IRFC-funded Public Policy Lab launched at Hindu College: A landmark CSR initiative to foster policy innovation

New Delhi: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India’s higher education sector, Hindu College of Delhi University, has inaugurated a pioneering Public Policy Lab on its campus. The Lab has been established with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) support from Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC), in collaboration with Hindustan Steelworks Construction Limited (HSCL).

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The state-of-the-art Lab has been officially inaugurated by the NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam. The initiative is aimed at equipping students with real-world policy insights, fostering policy innovation, and aligning academic pursuits with national developmental goals under the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Describing the initiative as a significant step towards nation-building, IRFC's CMD & CEO Manoj Kumar Dubey said, “This initiative reflects IRFC’s commitment to nation-building by investing in institutions that shape the intellectual and civic leadership of tomorrow. Our collaboration with Hindu College is an investment in India’s policy ecosystem. Through this initiative, we aim to empower the next generation of public policy professionals with tools rooted in research, innovation, and impact.”

Prof. Anju Srivastava, Principal of Hindu College, lauded the initiative as a “historic academic milestone,” underlining its potential to redefine undergraduate education in India by embedding real-time policy thinking into the curriculum.

The Lab has rolled out its flagship certification course titled Public Policy in Action, open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Plans are underway to introduce a range of academic engagements, including national workshops, policy fellowships, and international academic exchange programs.

Prof. B. Venkatesh Kumar from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, who serves as the mentor for the Lab, emphasized its critical role in encouraging evidence-based governance and creating a replicable model for policy education across higher education institutions.

As New Delhi continues to position itself as a hub of academic and policy innovation, the IRFC-backed Public Policy Lab at Hindu College stands as a testament to the power of strategic CSR initiatives in shaping India’s future policy landscape.

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