New Delhi: To boost skill development at the district level, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on 09 October 2019 signed a contract with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore for introducing a two-year fellowship programme Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme.
Designed under Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) the fellowship aims to address the challenge of non-availability of personnel for implementation of various programmes at national, state and district levels.
The MGNF programme has an in-built component of on-ground practical experience with the district administration. Launched on a pilot basis in 75 districts across Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, eligible fellows for the programme have to be in 21-30 years age-group, have a graduation degree from a recognized university and be citizens of India. Proficiency in official language of state of fieldwork will be mandatory.
In the course of their training, fellows will work under the close supervision of state skill development missions (SSDM) and will spend time and effort in understanding skilling challenges and gaps in the district. They are expected to enrich skilling programmes by bringing in fresh thinking to local planning, execution, community interaction and outcome management.
Fellows will receive a stipend of Rs. 50,000 in the first year and Rs. 60,000 in the second year. On completion of their engagement, they will be awarded a Certificate in Public Policy and Management from IIM Bangalore.
The eligibility criteria for selection as a Fellow are as follows:
- Should be a citizen of India
- Age between 21-30 years at the time of application
- At least a graduate from a recognized University in Engineering, Law, Medicine, Arts, etc. or a post-graduate from a recognized University
- Three years of work experience after secondary schooling in the social/non-profit sector with an interest in working in rural areas is preferred. However, individuals with no work experience and a strong motivation to work in this area may apply.
- Should be able to express proficiency in the local language of the state that they will work in.
- Any candidate, who has been provisionally selected in the past for the Fellowship and joined the program, but didn’t complete their full term, will not be eligible.
Shri G Raghuram, Director, IIM, Bangalore, said, ““The Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship programme is aimed to identify and train a group of young, committed and dynamic individuals, who will leverage the IIMB ecosystem in management, entrepreneurship and public policy and work with the district administration in strengthening the process of skilling to create a vibrant local district economy. Its unique design will allow the Fellows to take academic learning at IIM Bangalore and use it in the field under faculty mentorship with the goal of understanding challenges and barriers that the district ecosystem faces in fostering growth and development.”
The contract was signed in the presence of Shri R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary, Dept. of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, GoI, Dr. K P Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship,Shri G Raghuram, Director, IIM, Bangalore, Mr. Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank, and officials from the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, GoI. The program has been developed under the able guidance and leadership of Dr.Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; who has given a renewed focus to skill development at the district level, since his joining at the Ministry.
The two-year Fellowship programme will be delivered by IIMB’s Centre of Public Policy (CPP), which is an independent public interest-oriented policy think-tank engaged in pioneering research, teaching, training, and capacity-building.
For more information on the programme and on details to apply, one can visit https://www.iimb.ac.in/mgnf
