ìpolicy is an introduction to Comparative Institutional Analysis, in other words, ìpolicy won't tell you how to solve people's specific day-to-day problems; as a course on public policy, it will discuss how to think about the "general FRAMEWORK" "WITHIN which" people solve problems in society—our motto is to look beyond the obvious, think beyond good intentions, act beyond activism.

By institutional framework we mean the "rules of the game" within which people act.

"Institutions" are the formal rules, informal norms, and cultural meanings that shape individual and organizational behaviour. Some institutions are "devised," planned, and agreed upon. Others have evolved without any plan and have been learned and perpetuated by individuals who live in a social setting—people who perpetuate these institutions may not even be consciously aware that they are doing so.

The important thing about institutions is that they change the structure of costs and benefits individuals face and thus create incentives to act one way or another. How do the rules of the game affect the way people behave and interact and thus shape the outcomes of people's actions and interactions in society?

We'll discuss how to COMPARE and EVALUATE institutional frameworks according to how they enable people to solve problems. We'll examine the appropriateness of planned vs. spontaneously evolved institutions and governmental vs. civil society institutions in addressing different kinds of social-problems.

CCS champions a liberal approach to public policy, which means that we think a system of individual rights, freedom of exchange, the rule of law, and limited government provide the best overall framework for people to solve social problems. However, there is lots of room for debate about the proper role of government, markets, and non‐profits.

By the end, you should have an idea of what institutions are, how they influence behaviour and outcomes, and greater ability to evaluate what governments, nonprofits and markets should do and WHY.

The Academy conducts ipolicy courses for a variety of stakeholders around the year, including students, journalists, development leaders and business professionals.

• Institutions: This session will seek to introduce institutions as rules of the game. It will trace the evolution of institutions that are key to the policy making process and highlight the differentiating principles of these institutions in terms of their core characteristics and institutional mechanisms.
• Public Choice: This session will introduce participants to Public Choice Theory - applying economic principles to the political decision making process. It will explore institutional mechanisms in State functioning and how these influence the behaviour of the stakeholders in the political market.
• Rule of Law: This session explores the institution of "Rule of Law"--that each individual should be free from discretionary power and the arbitrary decision-making of others. Through case studies, it will also examine what happens in the absence of rule of law, thus highlighting why it is a critical institution for a free society.
• Property Rights:This session will explore the institution of property rights--the definition of private property, the historical context of property rights in India and the impact of clear property rights and land titles on growth and development.

ìpolicy is a dynamic course in the liberal approach to public policy. The course involves a variety of interactive learning methods – including stimulating games, talks, dialogues, and documentaries – designed to provide participants with opportunities to explore and share ideas about policy-based solutions to social problems from a liberal perspective.

CCS champions a liberal approach to public policy, which means that we think a system of individual rights, freedom of exchange, the rule of law, and limited government provide the best overall framework for people to solve social problems. However, our sessions aim to encourage debate and dialogue on the role of government, markets and civil society.

In order to avoid confusion on the day of ìpolicy, participants must be thorough with the information or reading materials shared with them a few days before the course. It will enable them to participate and understand the lectures well. To make the most of these three days, participants should be willing to engage with ideas that are new to them, while questioning them freely, and without disrupting the decorum of the session.

No, it is not an online course. However an online support portal is used to carry the resources and aid the learning process.

The course is open to all students, undergraduates, recent graduates as well as post graduates under the age of 30 years, as on the day of the ìpolicy. Participants will be selected based on the merit of their application.

Part 1: Records the candidate's general information. Part 2: Participant is expected to answer two questions after reading a short text in a comprehensive manner. Besides this, two other short questions need to be answered.

The applicant will receive a reply about their status only two weeks before the ìpolicy.

Yes, they can defer their participation to any other ìpolicy being held on a later date. They can also select an ìpolicy happening in another city.

Yes, there is a registration fee of INR 3000/- for all open programs. The amount may vary for partnership programs.

The fee covers the lunch, refreshments, and the learning resources that are provided at the venue. It, however, doesn't cover the travel and accommodation expenses incurred by the participant.

The fee is non-refundable. However, the candidate can defer their participation to another ìpolicy in the city of their choice. Similarly, if the program is cancelled on our end, we will ensure that the candidate participates in another ìpolicy, on a later date, keeping in mind their convenience.

ìpolicy conducted independently by CCS is called Open ìpolicy, and anyone who meets the eligibility criteria mentioned above can apply to the same. On the other hand, an ìpolicy conducted by CCS in tandem with an institute or organization is called a Partnership ìpolicy, and only members of the partner institute can apply to the same.

Yes, the participant is required to attend all the sessions for being eligible to attain the certificate.

If a participant has attended an ìpolicy once, they become a CCS alum and gain access to a host of other opportunities such as a range of advance programs offered by our partner organization in public policy, colloquia, and a large alumni network working across various policy domains.