IIPA is a nationally renowned academic institution for training, research, and information broadcasting in norms, ethics, and functioning of public administration. The role of IIPA is to guide the policymakers through applied research, education, and training to serve the people of India. It aims at enhancing leadership and managerial qualities and developing a service-oriented approach. 

JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Centre for Research in Social Sciences and Education (CeRSSE), in collaboration with the Indian Institute for Public Administration, Karnataka Regional Branch (IIPA, KRB), organized a 35-hour certificate course in Public Policy. The online lectures for the same were organized from December 13 to December 17, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The sessions had various distinguished resource persons deliver the lectures. Professor R. S. Deshpande, Former Director - Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore, delivered a session on Making Policy in Economics and Agriculture in India, Dr. Annapoorna Ravichander, Head of Training, Resource Mobilisation, Policy Engagement, and Communication at Public Affairs Centre (PAC), Bengaluru, spoke on Implementing Public Policy – Role of Media and Public Engagement, Ms. Shukla Bose, Founder of Parikrma Humanity Foundation, addressed the participants on Formulating Public Policy – The Process and Instruments: Policies for Education of Urban Poor - Case Study, Dr. Mridul Mehndiratta, Assistant Professor in Economics - Institute of Finance and International Management (IFIM), Bengaluru, lectured on Policy Evaluation – Emerging Challenges. Dr. Sonam Mansukhani - Assistant Dean (Academics) at JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS), spoke on Making of Public Policies in India -Challenges and Paths Ahead,  Dr. K.C. Smitha - Assistant Professors at JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Centre for Research in Social Sciences and Education (CeRSSE), delivered a session on Public Policy in the Context of Urban Governance, and Debangana Chatterjee - Assistant Professors at JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Centre for Research in Social Sciences and Education (CeRSSE), engaged with the course participants on Gendering Public Policy: Approaches and Connotations.

The Course Coordinators were Dr. Priyanca Mathur - Associate Professor at JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Centre for Research in Social Sciences and Education (CeRSSE), and Dr. D. Jeevan Kumar, Honorary Professor - Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, Gadag. Dr. D. Jeevan Kumar took the first session introducing the course and the importance of public policy. He also took a session on Contextualising Public Policy.

After the long hours of online sessions, the 30 students from colleges and universities across Bengaluru who had signed up for the course were mentored to write a policy brief for the Government. On presentation of those project reports, the certificate will be awarded and the Karnataka Regional Branch of the IIPA will be rewarding cash prizes to the top three policy briefs. A proposal to publish the texts of the lectures delivered at the course, as well as the policy briefs submitted by the participants, is in the pipeline.

“Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and our feelings.” — Arianna Huffington

Dating back thousands of years, yoga and meditation are practices to enhance physical and mental well-being that have stood the test of time. Meditation is a part of yoga, dedicated to mental relaxation and concentration. In many ways, these practices have become more relevant in modern times. The ability to channelize thoughts and relax your mind is invaluable, and it can be achieved through meditation.

JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and School of Interior Design - Department of English and Women and Gender Sensitization Cell organized a meditation workshop titled, A Talk on Breath, Yoga, and Meditation – The Art of Happy and Meaningful Living, on October 26, 2021. The resource person for the event was Dr. V. Sreemathy, a Ph.D. degree holder, a linguist, an author, and a yoga and meditation trainer with the Art of Living Foundation, Bangalore. The primary objective of this workshop was to create awareness about mental well-being and happiness quotient among students. It also aimed to enhance health quality and immunity through yoga and meditation. The student representative, Ms. K. Sania of B. Sc. (Interior Design), compèred the whole event.

The session began with a devotional song, seeking the Almighty’s blessings, sung by Ms. Pavni Jaiswal of B.Sc. (Interior Design). Major Dr. Rekha Sinha, the Director of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of Interior Design, welcomed the gathering and expressed her love towards the traditional art of yoga and meditation. Dr. V. Sreemathy exhorted in her lecture the need for finding ways to co-exist and create a nurturing environment. She said, “Life is between breathing in and breathing out.” She highlighted the importance of paying attention to thought processes and conscious patterns. She explained that it is vital for the thought process to be channelized, for the human mind remains in constant conflict with itself. Quoting Shakespeare, she said, “To be or not to be.” She also mentioned that with modest efforts, we can assist and encourage others to make everyone feel included. She also spoke about exploring inner happiness and suggested not to look for happiness in materialistic pleasures as they are temporary. She explained how we can achieve inner peace and higher levels of concentration by paying attention to our breathing patterns and meditating for a few minutes daily and how beneficial it can be if we make it a part and parcel of our lives. The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Harshith, a B. Sc. (Interior Design) student.

The intellectually stimulating spiritual lecture and inclusion of simple exercises such as stretching and meditation made the session an enlightening experience for the students.

Over the last few years, mental health awareness has been receiving its due recognition and breaking the shackles of being a taboo. The beginning of 2020 witnessed a virus outbreak that led to the COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented hazards to mental health globally. Although people had started becoming aware of the importance of mental health, the pandemic took a toll on people’s lives. On the one hand, the awareness rose, and on the other hand, there was a rise in the issues related to mental health. As part of an awareness campaign during the Mental Health Week, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Department of Psychology, Manvantara, organized a street play to bring awareness about mental health, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The street play was performed on October 28, 2021, at the campuses of the Center for Management Studies (CMS) and JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Jayanagara.

The street play began with a portrayal of the shocking news of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown that put people in a state of confusion and panic. The imposed lockdown made everything come to a halt except for ambulance sirens. The play had a contrasting depiction of how the same lockdown impacted different people differently. The first scenario depicted that the lockdown kept extending month after month. Since humans are social beings, having stayed locked within the confines of their homes for such a long time brought in feelings of frustration and anger. Students were in a state of confusion as their exams kept getting canceled, and the uncertainty of what the future held for them brought in feelings of distress and anxiety. The cases of depression increased manifold, social distancing led to a substantial increase in loneliness, and domestic violence rose to a large extent, with people having nowhere to escape. The anxiety and uncertainty of the situation affected people’s mental health massively. Also, a contrasting situation was depicted where people had a lot of free time on their hands to focus on their hobbies, started small businesses, and began promoting their business on social media. It was as if it became so convenient for them to stay within the comfort of their homes and interact with people virtually. The play also highlighted that the lockdown being removed had pros and cons of its own. Some people were socially anxious after having interacted only virtually for a very long time, and others were relieved as they could resume their day-to-day activities without being confined in their homes anymore.

The impactful street play gathered large crowds at the venues. The pandemic was a situation like never before, and the play was an attempt to bring awareness about mental health during these testing times.