EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORK
CSR Manager
Designs and monitors a company's social responsibility projects and works with NGO partners and communities.
Any Class 12 stream; a degree and some field experience matter most After a degree Private sector
Facts checked 29/10/2026
Is this for me?
People in this work enjoy
- Seeing a school, clinic or skill centre improve because of a project you helped run
- Working with many kinds of people, from engineers and accountants to village leaders
- Turning a budget and a plan into results that can be measured and reported
It may not suit you if you dislike
- Results can take years to show, so progress can feel slow
- Some managers see CSR as a cost, and approvals can be slow or political
- Field visits can mean long travel and basic conditions in remote areas
- Class 11–12 subjects
- Any Class 12 stream can lead here. Most people then take a bachelor's degree in any subject, often with at least 50% marks (reported), before a master's in social work, management or development studies.
- First degree
- Graduation in any subject, then a 2-year master's such as MSW, MBA (with an HR, sustainability or CSR focus) or development studies. Some people enter with a bachelor's degree plus several years of NGO or community work.
- Entrance exams
- Entry tests depend on the college. TISS uses CUET PG for many of its master's programmes (reported). MBA programmes usually use CAT or a similar test. Check each college's notice for the year you apply.
- Licence or registration
- None needed to start working.
Open to every streamAny Class 12 stream; a degree and some field experience matter most.Check your subjects against every career
What the work is like
Planning the company's CSR budget and projects, choosing and checking NGO partners, tracking results, writing reports for the board's CSR committee, and speaking with communities and local government.
A day in the work
The morning often starts with a call or a review of progress reports from an NGO partner working in a district. Mid-day may go to a meeting with the finance or HR team to check whether the budget for a school or water project is on track. In the afternoon you might draft a short paper for the CSR committee or check photos and attendance sheets from a field visit. Some weeks include travel to a village or town to meet the people the project is meant to help.
The path, step by step
- Step 1 · Class 10–12Pick any Class 12 stream. Build strong reading, writing and basic maths skills, since you will write project reports and handle budgets. Take part in a school social-service group.
- Step 2 · College (bachelor's degree)Finish a bachelor's degree in any subject. Try to join an NGO project, a CSR team internship or a social enterprise during college so you have real project experience.
- Step 3 · Master's entryApply for a 2-year MSW, an MBA with a CSR or HR focus, or a development studies master's. Check each college's entry test, eligibility and fee page for the year you apply. (reported — check with the official body)
- Step 4 · First 2–3 years of workStart as an executive or associate in a company CSR team, an NGO, a foundation or a CSR consultancy. Learn how projects are budgeted, monitored and reported. (reported — check with the official body)
- Step 5 · Experienced levelMove into a CSR manager role. You will own a set of projects, manage NGO partners and present progress to senior leaders and the board's CSR committee.
Time and money
| Stage | Time | Government college or body | Private college | Help available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 11–12 (any stream) | 2 years | Your school's fees | — | — |
| Bachelor's degree (any subject) | 3 years | Check the college's fee page | Check the college's fee page | — |
| Master's entry test (CUET PG for many TISS programmes; CAT or similar for MBA) | 1 day exam | Check the notice | Check the notice | — |
| 2-year MSW at TISS (govt-aided deemed university, MA Social Work Mental Health) | 2 years | TISS Mumbai: ₹1,63,900 total for 2 years (year of fee schedule not stated) | — | SC/ST students eligible for GoI Post-Matric Scholarship; pay some fees upfront, rest after scholarship. Amount not stated. |
| 2-year MSW at other colleges, or MBA with CSR/HR focus | 2 years | TISS Guwahati MSW: about ₹1.6 lakh total (reported); TISS Mumbai MSW: ₹1–2 lakh per year (reported) | Check the college's fee page | Check the college's fee page for scholarships |
| First 2–3 years of work (executive or associate in CSR team, NGO, foundation or consultancy) | 2–3 years | Paid job; pay not stated on page | Paid job; pay not stated on page | — |
| Experienced CSR manager role | Not stated | — | — | — |
Total timeAbout 7–8 years after Class 12 to reach first work (3-year degree, 2-year master's, 2–3 years work is not required before first job; first job after master's)
Total costDepends mostly on the college you choose — compare fee pages.
Good to knowFee figures are reported or unlabelled by year; confirm with each college, and check for scholarships, since job pay is not stated on the page.
Fees from: Vedantu: TISS Mumbai fees and eligibility 2025-26 (reported) · TISS Admissions: MA Social Work (Mental Health) fee structure. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.
What people earn
Pay varies a great deal. A junior executive in a small NGO or foundation earns far less than a CSR head at a large company, and pay also depends on the city and the type of employer.
Myth and fact
Myth: CSR is just charity, so the job is about giving money away.
Fact: The law requires a policy, a budget, a committee and reports. Most of the work is planning, checking results and managing partners.
Try it now
- Class 7–9Join a school eco-club, Red Cross unit or social-service group. Help plan one small drive, such as a tree planting or a clothes collection, with a clear goal and a simple record of what happened.
- Class 10–12Take a free course on development, social policy or business basics on SWAYAM, then write a one-page note on what a company's social programme should measure.Open link ↗
- College or afterVolunteer with a local NGO, school or hospital outreach team for a month. Keep a short log of the work, the people helped and the problems you saw.
Good to know
- Companies must run CSR under Section 135 of the Companies Act only if they meet a threshold: net worth of ₹500 crore or more, turnover of ₹1,000 crore or more, or net profit of ₹5 crore or more in the previous year. Many other firms also run CSR, but the law does not require it.
- The CSR money must go to activities listed in Schedule VII and must reach people beyond the company's own staff and families. One-off events and donations to political parties do not count.
- Most CSR work is done through NGOs, foundations and consultancies, so you may work outside a company's head office and spend time in the field.