APPLIED PUBLIC POLICY LAB
India’s first project-based experiential learning program in Public Policy
Transition 10x faster in Public Policy by gaining the fundamental skills required to excel in it
Session Mode
Online
Duration
6 months
Commitment
6-8 hours per week
Program kickoff
18th July
Session Days
Weekends
Enrollment Deadline
30th June
Overview
India’s demand for skilled professionals in public policy is growing rapidly. While nearly a million aspirants attempt the UPSC Civil Services Examination each year, only a fraction succeed. For the rest, public policy careers offer meaningful opportunities to drive societal change.
Traditional public policy often focus on theoretical knowledge – constitutional frameworks, economic policies, public administration, and social issues – but lack the practical training and mentorship needed to build real-world competence. This gap leaves many aspiring professionals, especially ex-UPSC candidates, underprepared for career transitions.
The Applied Public Policy Lab is a six-month, project based experiential program designed to bridge this gap. Unlike typical online public policy certificate programs in India, APPL emphasizes applied learning, problem-solving, and personalized mentorship. Participants gain hard skills, craft compelling resumes and LinkedIn profiles, receive guidance on assignments and interviews, and benefit from continuous 1:1 guidance and support.
Whether you are aiming to work in government advisory, think tanks, development consulting, public policy consulting or advocacy, APPL equips you with the tools and confidence to succeed in the competitive field of public policy.
Public Policy consultant is one of the hot career options these days. Policy consultants work to design better programs, evaluate impact, and recommend reforms. Through the Applied Public Policy Lab, you’ll learn the exact skills required to step into these roles.
Who is this INITIATIVE for
The “One More Attempt” Club
Build industry-ready skills as UPSC Plan B alongside your UPSC preparation journey.
The “What Next?” Batch
Transition confidently into meaningful alternative career opportunities beyond UPSC prep.
The Weekend Warriors
Move from current job to high-growth careers in Public Policy, Political Consulting & more.
Know Our Alumni
Successfully helped 500+ candidates in getting placed in reputed organizations
Program CURRICULUM
16 Weeks Curriculum
8 Weeks – Applied Coursework + 8 Weeks Project & White Paper
Each module has assignments worthy to find mention on the CV
Foundations of Policy and Evidence
What we cover:
- Fundamentals of Public Policy
- Evidence-Based Policymaking
- Complete Lifecycle of Public Policy
What you’ll build:
- Policy analysis frameworks
- Evidence interpretation skills
- Structured policy thinking
Skills and Competencies gained:
- Policy reasoning
- Data-backed decision making
- Analytical problem solving
Foundations of Policy Thinking and Planning
What we cover:
- Theory of Change
- Logical Framework
- Monitoring and Evaluation of policies and programs
What you’ll build:
- Program design frameworks
- Monitoring and evaluation models
- Outcome-driven policy plans
Skills and Competencies gained:
- Strategic planning
- Impact assessment skills
- Logical policy structuring
- Effective ways to monitor programme interventions
Desk-based Research
What we cover:
- Literature Review and Synthesis
- Deep dive into most-used secondary data sources
What you’ll build:
- Research synthesis techniques
- Secondary data understanding
Skills and Competencies gained:
- Research proficiency
- Information synthesis
- Knowledge of national and international databases
Quantitative Analysis for Policymaking
What we cover:
- Data collation and cleaning
- Exploratory data analysis
- Generating insights from data
What you’ll build:
- Data analysis workflows
- Insight generation models
- Quantitative research approaches
Skills and Competencies gained:
- Data handling skills
- Statistical reasoning
- Analytical interpretation
Composite Indicators
What we cover:
- Fundamentals of composite indicators
- Basics of Index construction and analysis (Normalization, weighing, sensitivity, robustness, etc.)
What you’ll build:
- Index construction frameworks
- Indicator evaluation models
- Comparative analysis tools
Skills and Competencies gained:
- Data normalization techniques
- Composite index creation and assessment
Qualitative analysis for Policymaking
What we cover:
- Fundamentals of qualitative analysis
- Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)
- Qualitative data analysis and insight generation
What you’ll build:
- Qualitative research frameworks
- Stakeholder interaction methods
- Insight extraction approaches
Skills and Competencies gained:
- Setting up qualitative coding frameworks
- Qualitative analysis using Atlas.ti
- Narrative interpretation
Policy Simulations
What we cover:
- Static and dynamic simulations
- Building scenarios for policymaking
What you’ll build:
- Scenario-building models
- Policy simulation frameworks
Skills and Competencies gained:
- Strategic forecasting
- Scenario analysis
Mastering policy writing and communication
What we cover:
- Evidence synthesis and reporting
- Inverted pyramid structure
- Conducting effective policy communication through issue and policy briefs
What you’ll build:
- Policy writing frameworks
- Evidence communication models
- Structured reporting approaches
What you’ll build:
- Policy communication
- Professional writing skills
- Strategic storytelling
New Track Unlocked : Data Analytics Track in Public Policy
Powering Modern Policy with Data
Learn the complete data analytics workflow and apply it to real-world governance, business, and policy problems using industry-relevant tools.
01
Python for Data Analysis
- Data Cleaning & Transformation
- Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)
- NumPy & Pandas Workflow
- Statistical Thinking & Insights
- Automation of Repetitive Tasks
02
SQL for Data Management
- Writing Queries from Scratch
- Joins, Group By & Subqueries
- Database Management Fundamentals
- Query Optimization Techniques
- Real-world Data Extraction
03
Tableau for Visualization
- Interactive Dashboards
- KPI & Metrics Tracking
- Storytelling with Data
- Geospatial & Trend Analysis
- Decision-driven Visual Reports
04
Live Policy Projects
- Governance & Public Policy Datasets
- Real-world Problem Solving
- Research-backed Data Insights
- Team-based Capstone Projects
- Presentation & Reporting Skills
LEARNING WORKFLOW
01 Acquire & Understand Data
Collect, structure, and interpret raw datasets from multiple sources.
02 Clean & Prepare Data
Handle missing values, inconsistencies, and formatting for accurate analysis.
03 Analyze & Generate Insights
Identify trends, patterns, correlations, and actionable findings.
04 Visualize & Communicate
Build dashboards and reports that simplify complex information.
05 Solve Real-world Problems
Apply analytics to governance, business, and social impact use cases.
06 Build Employable Portfolio
Create industry-ready projects, dashboards, and case studies.
HOW IT HELPS YOU
Evidence-driven Decision Making
Learn to solve modern challenges using analytical thinking and data-backed insights.
Industry-ready Skill Stack
Build practical skills used across consulting, analytics, policy, and tech roles.
Strong Employability
Gain portfolio projects and hands-on exposure valued by recruiters.
Career Transition Advantage
Perfect for UPSC aspirants and graduates transitioning into high-growth careers.
Real-world Problem Solving
Move beyond theory and learn execution through practical workflows.
Faster Career Acceleration
Develop job-ready capabilities that help you stand out in competitive markets.
Meet your instructors
Akshat Agarwal
Public Policy Veteran | Ex-UPSC Aspirant | Co-Founder, Rebounce
- Master’s (Economics), Delhi School of Economics
- 15+ years of experience in Public Policy & Analytics
- Held leadership roles with top brands like PwC, Pratham and EIU
- Guided 1000+ candidates in last 2 years to transition to Public Policy roles
- Worked on high impact projects with World Bank, ADB and more
Varunn Kaushik
AI & Analytics Leader | Decision Science Strategist | Manager, Accenture
- B.E. Computer Engineering, Delhi College of Engineering (University of Delhi)
- 7+ years experience in data science, machine learning & analytics roles across global firms
- Manager - Decision Science & Generative AI at Accenture, driving advanced analytics solutions
- Worked with organisations like EXL, Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of America and ITPO
- Visiting faculty & trainer in data science and analytics, bridging industry practice with learning
Programme JOURNEY
Learn Public Policy skills
Strengthen Portfolio
Resume Mentorship
Gap Coverage Strategy
Job Hunt Strategy
Cover Letter Review
LinkedIn Optimization
Interview Preparation
Assignment Support
Strategy Refinement
Salary Negotiation
Placement support
How These 6 Months Unfold
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
Month 5
Month 6
Phase 1
Upskilling
Public Policy Upskilling
Phase 2
Project
Policy Project & White Paper
Phase 3
Placement
End-to-Placement Support (6 months)
Our offerings
Applied Public Policy Lab
Program Structure
-
Phase 1 (2 months)
Public Policy Upskilling -
Phase 2 (2 months)
Policy Project -
Phase 3 (12 months)
End to End Placement Support
Learning Outcomes
- Evidence based Policy Making
- Policy Simulation
- Policy research, writing and communication
Roles you can target
- Public Policy Analyst
- Policy Consultant
- Impact Consultant
- Fellowships & Young Professional Roles
Cohort Starts:
18 July
Applied Public Policy Lab and Data Analytics & AI
Program Structure
-
Phase 1 (2 months)
Public Policy Upskilling -
Phase 2 (2 months)
Data Analytics & AI upskilling, Policy Project -
Phase 3 (12 months)
End to End Placement Support
Learning Outcomes
- Foundational Public Policy skills from Applied Public Policy Lab
- Advanced Data Analytics & AI Applications in Public Policy
- Learn data analytics & AI tools like Python, SQL and tableau
Roles you can target
- Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
- Data Associate (Public Policy)
- Strategy Consultant
- Public Policy Analyst
- Policy Consultant
- Impact Consultant
Cohort Starts:
18 July
Applied Public Policy and Applied Political Consulting Lab
Program Structure
-
Phase 1 (2 months)
Public Policy Upskilling, Political Consulting Upskilling -
Phase 2 (2 months)
Policy Project -
Phase 3 (12 months)
End to End Placement Support
Learning Outcomes
- Foundational Public Policy skills from Applied Public Policy
- Informed political strategy design
- Campaign and Branding strategy
- Case interviews and guesstimates
Roles you can target
- Political Consultant
- Campaign Manager
- Public Policy Analyst
- Policy Consultant
- Impact Consultant
Cohort Starts:
18 July
Policy Pro Track (Policy, Politics and Data)
Program Structure
-
Phase 1 (2 months)
Public Policy Upskilling, Political Consulting Upskilling -
Phase 2 (2 months)
Data Analytics upskilling, Policy Project -
Phase 3 (12 months)
End to End Placement Support
Learning Outcomes
- Foundational Public Policy skills from Applied Public Policy Lab
- Advanced Data Analytics & AI in Public Policy
- Learn data analytics & AI tools like Python, SQL and tableau
- Informed political strategy design
- Campaign and Branding strategy
- Case interviews and guesstimates
Roles you can target
- Political Consultant
- Campaign Manager
- Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
- Data Associate (Public Policy)
- Strategy Consultant
- Public Policy Analyst
- Policy Consultant
Cohort Starts:
18 July
Why choose PolicyPro Track (Policy, Politics and Data Analytics)
The ultimate career accelerator: more transferable skills, more opportunities, more impact. In today’s fast-changing policy and governance landscape, professionals need more than a single lens to succeed. By combining Applied Public Policy Lab (Data Analytics Track) with Applied Political Consulting Lab (APCL), you gain a unique edge that broadens both your skills and opportunities.
Applied Public
Policy Lab
Strong foundation in policy concepts
Limited to policy and governance roles
Understanding limited to policy domain
Applied Public Policy Lab
+ Data Analytics Track
Policy learning strengthened with data skills
Opportunities in policy, research and analytics
Broader perspective with policy + data lens
Policy Pro Track
Most RecommendedPolicy + Politics + Data + Strategy integrated for real-world impact
Wider pathways across policy, political strategy, consulting, research
360° understanding of policy, politics, data and society
PolicyPro Track (Policy, Politics and Data Analytics) program Roadmap
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
Month 5
Month 6
Phase 1
Upskilling
32+ masterclasses
Public Policy Upskilling
Political Consulting Upskilling
Phase 2
Project & Data
24+ masterclasses
Data Analysis Upskilling
PP / PC Project
Phase 3
Placement
Unlimited sessions
End-to-End Placement Support (Resume, Cover Letter, Interview Prep & Job Hunt)
Certificate of Completion
This Certificate of Completion is proudly presented for successfully completing the program with dedication, consistency, and excellence.
Enroll now
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Public Policy upskilling |
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Political Consulting upskilling
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Data Analytics upskilling |
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Project/White paper |
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1:1 guidance and mentorship |
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Profile marketing (Resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, Interview readiness) |
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Take home assignments/ fellowship applications |
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Corporate Referrals Advisory (when possible) |
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Program Fee (Early Bird Discount- 25%) |
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Risk is Ours
We’ll reach out within 24 hours to answer any questions about the program.
🗓 11th July — Course Kick-off
Book Your Slot — Limited Seats
Registrations are on a first-come-first-served basis. We close once the batch limit is reached.
Frequently Asked QUESTIONS
Applied Public Policy Lab is not a passive recorded course. You work on policy simulations, governance research, impact-focused strategy projects, public problem-solving exercises, and real-world policy case studies while learning directly from practitioners and mentors.
The policy ecosystem values skills, analytical thinking, and practical experience more than just a degree. This program is designed to help you build exactly that.