DU’s Hindu College unveils India’s first undergraduate public policy lab

Hindu College at Delhi University has taken a pioneering step by launching what it claims is the country’s first public policy lab at an undergraduate institution.

Billed as a platform that connects academic inquiry with real-world governance, the lab was officially inaugurated on April 17 by BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog.

The initiative reflects a growing effort to introduce policy thinking and research at the undergraduate level.

At the launch, Subrahmanyam emphasized the lab’s potential as a foundational piece in India's long-term economic vision, describing it as a critical space where young minds can contribute to shaping the frameworks of a $30 trillion future economy.

"As India aims to become the world's third-largest economy, we need knowledge institutions that not only educate but also innovate. This lab will place Hindu College at the center of India's policy discourse," he said.

“The lab, set up under CSR support from Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) and Hindustan Steelworks Construction Limited (HSCL), will serve as a hub for real-world policy simulations, applied research, and grassroots insights, aligning with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to democratize and decentralize knowledge generation,” reads an official statement.

"This is not just a policy facility. It is a living, breathing idea, one that reflects the Prime Minister's vision of Viksit Bharat," said Manoj Kumar Dubey, CMD & CEO of IRFC.

"Our collaboration with Hindu College is an investment in the policy architects of tomorrow,” Kumar added.

Principal Anju Srivastava hailed the launch as a “historic academic milestone” for both Hindu College and the city of Delhi.

She emphasized that the Public Policy Lab aligns closely with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which champions interdisciplinary learning.

“We take great pride in leading this national effort to create an academic model that seamlessly integrates research with practical policy training,” she added.

B Venkatesh Kumar, professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and mentor to the lab, described it as “a vibrant ecosystem for evidence-based governance.”

He emphasized that initiatives like this have the potential to close the long-standing divide between academic research and real-world policy implementation.