Evaluating strategic positioning for a school of Public Policy in India

Abstract

JSW is in the process of setting up a school of Public Policy in India in association with IIM Ahmedabad. Public Policy as an academic subject has been gaining traction in India only in the last few years. This is in stark contrast with developed economies such as the United States, Europe, and Singapore etc. Given the vastly different requirements in terms of public policy analysis, design, formulation and evaluation for a rapidly developing economy such as India, ideas for positioning the school, its nurture and development cannot be directly borrowed from public policy schools in the developed economies. An in-depth understanding of the requirements of the key stakeholders in India – bureaucrats, academicians, students, etc. – needs to be gained before a framework can be developed for the same. On the other hand, partnership with an established public policy school is vital so as to learn from its progression and inculcate its best practices. The goal of the project is to zero-in on a school to be partnered with, after doing an extensive study of the major public policy schools. In addition, the project involves taking inputs from the key stakeholders and then deciding on a positioning for the school based on an analysis of these inputs.