New Delhi, February 21 – Dedicated to strengthening the rule of law, democratic and parliamentary institutions, and electoral processes, O.P. Jindal Global University has launched three new degree programmes in Electoral Analysis & Management, Political Communication, and Legislative Drafting.
The launch event was attended by the Chief Guest, Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and the Guest of Honour, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Law & Justice (Independent Charge), Government of India. Other distinguished guests included Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, and Naveen Jindal, Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University and Member of Parliament.
The three Master’s degree programmes are M.A. in Legislative Drafting, M.A. in Electoral Analysis & Management, and M.A. in Political Communication.
Designed as intensive one-year programmes, these M.A. degrees address the growing demand for professionally trained experts capable of navigating the complexities of contemporary democracy – ranging from election administration and political campaigns to strategic communication and high-quality law-making.
In his inaugural address, Chief Guest and Speaker Om Birla said, “In today’s democratic age, when India is the world’s largest democracy, and considering the current and future needs, these master's degree courses will strengthen our democracy. These courses will help prepare young people to give a new direction to the political, democratic, technological, and literacy aspects of our country. They will also improve our economic systems and provide people with a stronger voice in democracy. Since 1952, eighteen Lok Sabha elections have been held, and India is the only democratic country where elections are conducted transparently. Our future generation will study Electoral Analysis & Management and conduct new research in this area. The more our youth study this subject, the more they will innovate, and active participation in democracy will also increase. Effective communication is essential today. The Indian Parliament has also used AI technology to enhance communication between the people and lawmakers. These courses will prepare the future generation to strengthen democratic institutions, democratic processes, and judicial systems.”
Minister of Law and Justice (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal said, “The launch of advanced degree programmes in Legislative Practice, Electoral Analysis and Management, and Political Communication by O.P. Jindal Global University is a significant achievement. Even a single word can have different meanings in legislative language. Every word in the Constitution has meaning; every concept has significance. Legislative drafting is extremely important: when any Ministry prepares a Bill, it is sent for legal vetting and careful drafting. There is a full institutional mechanism in place to ensure clarity and precision. Through these courses, JGU students will gain a better understanding of legislative drafting and governance. This knowledge will benefit society as a whole.”
R. Venkataramani, Attorney General for India, praised the new courses, saying, “I hope these courses attract the best talent and that they will produce excellent resources for society. A full-fledged course in legislative drafting is long overdue. JGU is looking to create talents who can make more credible communication in political connectivity. We look forward to an exciting journey in this field of education.”
Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, said, “One of the most overlooked subjects in law is legislative drafting. JGU must be the first-ever institution to offer a postgraduate course in legislative drafting, which is important because a major need for our nation is good legislative drafting. Now, we will have able and committed professionals who are trained in the art of drafting legislation. Often, we do not consider legislative drafting to be something that can be taught. But it is a science in itself.”
Naveen Jindal, the Founding Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University and Member of Parliament, said that the new courses launched by JGU will help strengthen India's democratic process and enable young people to pursue three unique programmes in electoral analysis and legislative drafting at JGU.
Prof (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, the Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, welcomed the audience, saying, “Today we are launching three important academic initiatives, and each has a particular purpose and meaning. Uncertainty and unpredictability in the legislative drafting stage create obvious interventions by courts, which may not necessarily be the best way to approach the very idea of justice. At a time when the faith in democratic institutions and processes in many countries around the world, including developed countries, is being questioned and challenged, these new courses will strengthen the political and legislative process. We need to be part of democratic conversations, creating knowledge, contributing to research, and engaging with civil society. Beyond academic training, these programmes are designed to significantly enhance students’ employability by integrating hands-on and immersive learning, mentorship from experienced practitioners, and exposure to real-world policy and governance environments. Through internships, live projects, simulations, and interaction with policymakers and communication professionals, students will graduate with practical skills, professional networks, and domain expertise that are highly valued across government institutions, political organisations, consulting firms, media houses, regulatory authorities, and international organisations.”
Introducing Master’s Degree Programmes, Prof (Dr) Upasana Mahanta, Dean, Admissions & Outreach, O.P. Jindal Global University, said that together, the three programmes reflect JGU’s commitment to interdisciplinary, practice-oriented education that bridges academia and real-world governance challenges, while fostering ethical leadership and democratic values.
The M.A. in Electoral Analysis & Management (EAM) focuses on the theory and practice of elections, covering electoral systems, voter behaviour, campaign strategy, election administration, data analytics, and democratic ethics. The programme prepares graduates for roles in election management bodies, political parties, campaign organisations, policy institutions and civil society.
The M.A. in Political Communication examines the relationship between politics, media, technology and public opinion. Combining political theory with communication studies, digital strategy, campaign simulations, and practitioner-led learning, the programme equips students to design, analyse, and manage political messaging across traditional and digital platforms.
The M.A. in Legislative Drafting offers specialised training in the drafting of laws and regulations, statutory interpretation, constitutional principles and policy design. The programme aims to professionalise legislative drafting by integrating legal precision, plain-language drafting and comparative best practices, preparing graduates for careers in legislatures, government departments, regulatory bodies and policy research.
Prof Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, the Registrar of O.P. Jindal Global University, gave the Vote of Thanks.
