How to become a Legislative Assistant?

When it comes to choosing between the public and private sectors in India, there is a natural inclination towards the former. Several students, upon completion of their university degree, prefer to work in the public sector. The reasons are many – ample job opportunities, job security, fixed working hours, and competitive pay scales. The esteemed position of a Legislative Assistant is one of the top choices in the public sector among students after graduation. This blog explains the steps to take for getting on to the Legislative Assistant career path. 

Who is a Legislative Assistant?

Let us begin by understanding in the brief the exact definition of who a Legislative Assistant is. In simple words, a Legislative Assistant refers to a person who works for a legislator and assists them in day-to-day functions such as passing legislation to help them achieve their political objectives. Legislative Assistants also offer a wide variety of support services, such as communications, administrative services, and research. 

Steps to become a Legislative Assistant

If the above description fits you best and excites you into a career in legislative assistance, here’s how you can proceed on becoming a Legislative Assistant in the public sector:

1. Obtain the required Legislative Assistant qualifications: Anyone with a Bachelor’s degree in preferably Public Administration, Political Science, or Social Science is eligible to apply for the role of a Legislative Assistant in India. Alternatively, you may choose to pursue a Master’s in a related field of study or gain some professional experience to open up career avenues in the domain.

2. Apply for internships: Upon graduating from the degree program to pursue a career as a Legislative Assistant, it would be helpful to gain professional experience in the field via internships. You can apply for legislative internships and gain the required experience and skills to pursue the role independently later on.

3. Apply for a PG degree: A postgraduate program in the field is also a good idea to advance your professional skills and knowledge base in the area. A PG degree can further provide the desired boost to your career prospects as a Legislative Assistant in India. 

Skills needed for Legislative Assistant

To become a successful Legislative Assistant, a few skills can come in very handy. These include the following:

• Thorough research and analytical ability 
• Organizational skills 
• Finance and time management
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Creativity in finding solutions to complex problems

Roles & responsibilities of Legislative Assistant

Let us now take a quick look at some of the common Legislative Assistant job roles that a Legislative Assistant is expected to take up in the position:

• Research and analysis of proposed legislation
• Handling public relations on behalf of the legislator, which includes drafting press releases for the media
• Serving as the primary point of contact between legislators, assembly constituents, and other responsible stakeholders. 
• Provide administrative support to the legislator, as and when required, in tasks such as speech-writing, policy development, and preparing briefs for meetings and committee hearings.
• Offer complete assistance in the lawmaking processes, carrying out legal surveys to collect details for drafting the necessary legislation.

Legislative Assistant salary in India 

The actual salary of a Legislative Assistant in India is likely to vary from one person to another, between different locations in the country, and also corresponding to the different Legislative Assistant responsibilities. However, for indicative purposes, it may be noted that the average annual salary of a Legislative Assistant is estimated at approximately INR 4,25,041 per annum.

Conclusion

We learned in this blog all about the process of becoming a Legislative Assistant in India. The exact qualifications required for the role as well as other necessary skills have been outlined. Most students in India choose to advance their knowledge base by pursuing a PG degree in a relevant field of study to assume the role of a Legislative Assistant in the country. 

An MA in Political Science is one of the best choices to consider if you are serious about a career in this arena. The course provides the perfect stepping stone to explore interesting opportunities in the field of public policy and government jobs. Sikkim Manipal University offers online courses in MA Political Science, offering the much-desired flexibility and convenience to study at your own time and place and pursue a pace of learning that best suits your requirements.