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About the Programme

Today, there are thousands of young people working in various sectors who are keen to contribute to social change in a meaningful way. There is a growing need in the social sector for professionals with academic preparation and capabilities for social action. Azim Premji University Postgraduate Programme is an excellent option for candidates to transition from corporate to the social sector.

Applications are invited from Working Professionals for the following full time postgraduate programmes.

  • Master of Arts (M.A.) Education


    M.A. Education prepares students to the complex demands and imperatives for working in the education sector. They can look forward to roles in organizations working in the implementation of educational interventions, design and development of school teaching-learning materials, teacher education, research in education etc.
    Click here to know more about the career opportunities in Education sector

  • Master of Arts (M.A.) Development


    M.A. Development Programme offers students a broad understanding of India’s development challenges and capabilities to address these challenges. They can look forward to a variety of roles that work in the domains of Livelihood, public health, urban issues, sustainability, energy, natural resource management etc.
    Click here to know more about the career opportunities in Development sector

  • Master of Arts (M.A.) Public Policy and Governance


    The M.A. Public Policy and Governance (MPG) Programme is a highly practical and applied postgraduate programme grounded in social sciences, humanities and law, which will equip students with critical perspectives and technical competencies required to engage with the real world of governance.
    Read more about M.A. in Public Policy and Governance
    Click here to know more about the career opportunities in Public policy

We aim to provide an educational experience that builds good understanding of the domain, deep social commitment, capabilities for action and a Career in the Social Sector.

Financial assistance
  • Guaranteed 50% waiver on Tuition-fee for candidates with more than 3 years of work experience
  • Additional scholarships offered based on other financial criteria
Important Dates
Admission process For all candidates
Last date to apply 26 January 2020
Entrance test date 8 February 2020
Interview process March 2020
Offers April 2020
Academic session starts July 2020

** We are providing a chance to candidates with work experience to go through the selection process much early so that they get enough time to decide and plan for the academic journey starting from July 2020. This is for M.A. Education, M.A. Development and M.A. Public Policy and Governance.

University will also organise additional rounds / accept other test scores for admissions.

Your work experience is important

The University values the work experience students bring, for many reasons:

  • Students with work experience bring a diverse range of views and ideas, based on their personal and work life experience, that add to the richness of classroom experience. Such sharing is an important part of learning at the University.
  • Many elective courses offered are sectoral or theme based and students with work experience contribute to these through their skills and knowledge from their past work.
  • There are multiple roles in social development sector that demands prior work experience and such students with postgraduate degree from Azim Premji University can look forward to challenging opportunities.
Career path in Social Sector

The social sector today offers a variety of exciting career opportunities for students with a desire to contribute to the development of the country. The sector includes:

  • Non-Governmental organization (NGO’s), social enterprises, community based organization, civil society groups, funding agencies
  • Private sector (consultancies, CSR departments, development banks)
  • Academic bodies, Think-tanks/research groups
  • Public or government sector
  • Bilateral and multilateral agencies (example- UNO)

Social sector needs

Project management/Administration functionaries-

For effective Project implementation and direction, Direct community engagement, technical advice, coordination with donor agency/local government, budgeting and project reports

Technical resources -

Domain specialists and experts who can contribute in School Education, Curriculum design, Assessment, Teacher Education, Early childhood education, Water/Sanitation/Hygiene (WASH), Public health, Livelihoods, Legal reform, Housing and Infrastructure development, Urban Governance, Climate Change, Policy etc.

Researchers-

At think-tanks, Consultants, Universities.

In addition, social entrepreneurs capable of innovative thinking are needed to ideate, create and implement path-breaking solutions to social problems.

Facilitating admissions for students with work experience
  • We provide additional weightage in the interview process for applicants with work experience.
  • The University provides extensive scholarships in the form of fee waiver, both for tuition fees and accommodation and food charges. The scholarships are based on the family’s income and not on the current earning of the student.
  • Applicants with more than 3 years of work experience after graduation receive a guaranteed 50% Tuition-fee waiver.
  • Educational loans are also facilitated by the University. The loans cover all expenses – tuition, accommodation and food charges. Students may take a full loan or part loan to pay for the expenses not covered by the scholarships.
  • Using a combination of scholarships and loans, it is possible for students to fully pay for their course expenses.
  • In addition, a limited number of project based assistantships are available on campus, where students work 10-12 hours per week and are paid monthly. This is particularly useful for students to support their day to day expenses.
Campus Placement

The University has an excellent placement record so far. All these career opportunities are well compensated and probably much more challenging and personally satisfying than opportunities in other sectors.

Listen to Anil Loyston Misquith and Sruthi Kutty who made their transition to Social Sector. Both of them graduated on 2019.

  • Over 1700 students, in seven batches have graduated and almost all of them are currently engaged with the social sector, placed through the campus placement process. More than 90 organisations visit the campus for placements.
  • The average salary for campus placements is in the range of Rs. 25000 – 30000 per month. Students with prior experience get higher compensation.
  • Many students also decide to pursue fellowships/ do higher studies in their area of interest.
The University also has an active social enterprise cell, that encourages students to be entrepreneurs. Click here to know more about social enterprises and organisation founded by our Alumni.

Click here to know more about Postgraduate Programme

We look forward to welcome committed students who can significantly

contribute to a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society.





Connect with Alumni
Engineers for Social Sector



 

Click here for more Student / Alumni Speak Videos


  • For me, it was personal Motivation. I worked for 5 Years in the area of Information Technology. Since my Interest was e-governance. I wanted to mix this with my IT background. I now wok as a consultant with the National Institute for Smart Governance in Hyderabad

    Vikash Madduri
    M.A. Development, 2014-16


  • The field work components of the program was the most useful. I genuinely felt I learnt more outside the classroom. Now that I am in a small NGO and handling project coordination and execution in 2 different cities - taking part in A-Z of the organizations’ activities - I feel the 2 years at APU was exciting

    Somesh S menon
    M.A. Development


  • I Work as Team Manager, Employment Creation for Justice and Care and taking care of Livelihood actvities for whole Bihar. It is very challenging job but I am happy that I got such Opportunity at my first Job. This is what APU gave me - the confidence and ability to plunge into grassroots social work. Also, Hard work, I learnt at APU to do hard work if want to be good at any place and that stayed!

    Jay Shankar Kumar
    M.A. Development 2011-13


  •                 Teacher Absenteeism Study
    Government school teachers demonstrate exemplary commitment; actual teacher absenteeism substantially lower than general impressions.
    Teacher Absenteeism is as low as 2.5%.

  • Living aspiration, friendship and love through music make life at Azim Premji University beautiful. Here I found freedom in belonging

    Ritu Gopal
    M.A. in Development I Class of 2014


  • If only life itself was amazing as it is at Azim Premji University. Or perhaps henceforth we could make it.

    Lavanya Murali
    M.A. in Education I Class of 2014


  • The intellectual storehouse that are the students and the faculty. Something we could tap into any time and come out satisfied and stimulated.

    R. Sridhar Rao
    M.A. in Development I Class of 2014


  • It was in Gudalur, an amazing landscape in the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu, that I did my two week field immersion. The exposure to the vast share of unseen indigenous knowledge and culture of the Adivasi community in Gudalur was an exciting experience.

    Vijitha Rajan
    M.A. in Education | Class of 2012