Certificate Programme in Advanced Public Policy

A 12-week programme for full-time professionals seeking to deepen understanding of economic and governance systems through theoretical frameworks and practical application.

This programme provides tools to deepen your understanding of economic and governance systems. It delivers clear frameworks to understand how politics and economics intersect and strategies to navigate them effectively. It will aid you in engaging in the public arena, be it as an analyst, public official, leader, or active citizen. You can use this knowledge to enrich both your professional and personal life.

Designed for full-time professionals, the GCPP offers a seamless mostly online learning experience. The programme spans 12 weeks and includes weekly webinars (usually on Saturdays). The highlights of the programme include an online Academic Conference and an interactive in-person workshop.

Who This Programme is For

Analysts and Researchers

Professionals looking to deepen their understanding of economic and governance systems and engage in the public arena with clear policy frameworks.

Public Officials and Bureaucrats

Government professionals seeking to strengthen their policy analysis, decision-making, and communication skills.

Leaders and Professionals

Dynamic individuals in the private sector who wish to enter the growing sphere of public policy, public affairs, governance, and leadership.

Active Citizens

Engaged citizens who want to understand how policy works and contribute meaningfully to public discourse and nation-building.

How It Works

Designed for working professionals around the work week — Saturday webinars, 7–10 hours of weekly commitment, and a 3-day in-person workshop you can plan around.

Five weeks covering policy analysis, economic reasoning, and effective communication.

Seven weeks on complexity science, advanced economic reasoning, and policy communication.

Online conference featuring research presentations and panel discussions. A two-day online conference in week 5 that bridges the core modules and your specialisation. Keynote sessions and breakout tracks covering relevant policy issues from practicing experts.

3-day in-person workshop near Bengaluru where you work through real policy problems in teams. Past cohorts have tackled India’s R&D ecosystem, semiconductor strategy, AI governance, supply chain resilience, and rare-earth minerals.”

Graduate Certificate in Public Policy upon successful completion.

Join a network of 7,000+ Takshashila alumni across government, tech, law, and civil society and engage with faculty who are active researchers and practitioners.

Key Dates

Milestone Date
Early bird deadline (10% scholarship) 29 March 2026
Application deadline 26 April 2026
Programme begins 9 May 2026
Academic Conference 6–7 June 2026
Workshop (near Bengaluru) 17–19 July 2026
Programme ends 1 August 2026

Application Process and Fee Structure

  • Individuals with an undergraduate degree in any field are welcome to apply.
  • The programme is designed for working professionals. Work experience is preferred but not mandatory.
  • The programme fee is ₹42,000 (plus GST). Fees, once paid, are non-refundable. Students will have the option to defer their admission to one subsequent batch.
  • Limited merit and need-based scholarships are available. Early applicants will have a significant advantage in availing scholarships.
  • Corporate sponsorship options are available.

GCPP Cohort 44

Starts: 9 May 2026

Early bird: 29 March 2026

Apply before: 26 April 2026

Fee: ₹ 42,000 + 18% GST

Apply Now

What You’ll Learn

Core Modules (Weeks 1–5)

This module explores the foundations of public policy, from understanding nations, states, and governments to examining the paradoxes and pitfalls governments face.

Learning Units:

  • Introduction to Public Policy
  • Nations, States, and Governments
  • Paradoxes and Pitfalls of the Government
  • Goals of the Government and Things Governments Do
  • Introduction to Kautilya’s Arthashasthra

This module explores the fundamental principles of economics, from understanding economic reasoning and the price system to trade and government intervention in markets.

Learning Units:

  • Introduction to Economic Reasoning
  • The Price System
  • Market Dynamics
  • Introduction to Macroeconomics
  • Trade
  • Government Intervention in Markets

This module aims to get you to start writing. It also provides an overview of the role of narratives and their use in political and policy communication.

Learning Units:

  • Basics of Writing
  • Understanding the Media Environment
  • Political and Policy Narratives

Advanced Modules (Weeks 5–12)

This module provides an in-depth look at public policy concepts and frameworks. It equips students with the tools to analyze public policy and drive change.

Learning Units:

  • State and Society Failures
  • Effecting Policy Change
  • Complexity in Public Policy
  • Reflections on Writing for Policy

This module dives deeper into economic reasoning, focusing on market failures and the reasons for government intervention.

Learning Units:

  • Price and Price Controls
  • Government Intervention in Markets - Taxes and Subsidies
  • Market Failures (Information Asymmetry, Externalities, Public Goods, Market Power)
  • Fiscal Policy and Monetary Policy
  • Currency and Balance of Payments
  • Introduction to Public Finance

This module helps students express their policy ideas through writing, guiding them to structure their thoughts and share them with a broader audience.

Learning Units:

  • Writing for Public Policy
  • The Sound of Words
  • Writing for Media.

Faculty

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Video Highlights

What Our Students Say

“The GCPP (APP) programme at Takshashila is meticulously designed and intended for deeply committed individuals. Apart from the comprehensive and rigorous curriculum, I got to interact with participants from diverse backgrounds each with their own political beliefs. It adopts a comprehensive approach to public policy and policy communication, making it suitable for those with or without prior subject knowledge. I particularly enjoyed the policy simulation and collaborative activities. Amidst this experience, a key takeaway was not to let our politics dictate our policy, but to let the facts lead you, and package the solution intelligently for stakeholders.”

— Pallavi Datta, GCPP (Advanced Public Policy) Alumnus

“The course opened up the expansive world of policy-making, broadening my understanding. It also introduced me to economics and economic reasoning. Interactive sessions with experts in various domains like IT, defence, law, and health illuminated the complexities and challenges within each field. Collaborative interactions with peers from diverse backgrounds motivated me to delve into policies related to environment, climate change, pollution control, forestry, agriculture, human resource development, and more. An intensive workshop centred on Bardach’s eight-fold path to problem-solving involved a deep dive into education and related policies, tailored to our cohort. This exercise helped me break down policies into their essential components, equipping me with a versatile problem-solving approach. It guided me to navigate from the general principles to the specifics of policies, uncovering both distinct and unified aspects of policy-making. This experience has fundamentally transformed how I comprehend and analyse policies. Looking ahead, I’m eager to share my newfound knowledge and actively participate in opportunities to suggest impactful policy recommendations as they arise.”

— Bhuvana Balaji, GCPP (Advanced Public Policy) Alumnus

“GCPP gave me the vocabulary to think about ideas of governance, economics, and civil society - concepts I knew of but didn’t always have the language and nuance to fully grasp. You go into the course with chalky ideas and come out with an entirely new, deeper frame of thinking. In essence, GCPP teaches you not ‘what’ to think, but ‘how’ to think, and that’s a critical skill for a person in my field. As a young journalist, taking this course has helped immensely in my understanding of this country and definitely influenced my writing and reportage for the better. Engaging with the teachers and fellow batch mates at this rigorous three-month course has enriched me as a thinker, writer and journalist. Time at Takshashila’s GCPP has been truly transformative for me.”

— Rhea Dangwal, GCPP (Advanced Public Policy) Alumnus

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Course

No, we have not sought approval from any government body. Our priority is to offer top-notch education to individuals who seek it. However, it’s important to note that the GCPP may not be recognised as a means of career advancement.

No. The programme primarily targets individuals seeking to understand the policy/technology ecosystem well. GCPP students have found employment in public affairs consulting, think tanks, civil society organisations and private corporations. Several alumni have also taken up master’s and PhD programmes in public policy and related fields at renowned universities worldwide.

Fees and Financial Assistance

The course fee is INR 42,000 (excluding 18% GST) and is to be paid after admission. The registration fee of INR 500 has been waived. Once the course fee is paid, it is non-refundable. Students can defer to one of the next two batches at no additional cost if they wish.

We advise applicants to only apply for financial support if they cannot afford to take the course without it. A limited number of scholarships will be available to deserving candidates who require financial assistance. Applicants requesting financial support will be required to explain why they need it. They may be asked to submit additional information and supporting documents if their application is approved for admission and financial support. It’s important to note that financial support is not guaranteed. If a student who has received financial support fails to complete the course satisfactorily, they will be responsible for paying the full fees.

Application Process and Admissions

Individuals with a minimum of 3 years of work experience in various fields, particularly in technology entrepreneurship, government, media, civil society organisations, business, and corporate management, are well placed to take advantage of what the course offers. Nevertheless, individuals with less work experience and even full-time undergraduate students are encouraged to apply.

Students do not necessarily have to be based in India to participate. However, it is important to note that all webinars will be scheduled in IST. Therefore, students are encouraged to check for time differences and ensure the timing suits them.

To participate in the sessions, students should possess fundamental computer skills and a reliable internet connection (ideally a broadband connection of 256kbps or above). As all the sessions take place online, it is recommended to attend the live webinars through a laptop or desktop computer.

At the time of application, students are not required to send any documents through the mail. However, the Takshashila Institution reserves the right to request applicants to provide supporting documents for their educational qualifications and employment history.

Dynamic undergraduate students from any discipline can apply, and a few scholarships will be available to deserving candidates. Please note that all students will follow the same curriculum.

Open Course in Public Policy (OCPP): This is a free course to understand & transform governance in India. It is a self-paced online course. However, it is not a replacement for the GCPP programme we offer, which includes live online classes conducted by subject-matter experts, workshops, academic conferences, quizzes, and group activities. If you have successfully completed the OCPP, you can get in touch with us, and we will offer a scholarship for the 12-week GCPP programme.

Schedule

Although attendance at the workshop and conference is mandatory, students who are unable to attend can request deferment by providing adequate reasons for their inability to participate. If a student chooses to defer, these components can be completed with one of the two subsequent cohorts. If students complete all other requirements except the contact workshops, they’ll receive a Citation of Completion of Studies, which can be converted into the full Graduate Certificate once they complete the workshop and conference within the stipulated deferment period.

The Academic Conference is planned for the fifth weekend for all specialisations. The workshop is planned for the tenth weekend of the course for APP and TP specialisations and for the twelfth weekend for the DFA specialisation. The Academic Conference will be held online, while the Workshop will be in-person.

The classes for the programme will be conducted as interactive webinars online on weekends, typically on Saturdays. It is advisable for students to keep the time slot of 9:30 am to 3:30 pm on Saturdays free during the programme. Students who attend 70% or more of the live webinars typically perform well.

Occasional webinars may take place on weeknights, subject to the availability of guest speakers and faculty. These webinars are typically scheduled after 7:00 PM IST.

To ensure the successful completion of readings and coursework, it is suggested that students allocate approximately seven to ten hours per week. Every student has their own pace, so this estimate serves as a general guideline.