no prerequisites in terms of academic background or experience. However, eligibility is restricted to Indian citizens because we work with sitting legislators. Indian citizens who are otherwise living/ working outside the country are eligible to apply.

First deadline: 31^st August (Thursday)

Scholarships deadline: 31^st August (Thursday)

Final deadline: 30^th September (Saturday)

 
Applications to the program are processed in two batches. Those applying on or before the first deadline are eligible for early decisions. For the others, admission decisions are announced after the final applications deadline.
 
Please note that candidates applying for scholarships must adhere to an earlier deadline. Both their program and scholarship applications should reach us on or before 31^st August 2023.

For more details, click here