1. What is the Azim Premji Fellowship program?
2. Who is eligible?
3. What is the age limit to apply?
4. What is the duration of the program?
5. What is the selection process?
6. What will I do during the 2 years?
7. What kinds of roles are available during the Fellowship program?
8. Where will I live and work?
9. Since I will be working in rural India, do I need to know the local language?
10. Will Azim Premji Foundation provide accommodation during the program?
11. Will I receive a stipend?
12. Will there be training before I start work in rural India?
13. Where will the training take place?
14. Will you provide accommodation during the training period?
15. What support will I receive during the program?
16. What opportunities will be available after I complete the program?
17. When will the program commence?
18. What are the critical dates for the application process?
19. What are the necessary documents to be submitted with the application form?
20. Who do I contact for more information about the Fellowship program?

1. What is the Azim Premji Fellowship program?

The 2 year Azim Premji Foundation Fellowship program seeks to build rich perspectives on educational issues through experiential learning. The program is intended to develop a strong social orientation and enhance the knowledge, skills and competencies required in the education and development sectors. This is facilitated through a process of classroom programs, intensive field placements and close mentoring.

This rigorous 2 year program comprises of:

• 45 day classroom module to strengthen conceptual understanding of education and development issues
• 22 months of intense field engagement at the grass roots level in the District Institutes of the Foundation.
• During this time Fellows will pursue a project of significance in the Institute to which they are attached. They will be actively mentored and benefit from hands on experience of working in the field.     

Fellows will be posted to some of the least developed districts of rural India and need to be prepared to live and work in the highly challenging environments that they will encounter.


2. Who is eligible?

Following are the eligibility criteria for the Fellowship program.

• Passion for social change
• An undergraduate degree or equivalent from a recognized institution or University  
• Minimum of 2+ years of work experience in any sector
• Willingness to work in rural India for 2 years

3. What is the age limit to apply?

Any one above the age of 18 can apply. However, the applicant has to be fit for undertaking the rigorous program.


4. What is the duration of the program?

2 years


5. What is the selection process?

After submitting the online application, shortlisted candidates will go through a written test which will be a combination of multiple choice questions and essay type questions. The test will have sections that examine candidates on social awareness, passion to contribute to social sector, concern for the underprivileged, good interpersonal skills, quick learnability, result orientation and leadership potential.

Candidates, who clear the written test, will be called for a group discussion and personal interview. Based on the interactions, we would offer Fellowship to about 35 deserving applicants, with a wait list of 10 more.


6. What will I do during the 2 years?

During the 2 years, you will get an opportunity to work and learn about social change leading to an opportunity to work with Azim Premji Foundation. The program will have 2 components – a classroom component of 1.5 months (one month initially followed by two tranches of one week each for review and recap of learning) and a work component of 22 months in rural India. Fellowship program is field-intensive and would enable people to experience first-hand the challenges in the country and help in overcoming them.

During the first one month there would be an orientation to the Foundation (to be held in Bangalore), followed by introduction to Education and Introduction to Development. These would predominantly be class room based learning, followed by a quick field visit to an area near Bangalore.


7. What kinds of roles are available during the Fellowship program?

Some of the roles during the Fellowship program could be as follows:

• Working in the Field institutes of the Foundation initially observing colleagues, understanding government structures and later on participating in the projects of the particular Field Institute.
• Working in the Knowledge Resource Center of the Foundation – doing analytics, (needs to have education background, PG in social sciences, comfort with numbers, familiarity with Excel, SPSS, SAS or other statistical packages.)
• Doing a leadership development role in the Education Systems, Leadership & Governance functions.
• Role in

  a) Creation of professional educators
  b) Advocacy
  c) Design and implementation of relevant MA course in Education Leadership & Management

• Functional specialists in

  a) Educational Finance
  b) Educational HR
  c) Facilities Management
  d) ICT/ E-Governance
  e) Administrative reforms
  f) Public policy
  g) Educational statistics
  h) TQM/Quality consultation with Govt.
  i) Marketing or channel management

• In research, early childhood education – Teacher/Anganwadi support worker, Monitoring & Evaluation, support to community development workers. (Knowledge of Telugu is essential for this role since this is based in Mehboobnagar, Andhra Pradesh.)
• Institute for Assessment & Accreditation (Delhi) : Basic understanding of research methodology and good writing skills (apart from a general understanding of the domain)
• Several other roles, based in the Field.

8. Where will I live and work?

Fellows will be based in rural India in any of the following districts – Mehboob Nagar (Andhra Pradesh), Sirohi and Tonk (Rajasthan), Dhamtari (Chhatisgarh), Uttarkashi and Udhamsingh Nagar (Uttarakand), Yadgir and Mandya (Karnataka).


9. Since I will be working in rural India, do I need to know the local language?

Yes, it is very important for the Fellow to be able to converse in the local language. Knowledge of Telugu/Hindi/Kannada is required, based on place of posting.


10. Will Azim Premji Foundation provide accommodation during the program?

Azim Premji Foundation will assist in finding accommodation for the Fellows in rural India.
11. Will I receive a stipend?

Yes. The stipend would start from Rs 25,000 per month and could be higher for candidates who are drawing higher salaries.


12. Will there be training before I start work in rural India?

There will be one month training in the beginning of the Fellowships program which will focus on introduction to Education, Development, Research, Azim Premji Foundation etc.


13. Where will the training take place?

The initial one month orientation would be in Bangalore. Subsequent field posting would in the rural areas listed in (8) above.


14. Will you provide accommodation during the training period?

Yes.


15. What support will I receive during the program?

Each Fellow will have 2 mentors assigned to him / her during the 24 months. Fellows will receive continuous support from these mentors.


16. What opportunities will be available after I complete the program?

There will be opportunities to work with Azim Premji Foundation in case of successful completion.


17. When will the program commence?

April 2012


18. What are the critical dates for the application process?

• Last date to submit completed online application forms – Third week of January, 2012
• National written test at all centers across the country – 21 January, 2012    
• Group discussion and personal interviews with candidates in centers – First or second week of February, 2012    
• Commencement of program – April, 2012

*Dates for the above will be announced soon


19. What are the necessary documents to be submitted with the application form?

• Degree certificates
• Work experience certificates
• Photograph

20. Who do I contact for more information about the Fellowship program?

Call us at:
080 6614 4920
080 6614 4919

Write to us at fellowship@azimpremjifoundation.org.