Experts Unite at ICPP to Tackle Economic Development and Other Key Issues

Ashoka University Receives Major Grant to Establish ICPP, Joining Top-Tier Donors

India aims to become a $10 trillion economy by 2035 and to achieve this goal, it needs to enhance its policy-making and implementation systems. The policies need to be effectively designed and successfully executed for the country's sustainable growth. The Isaac Centre for Public Policy (ICPP) at Ashoka University has been established keeping this agenda in mind. This center aims to support the economic goal as well as to foster accelerated, inclusive, and sustainable growth in India by introducing public policy programs and commissioning advanced interdisciplinary research.

The ICPP will collaborate with key public, private, and non-profit stakeholders to identify research gaps related to policy-making and implementation. Ajit Issac, Chairman of Quess Corp Ltd, and his wife Sarah Isaac founder of Ajit Issac Foundation and trustee of Ashoka University provided a grant to establish the ICPP center. With this latest endowment,  the Isaac couple joined Ashoka University’s top-tier donors, each of whom has contributed over ₹100 crores.

The establishment of the ICPP aligns with the University’s philanthropic vision to create an academic institution that generates social impact and supports nation-building. The Centre will foster a collaborative research environment, bringing together experts to develop scalable solutions for urgent policy challenges, including economic development, labor employment, healthcare, gender issues, and fiscal policy. Prachi Mishra, the Director and Head of the ICPP highlighted that the Centre will leverage Ashoka University’s prominent position to engage with public policy experts and become a hub for research-driven initiatives aimed at promoting socio-economic development.

The center will offer key undergraduate programs in Economics and Public Policy, along with graduate and executive-level courses, the initial focus will be on several priority areas, including agriculture and rural economy, employment and labor, Indian regulators, and public finance. Ashish Dhawan, the Founding Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at Ashoka University, stated that since its inception, the university has cultivated an environment conducive to meaningful research across various disciplines to tackle the complex challenges the nation is facing. He also pointed out that one significant challenge in policy-making and implementation is the insufficient consideration of unit-level issues due to a lack of adequate ground-based evidence. The Centre will address this critical gap, making the policy-making and implementation process more informed.

The Centre's advisory committee features prominent figures, including Ashoka University founders Ajit Isaac and Ashish Dhawan. It also includes experienced bureaucrats such as Sushama Nath, former Finance Secretary; Tarun Bajaj, former Revenue and Economic Affairs Secretary; KP Krishnan, former Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; Dr. Sekhar Bonu, a senior fellow at NITI Aayog; and Anup Wadhawan, former Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce.

Editor's Note:

The establishment of the Isaac Centre for Public Policy (ICPP) at Ashoka University marks a significant step toward supporting India's ambition to become a $10 trillion economy by 2035. Effective policy-making and proper implementation are crucial for streamlining government processes. The policy execution must benefit the common people who are hoping for a better system on critical issues by the government. This center fosters a collaborative research environment and addresses critical policy challenges. The Centre aims to drive inclusive and sustainable growth across various sectors such as labor, gender issues, healthcare, and others. 

Skoobuzz anticipates that the experienced advisory committee of the ICPP, with its refined approach to policy-making, will have a meaningful impact on public policy and governance.