Page 33 - EW May 2020 for Flipbuilder

SPECIAL ESSAY

Making the World a Better Place –

Launching India’s First Ever B.A. (Hons.)

in Social Science & Policy

erhaps the ultimate goal of education to apply social sciences to solve problems of and field wor .
is to make the world a better society and economy. As a first in the country, • Stepping stone to civil services exam
place. Understanding society and the courses are original and innovative. It brings The Civil Services Examination— the nationwide
Pimpacting policy, is one way to do together a harmonious blend of themes relevant exam that recruits candidates for civil services
this. The ever-changing governance and policy to today’s world. The curriculum is dynamic, positions in the government— is a tough nut
environment demands new imaginations, new cutting-edge and contemporary in every way. to crack. It is widely hailed among the most
methodologies and even revitalised ethics— and • Learning to solve real world problems challenging exams in the country. Millions of
that is exactly what O.P. Jindal Global University with a holistic approach aspirants apply each year. This year, there
is set to nurture. The world is becoming increasingly complex. are only around 9 00 vacancies. That in mind,
At a time when social, economic and political The very nature of problems is also intricate. the rich multidisciplinary curriculum of the
situations across the world call for a fresh One discipline alone can no longer provide a SSP programme gives a strong foundation to
perspective, JGU is preparing young people complete answer. Solutions for society need students who aspire for future in civil service.
to play critical roles in the future. JGU’s school to synthesise different parts of the whole. The broad structure appropriately prepares
of Government and Public Policy (JSGP) has To understand and operate in the modern candidates with the wide spectrum of knowledge
recently introduced a first-of-its-kind three- world, one has to draw insights from diverse necessary to succeed.
year B.A. (H ons.) Social Science & Policy disciplines. Particularly in the realm of social • Skills and tools to succeed in a variety
programme in the country this year. science and policy, it is critical to go beyond of careers
The new endeavour is a reflection of the compartmentalised concepts and approach the The more typical career paths include roles in
university’s commitment to promote public world with a wider perspective. civil services and government, development
service. This fully-residential interdisciplinary • Conceptual clarity in core subjects & and policy consulting firms, research and policy
undergraduate degree is a unique option for electives to enrich specialisations and think-tanks, corporate social responsibility
those young students who want to play a follow interests initiatives, advocacy and rights-based initiatives,
meaningful role in public life. The core disciplines are sociology, political United Nations or other intergovernmental
Who is it for? science and economics. These are explored development organisations and so on.
through courses that range from sociological
Spirited young students who want to At the same time, this kind of knowledge
understand and make a difference in the social, or political history, thought and concepts, is desirable in many different walks of life.
themes of economics, public policy concepts
political and economic structures of the world For instance, print and television media could
they live in should consider this programme. and issues, governance and more. Topics like benefit from journalists with training in social
gender and society, debates on ethics, media
It gives a strong footing in social science and science and public policy to better explain and
policy to go out into the world with insights into and urban politics introduce an element of firm analyse current affairs. Branding and marketing
grounding in the multi-faceted realities of the
different disciplines and do one’s part— be it research is another interesting domain for SSP
through civil service, politics, businesses, world, and how to tackle them. graduates. International consulting companies
social service, advocacy, research or any other Multidisciplinary at JGU allows students to and major foundations are always on the lookout
field. But changing the world is no easy feat. It take up electives across the various schools for talent with a grasp on policy, analysis and
demands a socio-political consciousness, an outside JSGP, within the university— be it the research.
economic awareness, a critical mind, creative schools of law, business, international affairs, • Real world exposure through
outlook, and a broad perspective— but most liberal arts and humanities, journalism and internships, research and capstone
of all, it also needs a sense of responsibility. communication, ban ing and finance or art and project
The hope is to nurture a generation of capable, architecture. Students also have a chance to H ands-on and experiential learning opportuni-
committed youth who can rise to the challenges learn foreign languages. ties are important for deeper learning experi-
of society and governance. • Strong emphasis on research, writing ences. In fact, they are an intrinsic part of all
The programme is open to students from any and communication programmes at JGU. The SSP programme
high school stream— arts, commerce or science. While the core disciplines develop sound too offers extensive exposure to students. Be
Those who’ve passed 1 0+ 2 examination or theoretical understanding, a deep dive into it through internships, participation in confer-
equivalent with a minimum of 6 0% marks are research brings in a real-world connect. ences, management of events, interactions with
eligible to apply. Q uantitative and qualitative research is a critical e perts in the field and industry, opportunities of
component of the programme. Students are
working in interdisciplinary research centres, or
What are the distinctive aspects of the taught in the ways of effective communication participation in a capstone project— students
programme? for survey, analysis and implementation. From are given the freedom and full support of the
• Diverse, dynamic, contemporary research methodologies, statistical tools and university to build up knowledge, skills, and ex-
coursework academic writing to survey design, analysis, periences to understand how the world works,
The broad-based programme looks at how policy implementation, systematic evaluation and influence it for the better.

EDUCATIONWORLD M AY 2020