Research, Analysis and Advisory Hub
RAAH Policy Fellowship 2026
Understanding How Public Policy Works in Practice.
Cohort 2 | Hybrid Fellowship
August - September 2026 | Application Deadline: 8 August 2026
About RAAH Fellowship
The RAAH Policy Fellowship is a six-week selective fellowship designed to help emerging policy professionals understand how public policy is designed, implemented, and evaluated within real institutional settings. Through sectoral engagements with senior civil servants, case-study based policy diagnostics, applied mentorship sessions, and a final policy advisory simulation, fellows develop the analytical capabilities required to engage with complex public challenges across governance sectors. The Fellowship includes an exclusive in-person diplomatic roundtable at MICCIA, New Delhi, with three distinguished ambassadors, opportunities to contribute to a policy book alongside practitioners, access to curated public policy resources and continued mentorship support for four months beyond the Fellowship under the guidance of Shri J.K. Dadoo, IAS (Retd.), as well as a capstone policy simulation and certificate ceremony at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi. Designed for individuals seeking a deeper understanding of governance in practice, the Fellowship emphasises institutional understanding, policy reasoning, and applied problem-solving for careers in public policy and governance.
Duration and Format
Duration: 6 Weeks
Total Sessions: 22
Mode: Hybrid
The Fellowship is designed as a structured, cohort-based policy learning experience comprising:
- Sectoral Policy Engagements with Secretary and Joint Secretary level civil servants.
- Real-World Governance Case Studies and Policy Diagnostics
- Applied Policy Mentorship and Portfolio Development
- Extended Policy Resources and Continued Mentorship Support for Four Months Beyond the Fellowship under the Guidance of Shri J.K. Dadoo, IAS (Retd.)
- Policy Book Publication Opportunity for Selected Fellows
- Diplomatic Roundtable with Three Distinguished Ambassadors at MICCIA, New Delhi
- Policy Career Opportunities Repository across the Public Policy and Governance Ecosystem
- Capstone Policy Advisory Simulation and Certificate Ceremony at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi
What Fellows Do
Throughout the Fellowship, fellows engage with public policy as it operates in practice through practitioner interactions, applied analysis, and collaborative policy exercises. They:
- Examine how public institutions, government systems, and governance frameworks shape policy outcomes.
- Analyse real-world governance challenges through structured case studies, policy diagnostics, and stakeholder assessments.
- Develop policy briefs, analytical notes, and evidence-based recommendations using practical policy frameworks.
- Build research, analytical, and policy communication skills through mentorship and guided assignments.
- Engage directly with senior civil servants and distinguished ambassadors to understand governance, diplomacy, and public decision-making.
- Apply their learning through a capstone policy simulation addressing contemporary governance challenges.
The Fellowship equips fellows with the analytical, institutional, and practical foundations required to understand, evaluate, and contribute to public policy in practice.
Who Should Apply
The Fellowship is designed for individuals seeking to understand how public institutions function, how policy decisions are shaped, and how complex governance challenges can be analysed and addressed.
The Fellowship is particularly suited for:
- Students and researchers interested in development, public systems, governance, and applied policy research
- Young professionals seeking structured exposure to policymaking, government systems, and institutional decision-making
- Professionals transitioning into public policy from diverse domains seeking a rigorous foundation in policy analysis and practice
- NRIs and international participants seeking deeper engagement with India’s governance and public policy ecosystem
The Fellowship welcomes applicants from diverse academic disciplines and professional backgrounds. No prior experience in public policy is required.
Programme Structure
The Fellowship begins with a foundational session on Public Policy Architecture led by Shri J.K. Dadoo, IAS (Retd.), introducing fellows to the institutions, processes, and frameworks shaping policymaking in India. Fellows then engage with senior civil servants, including Secretary and Joint Secretary-level officers, across nine key governance sectors to understand policy design, implementation, and institutional realities.
Sectoral Themes Covered
- AI Governance, Digital Policy & Emerging Technologies
- Health Systems & Public Health Policy
- Education, Skills & Human Capital Development
- Finance & Economic Policy
- Agriculture & Food Security
- Environmental Policy
- Rural Development, Livelihoods & Local Governance
- District Administration & Law and Order
- Centre–State Relations, Federalism & Cooperative Governance
Fellows examine real-world governance challenges through structured case studies drawn from public systems, government programmes, and administrative experiences, including cases developed from official government sources. The case-study approach enables fellows to move beyond policy theory and analyse how institutions, incentives, stakeholders, and implementation realities shape policy outcomes. Fellows learn to diagnose the underlying causes of policy challenges and develop structured approaches for improving outcomes.
Key Outcomes
- Develop the ability to identify and diagnose complex policy problems
- Analyse stakeholder interests, institutional constraints, and incentive structures influencing outcomes
- Understand why well-designed policies succeed or fail during implementation
- Apply structured frameworks to evaluate governance challenges and develop policy recommendation
The Fellowship includes an exclusive diplomatic roundtable at MICCIA, New Delhi, with distinguished diplomats including Ambassador Anil Trigunayat, Ambassador Amarendra Khatua, and Ambassador Skand R. Tayal. Through structured discussions on global affairs, India’s strategic engagements, and regional perspectives across five continents, fellows gain insights into the intersection of diplomacy, geopolitics, and public policy.
Key Outcomes
- Understand the relationship between foreign policy, geopolitics, and public policy
- Develop broader perspectives on global challenges and regional dynamics
- Engage directly with senior diplomatic representatives and practitioners
- Explore how international developments shape policy choices and governance priorities
The Fellowship extends beyond the six-week programme through continued access to curated public policy resources, readings, and practitioner-informed learning material. Under the guidance of Shri J.K. Dadoo, IAS (Retd.), fellows receive continued policy resources for four months beyond the conclusion of the Fellowship, enabling sustained engagement with governance frameworks, policy debates, and institutional perspectives.
Key Outcomes
- Strengthen long-term engagement with public policy frameworks, institutions, and governance processes
- Continue structured learning beyond the Fellowship period
- Gain access to practitioner-informed perspectives and curated policy resources
The Fellowship provides selected fellows with an opportunity to contribute to a policy book emerging from the programme alongside practitioners and policy professionals, enabling participants to translate their research and analytical work into a published policy output. Fellows also receive access to a curated repository of internships, research opportunities, and professional openings across the public policy, governance, and development sectors.
Key Outcomes
- Contribute to a collaborative policy publication alongside experienced practitioners
- Access curated opportunities across policy, governance, research, and development institutions
- Strengthen professional visibility and long-term engagement within the public policy ecosystem
Through structured mentorship sessions, fellows are introduced to practical tools and frameworks widely used in policy research, analysis, programme design, and advisory work. The sessions focus on developing the analytical foundations required to produce evidence-based policy recommendations and professional policy outputs.
Key Outcomes
- Develop structured approaches to policy analysis and problem-solving
- Apply practical frameworks such as stakeholder analysis, Theory of Change, monitoring and evaluation, evidence assessment, and policy diagnostics
- Strengthen research, analytical reasoning, and decision-making capabilities
- Learn methods and approaches used by policy professionals, research institutions, and advisory organisations
The Fellowship places strong emphasis on translating policy analysis into clear, evidence-based outputs. Through structured assignments and feedback-driven exercises, fellows develop professional writing samples that demonstrate their analytical capabilities, policy understanding, and professional readiness for opportunities across the public policy ecosystem.
Key Outcomes
- Develop policy briefs, analytical notes, and advisory recommendations
- Strengthen evidence-based writing and policy communication skills
- Build a portfolio of professional policy outputs
The Fellowship culminates in a capstone policy simulation at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi, where fellows work in teams to analyse a contemporary governance challenge and present evidence based recommendations before an evaluation panel comprising senior civil servants and policy professionals.
Designed to replicate the complexities of real-world policymaking, the simulation requires fellows to apply the analytical frameworks, institutional understanding, and policy reasoning developed throughout the Fellowship.
Key Outcomes
- Apply policy analysis and problem-solving skills to complex governance challenges
- Develop strategic thinking, teamwork, and policy communication capabilities
- Experience policymaking within a simulated institutional environment
- Present evidence-based recommendations before senior practitioners and policymakers
The Fellowship concludes with a certificate ceremony at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi.
Mentors and Practitioners
Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Formerly with Rajya Sabha Secretariat
Ministry of Rural Development
Offices of Members of Parliament
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India
Department of Consumer Affairs
Government of India
Government of Manipur and
Former Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change
Government of India
Department of Rural Development and Department of Land Resources
Government of India
to the Republic of Korea and Uzbekistan
High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations and Former Principal Secretary
Government of Tamil Nadu
Former Ambassador of India to Argentina, Uruguay & Paraguay
to Jordan, Libya and Malta
Inaugural Fellowship Cohort (2026)
Bhaskar Agarwal
Incoming, University of Oxford
Nikita Singh
Public Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Priyal Jain
Ashmit Mishra
Parul Gupta
Doctoral Researcher, IIT Delhi
Simin Sanil
Neharika Gupta
Radhika Jain
Divyansh Shah
Ruchi Payal
Sri Nikitha Reddy Tummuru
Voices from the Inaugural Cohort
The RAAH Policy Fellowship was far more than a milestone; it was a profound immersion into the mechanics of public governance. Transitioning from the disciplined rigors of a defense environment to mapping unconventional policy sectors provided an extraordinary bridge for my professional growth
The RAAH Fellowship transformed how I think about policy problems. It pushed me to first map the actors involved, understand their incentives, and diagnose the problem before reaching for solutions. The case studies made abstract frameworks tangible, showing how informal power structures and misaligned incentives can quietly undermine even well-designed interventions.
I think if you’re searching for “RAAH” towards “RAAH OF PUBLIC POLICY”, this is your sign to get started with. Being a student of law, I found myself quite amateurish to public policy but now when I read any policy, news, or even an Act , the stakeholder mapping, trade offs and behavioural impact automatically become a part of my thought process. I really want to thank RAAH and it’s Founder for support and belief in each fellow and providing the platform as a safe place for invoking that thinking pattern
The RAAH Policy Fellowship gave me something no textbook could direct exposure to how policy is actually made, debated, and broken down within real institutions. In four weeks, I went from studying governance to genuinely thinking like someone who has to make it work. This fellowship is what early-career policy professionals in India have been waiting for.
The RAAH Policy Fellowship provided a nuanced understanding of policymaking in India, where social realities and institutional contexts play a critical role in shaping policy outcomes, often in ways distinct from Australia, the UK, and Indonesia. Learning from experts and fellow participants deepened my appreciation of policymaking as both an analytical discipline and a craft.
My biggest takeaway was learning to think about policy less in terms of the outcome written on paper and more in terms of incentives, constraints, and the actors who actually sit inside the system. A lot of the fellowship pushed me to ask not just “what should happen?” but “who has to do what, under what pressures, and why might they behave differently from what the policy intends?” That way of thinking felt very useful and much more grounded
RAAH Fellowship taught me that great policy is not built in theory alone. It is forged where ambition meets institutional reality. It reshaped how I approach governance, pushing me to think beyond perfect ideas and toward solutions that can survive, scale and create real impact in India’s complex policy landscape
The RAAH Policy Fellowship was far more than a milestone; it was a profound immersion into the mechanics of public governance. Transitioning from the disciplined rigors of a defense environment to mapping unconventional policy sectors provided an extraordinary bridge for my professional growth
The RAAH Fellowship transformed how I think about policy problems. It pushed me to first map the actors involved, understand their incentives, and diagnose the problem before reaching for solutions. The case studies made abstract frameworks tangible, showing how informal power structures and misaligned incentives can quietly undermine even well-designed interventions.
I think if you’re searching for “RAAH” towards “RAAH OF PUBLIC POLICY”, this is your sign to get started with. Being a student of law, I found myself quite amateurish to public policy but now when I read any policy, news, or even an Act , the stakeholder mapping, trade offs and behavioural impact automatically become a part of my thought process. I really want to thank RAAH and it’s Founder for support and belief in each fellow and providing the platform as a safe place for invoking that thinking pattern
The RAAH Policy Fellowship gave me something no textbook could direct exposure to how policy is actually made, debated, and broken down within real institutions. In four weeks, I went from studying governance to genuinely thinking like someone who has to make it work. This fellowship is what early-career policy professionals in India have been waiting for.
The RAAH Policy Fellowship provided a nuanced understanding of policymaking in India, where social realities and institutional contexts play a critical role in shaping policy outcomes, often in ways distinct from Australia, the UK, and Indonesia. Learning from experts and fellow participants deepened my appreciation of policymaking as both an analytical discipline and a craft.
My biggest takeaway was learning to think about policy less in terms of the outcome written on paper and more in terms of incentives, constraints, and the actors who actually sit inside the system. A lot of the fellowship pushed me to ask not just “what should happen?” but “who has to do what, under what pressures, and why might they behave differently from what the policy intends?” That way of thinking felt very useful and much more grounded
RAAH Fellowship taught me that great policy is not built in theory alone. It is forged where ambition meets institutional reality. It reshaped how I approach governance, pushing me to think beyond perfect ideas and toward solutions that can survive, scale and create real impact in India’s complex policy landscape
Admission Process
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Early applications are encouraged due to limited cohort capacity and the selective nature of the Fellowship.
Fee Structure
- ✓ Fellowship fee is payable only upon selection.
- ✓ Fellowship Fee (India): ₹14,999 INR (Flexible instalment options available)
- ✓ Fellowship Fee (International): USD 199
- ✓ Session Access: Recordings of all Fellowship sessions will be accessible throughout the duration of the programme.
FAQs
Yes. The Fellowship welcomes international applicants, including NRIs and foreign citizens interested in India’s public policy and governance ecosystem. International fellows will have access to online participation options for select hybrid engagements.
No. The Fellowship is designed for students, researchers, and professionals from diverse academic and professional backgrounds. What matters is intellectual curiosity, analytical ability, and interest in understanding public challenges.
Yes. Recordings of Fellowship sessions will be accessible to fellows throughout the duration of the programme.
Yes. Online participation options will be available for international fellows for the capstone policy simulation at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi.
Fellows will complete applied assignments including policy briefs, analytical notes, case-study analyses, stakeholder assessments, and other portfolio-oriented policy outputs.
Yes. Fellows will continue to receive access to curated policy resources under the guidance of Shri J.K. Dadoo, IAS (Retd.), for four months following the Fellowship.
Selected fellows will have the opportunity to contribute to a policy book emerging from the Fellowship, alongside experienced practitioners and policy professionals.
The Fellowship is not a placement programme and does not guarantee employment outcomes. However, fellows will receive access to a curated repository of opportunities across the public policy ecosystem, including internships, research roles, and professional openings, curated by Shri J.K. Dadoo, IAS (Retd.), to support their continued engagement with governance and policy spaces.
The Fellowship combines practitioner engagements with senior civil servants, real-world governance case studies, applied mentorship, policy writing, simulation-based learning, and an exclusive diplomatic roundtable with distinguished ambassadors to provide fellows with a deeper understanding of how policy operates across governance and global affairs.
Fellows will become part of the RAAH policy community and receive continued access to policy resources, mentorship support, and future engagement opportunities.
The Fellowship fee is non-refundable after confirmation of admission, except under exceptional circumstances as determined by RAAH.