Want to Change the World? Apply to Become a Young India Fellow

NEW DELHI, October 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Admissions Open for the Third Batch of Young India Fellowships, the Unique Multi-disciplinary Programme Focused on the Liberal Arts and run in Association With the University of Pennsylvania (Penn)

Applications have opened for the third edition of the Young India Fellowship Programme (YIFP), the groundbreaking scholarship creating India's leaders of the future. Already, 4700 young Indians have registered to apply for the course, and 265 of these have submitted their completed applications.

The 100 young people chosen for the "YIFP Class of 2014" could follow in the footsteps of the first-batch alumni, who have won admission to Oxford University and INSEAD-Wharton and prized positions in organisations such as Microsoft, McKinsey and Company, Azim Premji Foundation and the Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellowship (PMRDF).

YIFP is seeking graduates with not more than three years' work experience who have a deep-rooted ambition to make an impact on the world, in combination with a passion for an idea or issue which could have wider social, business or academic implications.

YIFP Dean, Dr. Pramath Raj Sinha - also founding dean of the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad - said the programme was, quite simply, looking for India's brightest young people. "There is a vast talent pool in India's 'demographic dividend,' the cream of which we aim to secure each year in YIFP, and to shape them into India's best and brightest 21st Century leaders," he said. "I would strongly encourage anyone who wishes to develop the skills to truly make a difference to apply for the course, regardless of academic background."

Highlights of the 2012-13 academic year so far are talks by former US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, and iconic historian, Ramachandra Guha (as part of the YIFP Guest Speaker Series) and courses in sociology by Andre Beteille, in leadership by Penn professor, Dwight Jaggard, and in the works of Shakespeare by Jonathan Gil Harris and Madhavi Menon. Last term, Rudrangshu Mukherjee delivered the course, "The Makers of Modern India".

The Young India Fellowship Programme is a one-year residential post-graduate programme which brings together a group of bright young men and women from around India with the aim of creating India's next batch of socially conscious leaders. It exposes them to a rich and diverse set of subjects and perspectives, delivered by some of the finest professors, teachers and leaders from around the world.

"We have a rolling admission process, in two rounds," YIFP Deputy Dean, Dr. Anunaya Chaubey, said. "Applicants who apply in the first round get the chance of early selection in the programme and enjoy the convenience of being interviewed in a city closer to their homes. The first round of interviews, from December 15, 2012, will be carried out in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata. Subsequent interview sessions will be conducted only in New Delhi."

Fellows take classes in a range of subject areas that cover everything from anthropology to ethics, life sciences to climate change, art appreciation to entrepreneurship. They are mentored by amongst the best corporate, civil society and academic leaders in the country. Fellows develop new insights on some of the most complex global challenges we face and a world-view based on a broad set of core disciplines. YIFP is the precursor to Ashoka University, India's first specialist Liberal Arts university, which is under development at Rajiv Gandhi Education City in Sonepat, Haryana.    

Applications for the Class of 2014 are invited from undergraduate and post-graduate students from diverse academic backgrounds and from across the country. The 2013 batch, which began classes in May 2012, represents more than 35 top universities and colleges, from the UK to the US, Chennai to Kolkata. They are graduates of IITs, IIMs, BITS Pilani, NID, NIFT ILS, St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, St Stephen's, Lady Sri Ram College and Jesus and Mary College, among others. They include a medical doctor, architects, designers, journalists, humanities graduates and engineers. In total, 3600 applications were received for the Class of 2013. From these, 495 young graduates were granted personal interviews before just 97 were selected.

Class of 2014 applications are open until February 28, 2013. The academic session starts in June 2013.      

For more details about the programme and application process, including the eligibility criteria, visit http://www.youngindiafellowship.com.

Media inquiries: Inga Butefisch, Ph: 9958 170 246, email: inga.butefisch@9dot9.in

ELIGIBILITY

This post-graduate programme is open to:

• Fresh undergraduate and post-graduate students
• Students who are in the final year of their undergraduate degree
• Those who have completed their undergraduate degree and post-graduate degree and have worked straight after that for not more than two years
• There is no restriction with respect to the area of specialisation
• There is no restriction with respect to the medium of instruction (English, Hindi, regional language) that the applicant has been exposed to at the school level. However, she/he should be able to converse, read and write in English given that the medium of instruction in the programme is English
• All Indian nationals
• Upper age limit is 28 years

SELECTION CRITERIA

Each applicant will be evaluated on a combination of the following criteria:

• Demonstrated talent in the domain of their interest
• Demonstrated passion to learn things beyond the prescribed curriculum
• Good academic record, both at the school and college level Involvement and achievement in extra-curricular activities Performance in interviews
• Potential to benefit from the Young India Fellowship Programme

PROFILE

Given the unique nature of the programme, there is no "one" kind of profile for a Young India Fellow. However, the following points are being presented to give a broad idea of what we look for. A Young India Fellow could be someone who has:

• A deep-rooted ambition to make an impact and a passion for an idea or issue which could have wider social/business/academic implications
• The humility to believe that he/she needs to learn more and an appreciation of the limitations of his/her specialised undergraduate degree
• The willingness to think differently and chart a new course
• A demonstrated ability to overcome challenges
• Qualities of integrity, self-awareness, energy, initiative and open-mindedness
• An above-average academic record

SELECTION PROCESS

Applicants must submit a detailed application dossier, from which a group is selected for a telephone or in-person interview.

Submission of detailed application dossier:

Applicants can choose one of the following two ways to get a copy of the application form:

1. Apply online by registering himself/herself on the YIFP website
2. Download the application form from the YIFP website

The selection process will be carried out in three stages:

1. Assessment on basis of submitted applications: All applications will be reviewed by the selection committee consisting of faculty and executive members of the programme spread across different parts of the world. Hence, it is advisable that you apply online.

2. Telephonic interview: Wherever necessary, applicants will be interviewed on the telephone before being called for an in-person interview.

3. In-person interview: First-round applicants who are short-listed will be interviewed in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore while the 2nd-round applicants shortlisted for interview will be called to New Delhi. There could be multiple rounds of interviews for a candidate, depending on the need for further assessment. At this stage, applicants will also be administered a general ability test to assess their verbal, written and analytical skills.

Final selection will be based on the applicant's successful performance at all of these stages.

SCHEDULE

The YIFP follows a rolling admission process, split into two rounds. The admission schedule for these two rounds is included here.

Schedule for Class of 2014 Admissions:

1. Applications open for 1st round                        1st Sept 2012
2. Last date to submit applications for 1^st-round         15th Nov 2012
3. In-person interviews for 1st-round applicants          15th Dec 2012-15th Jan 2013    
4. Applications open for 2nd round                        16th Nov 2012
5. Final offers to 1st-round applicants                   1st Feb-10th Feb 2013
6. Last date to submit applications for 2^nd round          28th Feb 2013
7. In-person interviews for 2nd-round applicants           15th Mar-15th Apr 2013
8. Final offers to applicants interviewed for 2nd round    25th Apr-30th Apr 2013
9. Final offers to wait-listed applicants                  5th May-10th May 2013

ABOUT YIFP:

The Young India Fellowship Programme (YIFP) is a one-year residential post-graduate programme which brings together a group of bright young men and women from around India with the aim of creating India's next batch of socially conscious leaders. It exposes them to a rich and diverse set of subjects and perspectives, delivered by some of the finest professors and teachers from around the world.

Fellows take classes in a range of subject areas that cover anthropology to ethics, life sciences to climate change, and art appreciation to entrepreneurship. They are mentored by amongst the best corporate, civil society and academic leaders in the country. Fellows develop new insights on some of the most complex global challenges we face and a world-view based on a broad set of core disciplines. The Young India Fellowship Programme is the precursor to Ashoka University, India's first specialist Liberal Arts university, which is under development at Rajiv Gandhi Education City in Sonepat, Haryana.

YIFP is delivered completely free of charge to students and is supported by a network of well-known corporate leaders, social activists, researchers and entrepreneurs. The University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences is YIFP's academic partner and has helped design curriculum and provide faculty. http://www.youngindiafellowship.com.

Primary Applications Contact: Shravan Kumar, shravan.kumar@yifp.in, 91-99-58293745

Secondary Applications Contact: Jesleen, jesleen@yifp.in, 91-99-71830247