The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) has announced the 2026 edition of the Accreditation in Public Relations (AIPR), its flagship national certification designed to benchmark excellence and build leadership-ready talent across India’s communications industry.
As India’s public relations industry grows from approximately 14,800 professionals in 2024 to an estimated 22,700 by FY 2030, the need for structured capability-building and credible benchmarks has never been greater. PRCAI’s SPRINT 2024–25 study reveals that over 80% of industry professionals believe continuous upskilling and stronger standards are critical to advancing industry credibility and excellence. AIPR directly addresses this need by offering a rigorous, industry-backed accreditation for high-potential professionals.
“As communications becomes increasingly strategic, the profession needs stronger benchmarks for readiness and leadership maturity,” said Santanu Gogoi, Associate Vice President, PRCAI and Founding Partner, First Partners. “AIPR evaluates how professionals think, structure problems and apply judgement in real-world situations. It provides a credible benchmark for individuals while helping organisations identify and invest in future-ready talent.”
Now in its fifth edition, AIPR has accredited 68 professionals across four cohorts and has emerged as a respected reference point for identifying high-performing PR talent. The programme recognises professionals who demonstrate strategic thinking, sound judgement, ethical practice and readiness for greater responsibility. For 2026, the accreditation framework has been further refined following a structured review and alignment with global certification standards, ensuring continued relevance to the evolving profession.
“The communications profession today sits at the intersection of reputation, leadership and trust,” said Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI. “AIPR strengthens that responsibility by setting a sharper benchmark for excellence in strategy, creativity, measurement and problem-solving. The 2026 edition will recognise and celebrate a growing community of professionals who will help future-proof our industry.”
A key highlight of AIPR 2026 is PRCAI’s new collaboration with MeritTrac, part of the Manipal Group and one of India’s leading assessment companies. The partnership strengthens the objectivity, robustness and benchmarking of the accreditation process.
“We are delighted to partner with PRCAI for AIPR,” said Manjunath KP, Chief Operations Officer, MeritTrac. “This initiative reflects PRCAI’s vision to build strong talent benchmarks for the public relations industry. The assessment framework is designed to evaluate real-world readiness for roles in PR and corporate communications.”
AIPR 2026 is open to professionals across consultancies, corporate communications and independent practices, and is offered across two experience levels:
Level 1: 1–5 years of work experience
Level 2: 5–10 years of work experience
The accreditation follows a multi-stage evaluation process. The first stage is an online aptitude assessment covering media and digital awareness, research and analytics, problem-solving, ethics, client consultancy management, corporate communications and overall industry understanding.
The preliminary aptitude assessment will take place in February 2026, followed by final evaluations in March 2026 across four locations. Shortlisted candidates will present communication solutions to a real-world case study before multidisciplinary panels comprising PR founders, Heads of Communications, academicians and HR leaders.
All previously awarded AIPR certifications remain valid, and accredited professionals continue to be recognised as members of the AIPRodigy community. Professionals who have completed AIPR Level 1 may also apply to upgrade to Level 2, subject to eligibility.
Registrations for AIPR 2026 are now open. Professionals can apply for the accreditation at https://prcai.org/aipr.
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