The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) today announced the results of the Spring 2026 edition of the Accreditation in Public Relations (AIPR), its flagship certification programme for young and emerging Communication professionals.A total of 47 Public Relations professionals have earned their accreditation this year out of 138 applications, reinforcing AIPR’s position as one of the most credible and aspirational certifications in communications. “AIPR has consistently evolved to reflect the changing expectations of the profession. The strength of this process lies in its ability to assess real capability, how professionals think, solve, and communicate under pressure. The 2026 cohort demonstrated a high level of preparedness and is well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to the next phase of growth in the communications industry,” said Santanu Gogoi, Associate Vice President, PRCAI and Founding Partner, First Partners.The AIPR Spring 2026 edition invited participation from young and emerging professionals. Of the 138 applicants, 83 candidates advanced to the final jury round after successfully completing the preliminary Aptitude Assessment, which was strengthened this year with PRCAI’s new partner MeritTrac.“What is encouraging this year is how candidates are adapting to a world being reshaped by AI. While new-age tools are important, AIPR evaluates how well professionals combine them with strong strategic thinking in communications, which remains fundamental. The clarity of approach and depth of thinking demonstrated reflect a readiness to take on more complex, strategic roles in the industry,” said Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI.The selection process for AIPR follows a structured, multi-stage framework. The prelims consisted of an online Aptitude Assessment, testing logical and analytical thinking and awareness across media and digital, ethics, and communication fundamentals. This was followed by submission of a campaign case study and written assignments, testing participants across key competencies in strategy, problem-solving, ethics, and communication effectiveness. Four sets of jury groups of six seasoned professionals in each came forward across the cities - New Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bangalore. These included a distinguished panel of Public Relations Founders or Business Leads, Corporate Communications Heads, Academicians, and HR experts. The 2026 AIPR cohort includes professionals across two levels of accreditation, based on their professional work experiences:Level 1 (1–5 years of experience): 26 accredited candidatesLevel 2 (5–10 years of experience): 21 accredited candidatesTop Performers of AIPR SPRING 2026 Among the accredited professionals, the top performers based on their aggregate performance are:Level 1 participants:Yazad Elavia, Edelman – 90.6% Dhara Sangoi,  Former Adfactors PR – 86.6%Sanya Parashar, Archetype – 84.5%Level 2 participants:Pooja Behuria, Edelman – 88.5%Ritika Garkoti, Adfactors PR – 85.8%Natasha Srivastava, On Purpose Consulting Pvt Ltd – 83.5%The Accreditation in Public Relations is one of India’s premier certifications for PR professionals, recognising those who demonstrate high levels of knowledge, strategic thinking, and professional competence. The total number of AIPR certified professionals by PRCAI now stands at 115. With each edition, AIPR continues to strengthen its role to solve industry challenges and raise industry standards by building a future-ready talent pool.