Title: Innovation in governance through academic participation: urban governance

Authors: Sayli Udas Mankikar; Prachi Merchant

Addresses: Observer Research Foundation, NKM International House, 5th Floor, 178, Backbay Reclamation, Babubhai Chinai Marg, Mumbai 400020, India ' AIILSG, No. 12, F-Block, T.P.S. Road, Behind Government Teachers Colony, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051, India

Abstract: Stakeholder involvement through public participation forms the backbone of a good policy model and students need to be a part of this process. Our paper aims at charting out a live project that Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Mumbai, a think-tank and Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai's (MCGM) Revised Draft Development Plan (RDDP) team undertook with respect to student participation in the development plan (DP) of Mumbai. ORF approached the MCGM with a plan to opening doors to students and mobilised urban planning and architecture colleges. Over 250 students from 20 institutes attended an academic interaction with the DP chief followed by a paper writing competition on ideas for the DP. This experiment makes a case for mainstreaming the inclusion students in policy formation. Such processes not only stimulate young minds and educators, but it keeps them in touch with the real-world and develops a sense of belonging to government processes.

Keywords: innovation; governance; public policy; public participation; urban planning; stakeholder; academia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRCS.2018.091649

International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, 2018 Vol.6 No.1, pp.21 - 35

Received: 14 Oct 2017
Accepted: 20 Oct 2017

Published online: 10 May 2018 *

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