Event Overview
The second edition of the Jindal Policy Conclave (JPC) 2026 was held on 18–19 September 2026 at the Sonipat campus of O.P. Jindal Global University. The student‑led conference, organized by the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, brought together 30 distinguished voices—including policymakers, parliamentarians, academics, civil servants, journalists and practitioners—to discuss the role of India’s youth in governance, democratic participation, economic development, institutional reform and global engagement.
Key Statements by Minister
Dr L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, opened the conclave with a wide‑ranging speech. He asserted that “public policy must be guided by the Constitution of India,” emphasizing its role in defining citizen‑state relationships, protecting fundamental rights, ensuring institutional accountability and providing a vision for inclusive national development. He congratulated O.P. Jindal Global University for creating a platform that integrates law, public policy, governance and young minds, and urged future lawyers, entrepreneurs and journalists to acquire interdisciplinary skills spanning technology, innovation, culture, business models, AI, storytelling, ethics and misinformation.
Opening Remarks and Knowledge Reports
Prof. R. Sudarshan, Dean of the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, delivered the opening remarks, describing Dr Murugan as a key architect of India’s creative economy. He highlighted that the minister has launched five major knowledge reports designed to demonstrate how data‑backed research can guide industry strategy and support evidence‑based policymaking.
Panel Themes
The two‑day programme featured seven thematic panels covering: (1) federalism and regionalism; (2) the agrarian economy and agricultural reform; (3) defence and military manufacturing; (4) free speech and press freedom; (5) artificial intelligence and misinformation; (6) jobs and employment; (7) youth democratic participation; and (8) women’s safety, participation and lived realities. These panels aimed to place representation, education, employment, democratic participation and institutional accountability at the centre of policy discourse.
Notable Speakers
The keynote address was delivered by Prof (Dr.) Lobsang Sangay, Lecturer of Law at Harvard Law School and former President of the Central Tibetan Administration, who encouraged young Indians to contribute without fear of disappointment, drawing on a 5,000‑year cultural heritage. Other distinguished speakers included Admiral (Retd.) Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, former 26th Chief of the Naval Staff; Smt. Iqra Choudhary, Member of Parliament from Kairana; Smt. Kanta Singh, Deputy Country Head, UN Women India; Smt. Priyanka Chaturvedi, former Member of Parliament and visiting faculty at JSGP; and Shri T. L. Satyaprakash, a 2002‑batch Haryana‑cadre IAS officer, who will deliver the valedictory address.
Pre‑Conclave Engagements
Prior to the main event, an interactive session with Prof (Dr.) Manoj Kumar Jha, Rajya Sabha member from Bihar and National Spokesperson of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, examined structural gaps in India’s education system, discussing inequality, merit, institutional accountability, public investment, youth unemployment and democratic participation. In collaboration with the India Chapter of the Hertie School of Public Policy (Germany) and the Jindal Institute for Haryana Studies, a 90‑minute policy roundtable titled “Leveraging the Potential of Solar Power in Haryana” used Sonipat as an anchor case. Additionally, a pan‑India policy case competition explored why expanded formal credit has not necessarily translated into growth for Indian micro and small enterprises.
Significance
Through its two‑day agenda, JPC 2026 sought to sustain dialogue between established and emerging voices, reinforcing the importance of constitutional guidance, interdisciplinary skill‑sets and evidence‑based research in shaping India’s policy landscape for a young, globally‑engaged generation.