To boost skill development at the district level, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) signed a contract with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore for introducing a two-year fellowship program tilled ÂMahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF)Â.

The contract was signed in the presence of R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary, Dept. of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, GoI, Dr. K P Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, G Raghuram, Director, IIM, Bangalore, Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank, and officials from the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, GoI. 

The newly introduced program has been developed under the guidance and leadership of Dr.Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. 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 programs at national, state and district levels.

MGNF program

The MGNF program has an in-built component of on-ground practical experience with the district administration. It is launched on a pilot basis in 75 districts across Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. 

Speaking on the development, Dr KP Krishnan, Secretary, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, ÂA dearth of individuals who can implement and manage skill development programs at the grassroot level is a deficit and we seek to address this with this fellowship program. MGNF seeks to create a cadre of young individuals and train them in a blended academic program that provides both academic inputs and a component of field immersion at the district level. Besides allowing for an immersive experience to fellows under the program, MGNF will also be an attractive proposition for those who wish to eke a career in public policy.Â

Who is eligible to apply?

In order to apply for the program, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• Must be in 21-30 years age-group
  
• Should have a graduation degree from a recognized university
  
• Should be a citizen of India 
  
• Proficiency in official language of state of fieldwork will be mandatory

ÂToday, our nation’s youth is willing and is anxious to contribute to our nation building exercise and to the society at large. It has to be our effort to ensure that they are given the right opportunities to extend their support. This is a great initiative by MSDE and I am sure that it will see through all the challenges at the district level and come out to be a great outcome based program, said R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development. 

What they will benefit from?

In the course of their training, fellows will work under the close supervision of state skill development missions (SSDM) and will understand skilling challenges and gaps in the district. 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.

ÂThe Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship program 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, said G Raghuram, Director, IIM Bangalore.