Social Policy Analysis & Social Problems: Fill & Download for Free

"Policy analysis" is a pretty broad field, which is helpful - after all, if you're not drilled down too far into a given discipline, it's pretty easy to move around. Robert Martinez is correct that a first degree in the social sciences is helpful, but in my experience, the first degree is less important than the second.A bit of personal background: I attended George Mason University's School of Public Policy for my master's degree in public policy. While I was there, I was working full time at a small lobbying firm focused on health care issues. Once I completed my degree, I took a new job focused more specifically on health policy analysis. But I wouldn't have had that opportunity if I didn't have my master's, and most analytical positions in the government are going to be "master's degree preferred," if not required. So that's definitely step one.Step two is to consider moving to the Washington, D.C. area. The federal government is centered here, and hundreds of thousands of federal workers live in the metropolitan area. While one can certainly pursue analytical work in state government, states are less likely to have large, dedicated analytics teams like you'll find in federal agencies.Step three is to avoid confining one's self to the public sector. Getting a federal job is a difficult, lengthy process - one friend of mine who works in the Department of Labor told me that it took more than a year from application to hire - and not everyone can wait that long between jobs. It's just as beneficial to one's career to work in the private sector as an analyst, and that experience will bolster your resume if you do decide to look at public sector jobs. Virtually every industry in the U.S. economy is affected in some sense by federal government action, which means that thousands of companies and trade associations have dedicated Washington staffs whose functions are to monitor federal actions, seek to influence policies, quantify their effects, and so forth.I will caution that the life of a policy analyst is one of intense reading, writing, and communicating - and if those don't sound like fun, you probably shouldn't pursue it. But if you're intrigued by building a case through a position paper, if you geek out by quoting statute at someone to prove a point, or if you relish tearing through hundreds of pages of regulation in order to be the most knowledgeable person in the room on a given subject, policy analysis just might be for you.

To this atheist, there certainly are areas where there is general acceptance of moral vs. immoral conduct. There are also areas where issues are not so clear, and where reasonable people can reach different results. These come from experience, accumulated wisdom, social policy needs that evolve with time, analysis of relevant data, philosophical and religious traditions, culture, and other sources.To this atheist, it is remarkable when any theist claims that their particular theistic belief constitutes the only source of good or evil, especially since all theistic beliefs have evolved with time, branched out, and also reflect the various factors noted above.

I got an admit from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad for their PGP Class of 2020.Many people have asked me why MBA right now? You were so interested in Civil Services for the last 05 years and why are you suddenly shifting to the Corporate sector now ? Are you after money? Don’t you want to do govt service anymore or work for the public, that you have advocated so much for half a decade?I have got a lot of accusations, of being money minded, this and that in the PMs in Quora.This is an answer to everyone, an answer which would describe my thought process in taking this particular decision.Before, starting with that, let us understand the structure of the Government’s Bureaucracy. That will help us have more clarity, in understanding my decision.The Government is divided into Levels, according to the 7th Central Pay Commission. There are totally 18 levels, with 03 entry points.Level 01 - 05 - Lower Services - Peons, Constables, Stenos, Clerks etc.Level 06 - 09 - Middle Services - Inspectors, Section Officers, DSPs, Block Officers etc.Level 10 - 18 - Upper Services - IAS, IPS, IRS, Undersecretary etc.Now, I have always aspired for the upper civil services, usually conducted by the UPSC, which deals with the upper management of the Government.This is where most of the “thinking” is done, this is where policies are “ideated” and this is where public policies are “drafted”.An IAS joins at Level 09 during training, and then starts off from Level 10, and has the possibility of having more than 07 promotions in his career of 35 years.This is where I wanted to be, join the bureaucracy, and then rise high enough to shape the policy-making. (Usually around Level 13 or so)Now, I have been working with the MHA for the last two years, at Level 07.This is the middle management services.This is where the policies which are “drafted” by the top echelons are “implemented” on-ground.Working in rural Bihar for the last 02 years, I have understood the exact ground realities, of where exactly it is going wrong, and how the policy drafting needs a bit change, by someone who has actual on-ground realistic experiences.But, a Level 07 employee can grow upto max of Level 10 or 11, where you start competing with junior IAS officers when you are about to retire. (Example Promoted SP vs IPS SP)So, in a span of 35 years, I will get only 3–5 promotions, and that too will be still stuck in middle management, and never reach the “ideation” and “policy-drafting” stages.So, how do I make a shift from “Policy Implementation” to “Policy Drafting” now? Which is where I really want to be.I am not able to clear the UPSC exam. I have tried.I am stuck in middle management, away from home, with an unstable life, mediocre salary, erratic transfers and postings, very few promotions and very slow career growth and strained personal relationships.If I get married to anyone soon, she would want to work in a city, which would again increase long distance and put more strain on the family.So, how do I make a shift from “Policy Implementation” to “Policy Drafting” considering all these factors?The answer came here - Lateral Entry from the Corporate - Lateral entry: Over 6,000 private sector specialists apply for 10 joint secretary posts in governmentAnd this privatization of the Government by bringing in external specialists is going to increase a lot in the next two decades or so.And they are getting Joint Secretary posts directly, which is a Level 15 post. A direct jump from Level 07 to Level 15, and if I stay I would retire by Level 10.I had to think.I had a plan.A long-term plan, with lots of risks and possibilities of failing.Get into the corporate sector.The lateral entry needs 15 years of total work-ex. I already have 05 years work-ex (Startup, Sabre and MHA)I need to work for 10 years, a decade in the corporate sector, after which I can make a shift to upper civil services - Level 15 in a very short time.And I have seen the 6000 applicants - Some are good, some are okay, not that stellar - I know my work ex in the Central Government in rural Bihar would stand out and would get a chance to interview for the Joint Secretary posts - This is 10 years later I am talking about - 2030 - When I am around 38 years old.So, how do I jump into the corporate sector?Some private job which deals with Public Policy or Development Consultancy or Social Impact or Public Administration jobs ?Also, I need a post-graduation, ensuring all the educational qualifications are in place.So, I made a list of colleges/schools/institutes which would get me a Post Grad and a job in the public policy sector domain.Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai - M.A. in Public Policy - This has good curriculum and good placements in the public sector, But, intake is just 40 - Lots of high competition.Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi - This has become more of a training ground to IAS, IFoS than to freshers, so nope.Indian School of Business, Hyd - MBA with Public Policy Specialization - This has an intake of 880 students, with average age of 27 years, and has around 40 job opportunities in the public sector domain.And I wanted to apply for Indian schools only - Not, US, UK, Asian, etc. No INSEAD, NUS, LBS, nah - They don’t align with my goals.I could have tried CAT for the IIMs PGDM, but I am too old for that, with 5 years of work ex, I wouldn’t get much of public policy related jobs.I could have tried for IIMs Executive MBA, the PGPX and EPGP, again they don’t specialize in Public Policy analysis that well.ISB made the perfect sense to me.ISB has a specialization/major in Public Policy - Govt of Andhra, Telangana, Dalberg, Cargill - All working in PP sector come for placements. I could try for management consulting for govt sector or development consulting roles - Which are around 200 jobs in total.Work for 10 years in the Corporate sector with Public Policy.Higher pay, urban life, faster promotions, happy family life - And most importantly, I can focus on public policy ideation.And a decade later, apply for the lateral entry to the Government as Joint Secretary posts.And then see what will happen.I know it is a long shot. But a plan had to be formed.And that is why the MBA. At this juncture.I am 27 years old. Time is running out.A One-Year flagship ISB MBA made sense to me, which will plunge me to the upper public policy analysis sector of the corporate world.And that is why the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.It is not the money or the getting suited up or anything.I had the goal of Govt Policy ideation and drafting 05 years ago. UPSC was the best way to do it. It didn’t happen.So, now will try the second best way to reach the goals.The ends are the same. Only the means have changed.ISB - IITM - MHA - GoI - Quora - Rural Bihar.All are dots that are now being connected.As I said, my story hasn’t ended yet.It has only begun.