Statement of Purpose (school of Government and Society)

“Wishful thinking is not sound public policy”, says Danish author, Bjorn Lomborg. One needs to make the right choices at the right time by exploring all available strategies, through sustainable analytical methods, to understand and respond to the dynamic challenges that emerge in today’s society, and this in turn creates a just and fair public policy.

I aspire to be a part of the Indian Administrative Service which is a category ‘A’ government service often referred to as the “steel frame of the country”, where my duty and responsibility would be to maintain law and order, and, to contribute and supervise in policy formulation and its implementation to give them its final shape. Being raised in a political atmosphere, I have had the opportunity to observe at close how various issues prevalent in the society are taken up, discussed and resolved. I have seen my father’s inevitable passion to serve the society and this inspired me to be part of the system. This also gave me an unusual amount of exposure to the insides of the largest democracy in this world and the tussle between the government and the state.

Formative years of my schooling were mostly spent in my home state of Kerala and I finished high school in Delhi. The two years I spent in Delhi was as an added advantage to my school years as it exposed me to a wide array of varied cultures of different states. I have always been active in extra-curricular activities throughout my school years to college and to this date, from being part of the school choir to athletics, to team sports such as badminton and throw ball, all of which I won numerous recognitions. Prior to preparing for the civil services in India, I completed my graduation in economics from Sacred Heart College, Cochin, which at present has been ranked the best college in Kerala and is a budding place for renowned diplomats, bureaucrats, and scholars. My schooling experience at SH contributed to my overall holistic development by making use of opportunities to showcase my leadership skills in the field of sports, music and extracurricular activities, one of them being the club coordinator of SWASTI, the women's cell of our college, where I have had to organize and supervise discussions, seminars, symposia and take up various projects meant for women empowerment. These experiences contributed to my overall development not just as a human being but man as a social animal as correctly stated by Aristotle. This created in me a critical awareness of my responsibility in offering my bit to build our society and also helped me cultivate a deeper interest in the diverse cultural heritage of our country which I believe is the root of most of our problems.

In my final year of college, I submitted a project based on the socio-economic conditions of migrant laborers in Kerala. In a situation where there is large inflow of migrant laborers into the state, I evaluated and analysed issues that concerned them and provided them with suggestions based on my findings, as, a modest society has to ensure a balance in both the working and living conditions for its people.

I believe, in order to get better perspective of our society, it is imperative for us to get to the roots and understand the complication which helps each of us formulate policies in our attempt to bring forth a utopian society.

For obvious reasons, like most, I look forward to the remarkable exposure that is being offered at the school of Government and Society at Birmingham university, but as for me personally, it is about combining theoretical and practical knowledge in order to extract solutions from the clutter of contentious societal problems that my country faces as to this day. I believe that the faculty at Birmingham can best mould my aspirations to guide, shape sound public policies for a better tomorrow.

Exposure imparts greater knowledge and understanding of different socio-economic structures and their limitations. Pursuing this course would enable me to acquire the skills necessary to understand the complex problems faced by the society, by taking what I have learned and applying it in the real world to craft concrete solutions and deliver results. I believe that a good graduate program is an essential step for realizing my long-term goals. I had no dilemma in choosing Birmingham University as my dream university for pursuing my graduate studies as have been enlightened by many professors about the rigorous course work provided besides possessing state-of-the-art research facilities.

What encouraged me to fix my mind on Birmingham is the core curriculum they offer which consists of policy making, public management and leadership, and managing public money. I believe this curriculum is the perfect blend of all of the most imperative problems that India as a state and the world faces today. Enhanced and deeper knowledge of the nature of these social issues would, I believe unlock perspectives that’ll help me bring forth real difference in this country. World all over knows the efficiency of universities in UK as the quality of education that universities like Birmingham provides, is well rehearsed on a daily basis. Its strong research infrastructure and the cosmopolitan flair unveils a rich and diverse exposure for a student like me. Hence, I believe Birmingham would encourage my potential and push me to explore my abilities to exceed all limits.

If given an opportunity to pursue my graduation from the esteemed Birmingham University, which offers numerous platforms to advance and augment different aspects of one's knowledge base and personality, I believe I can turn out to be a valuable asset to and for our society.