Psephologists are professionals who study the patterns of elections, using past voting figures and their percentage, public opinion polls and other related information. They estimate the results of the public opinion for the future elections using statistical applications. India does not have an actual post called ‘Psephologist’. However, some major parties have in-house analysts who can be called Psephologists. Several accomplished media editors, political analysts, and marketing research scientists double up as Psephologists.
Personal Competencies
You enjoy predictions
You have interest in politics and elections
You have strong communication skills
You like to analyze problems/situations
Entry Pathway
1. Complete 10 + 2 in any stream
2. Complete Bachelor’s degree in Arts (B.A.) in Political Science/ Economics/Sociology/Management followed by Master’s degree in Arts (M.A.) in Political Science and complete PhD in Politics
OR
Complete Bachelor’s degree in Science (B.Sc.) in Statistics followed by Master’s degree in Science (B.Sc.) in Statistics and complete PhD in Politics
Please check the duration of the course during enrolment
Where will you study?
This course is offered by the Department of Political Science/Statistics. This list of institutes is indicative only
Government Institutes 1. Delhi School of Economics, New Delhi 2. Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, New Delhi 3. Hindu College, New Delhi 4. Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata 5. New College Institute of Management, Chennai 6. St Joseph's College, Bangalore 7. Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 8. Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore
Private colleges (Please check if Institute is affiliated and accredited with UGC before applying) 1. Fergusson College, Pune 2. Mount Carmel College, Bangalore 3. St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata 4. St. Andrews College of Arts Science and Commerce, Mumbai 5. Agra College, Agra 6. Arya Vidyapeeth College, Guwahati 7. NIMS University, Jaipur 8. Jyoti Nivas College, Bengaluru
The approx. course fee ranges between INR 5,000 - 1,50,000*.
*(The above-mentioned figures are approximate numbers. This will vary from institute to institute)
Scholarships & Loans
SCHOLARSHIPS
• National Scholarship Portal - Visit http://www.scholarships.gov.in. Under this portal there are Central Government schemes offered by different departments, UGC/AICTE Schemes and State Schemes*
• Visit http://www.buddy4study.com for details on available scholarships. This is a gateway to scholarships starting from Class XI*
• Scholarships are also made available in institutes based on merit*
*(Availability of these scholarships can vary from time to time)
LOANS
• VidyaLakshmi, http://www.vidyalakshmi.co.in, is a portal for students seeking education loan. This portal has been developed under the guidance of the Department of Financial Services, (Ministry of Finance), Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Human Resource Development) and Indian Banks Association (IBA).
• Some states have student credit cards with low interest rates, for instance, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, etc.
• All banks give education loans
Where will you work?
Places of Work - Media Houses, Print Media, Magazines, Research Agencies, Academic Institutions, Political Parties
Work Environment - You are likely to work in a party campaign office, media house or publicly-funded institution. You are likely to have more work during elections and re-elections. When not on duty, you will either be involved in party work or whatever field you choose.
Opportunities for differently abled exist in this field
Expected Growth Path
Research Intern → Research Analyst, Psephology → Senior Research Analyst, Psephology
Expected Income
The approx. salary of a Psephologist ranges between INR 25,000 - 2,50,000* or more per month.
Yogendra Yadav is an Indian activist, psephologist and politician whose primary interests are in the political and social sciences. He was a Senior Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi from 2004 to 2016. Prof. Yadav's areas of interests include democratic theory, election studies, survey research, political theory, modern Indian political thought and Indian socialism and has published extensively in academic journals and popular media on these themes.*
Psephologist
NCS Code: NA | SS0291. Complete 10 + 2 in any stream
2. Complete Bachelor’s degree in Arts (B.A.) in Political Science/ Economics/Sociology/Management followed by Master’s degree in Arts (M.A.) in Political Science and complete PhD in Politics
OR
Complete Bachelor’s degree in Science (B.Sc.) in Statistics followed by Master’s degree in Science (B.Sc.) in Statistics and complete PhD in Politics
Please check the duration of the course during enrolment
This course is offered by the Department of Political Science/Statistics.
This list of institutes is indicative only
Government Institutes
1. Delhi School of Economics, New Delhi
2. Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, New Delhi
3. Hindu College, New Delhi
4. Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata
5. New College Institute of Management, Chennai
6. St Joseph's College, Bangalore
7. Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
8. Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore
Private colleges
(Please check if Institute is affiliated and accredited with UGC before applying)
1. Fergusson College, Pune
2. Mount Carmel College, Bangalore
3. St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
4. St. Andrews College of Arts Science and Commerce, Mumbai
5. Agra College, Agra
6. Arya Vidyapeeth College, Guwahati
7. NIMS University, Jaipur
8. Jyoti Nivas College, Bengaluru
Information on the institute rankings can be found at - https://www.nirfindia.org/2022/Ranking.html
Distance Learning Institute
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
Online Courses
• Udemy - https://www.udemy.com/course/political-science-understanding-our-government/
• Coursera - https://in.coursera.org/courses?query=statistics
The approx. course fee ranges between INR 5,000 - 1,50,000*.
*(The above-mentioned figures are approximate numbers. This will vary from institute to institute)
SCHOLARSHIPS
• National Scholarship Portal - Visit http://www.scholarships.gov.in. Under this portal there are Central Government schemes offered by different departments, UGC/AICTE Schemes and State Schemes*
• Visit http://www.buddy4study.com for details on available scholarships. This is a gateway to scholarships starting from Class XI*
• Scholarships are also made available in institutes based on merit*
*(Availability of these scholarships can vary from time to time)
LOANS
• VidyaLakshmi, http://www.vidyalakshmi.co.in, is a portal for students seeking education loan. This portal has been developed under the guidance of the Department of Financial Services, (Ministry of Finance), Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Human Resource Development) and Indian Banks Association (IBA).
• Some states have student credit cards with low interest rates, for instance, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, etc.
• All banks give education loans
Places of Work - Media Houses, Print Media, Magazines, Research Agencies, Academic Institutions, Political Parties
Work Environment - You are likely to work in a party campaign office, media house or publicly-funded institution. You are likely to have more work during elections and re-elections. When not on duty, you will either be involved in party work or whatever field you choose.
Opportunities for differently abled exist in this field
Research Intern → Research Analyst, Psephology → Senior Research Analyst, Psephology
The approx. salary of a Psephologist ranges between INR 25,000 - 2,50,000* or more per month.
Source: https://www.payscale.com/research/IN/Job=Historian/Salary
*These figures are indicative and subject to change
Experts from the field
Yogendra Yadav is an Indian activist, psephologist and politician whose primary interests are in the political and social sciences. He was a Senior Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi from 2004 to 2016. Prof. Yadav's areas of interests include democratic theory, election studies, survey research, political theory, modern Indian political thought and Indian socialism and has published extensively in academic journals and popular media on these themes.*
Source: https://southasia.berkeley.edu/yogendra-yadav-politics-after-modi
*The above information is for training purposes only and will not be used for any commercial gains
poll analyst, political research, political pollster