There’s nothing hotter—and more relevant—right now than diving into India’s Gig Economy.
Whether you’re targeting Oxford, LSE, here is high-impact extracurricular project idea that show initiative, economic curiosity, and real-world impact:
1. Launch a Research-Based Podcast or YouTube Channel
Interview gig workers—Swiggy riders, Uber drivers, freelancers—and explore topics like income volatility, digital labor policies, and inequality. Add commentary tying in labor economics theories and global comparisons.
2. Publish a Micro-Research Paper or Blog Series
Use surveys/interviews to explore issues like social security gaps or algorithmic pay structures (UrbanClap, Amazon Flex). Submit your findings to essay competitions (John Locke, Royal Economic Society, etc.) or publish on Medium/Substack.
3. Build a Gig Worker Welfare Toolkit
Design an app or resource kit offering:
- Budgeting tools
- Legal awareness
- Affordable healthcare info
- Upskilling resources
Test it with a few local workers and document the impact.
4. Organize a School-Level Policy Debate or Hackathon
Theme: “Should Gig Workers Be Employees or Independent Contractors?”
Include student panels, economist guests, and gig worker voices. Capture the event for your portfolio!
5. Create a Case Study or Data Dashboard
Use datasets from NITI Aayog or NASSCOM to visualize trends in gig work:
- Urban vs rural growth
- Tier-2/3 city penetration
- Unemployment linkages
Show off your data literacy and economic reasoning.
Want more ideas or mentorship on how to shape your application?
Email me at vineet@consultvineet.com or visit www.consultvineet.com
