Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF): Course Details, Eligibility, Admission, Fees

Ram Rakshith V

Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship is a two-year academic programme whose main objective is to create plans and identify barriers to raising employment, economic output, and promoting livelihoods in rural areas. The program involves a combination of classroom sessions at host IIMs along with an intensive field immersion at the district level. 

The admission is based on the fact that students should have a minimum graduate degree from a recognized university and be citizens of India. Graduates can apply to top organizations like UN, Janaagraha, SEWA, etc for jobs after completing the certification.

What is the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship?

Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) is a certificate program in public policy and management. The fellowship promotes skill development in district economies. Students will receive a stipend of Rs. 50,000 per month during the 1st-year program. In the second year, the candidate will receive a stipend of Rs. 60,000 per month. 

Candidates selected from the 2021-23 admissions cycle will be fully funded by MSDE. Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship will be hosted by 9 IIMs, including IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, etc

Eligibility Criteria

There are a set of eligibility requirements for students to enroll in this certification course offered by IIMS: Given below are the detailed eligibility criteria:

• Students should be citizens of India.
• They should at least be a graduate in any discipline (Engineering, Law, Medicine, Social Sciences, etc.) from a recognized university or a postgraduate from a recognized university.
• Candidates should be between 21 and 30 years at the time of application.
• Students with 3 years of work experience are preferred. 
• They should be proficient in the official language of the state.
• Students must clear a common admission process undertaken by an IIM.

Admission Process

Admission for the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship course in India is online and is based on admission tests, group discussions, and personal interviews. Explained below is the admission process in detail:

• Students should visit the official website of the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship program.
• They should fill in details like name, email, and phone no and complete registration
• They should upload scanned copies of passport-sized photographs, signatures, mark sheets, and certificates.
• Candidates should pay the application fee of INR 1,500/- through online mode
• Their final selection depends on their performance in an online objective-type admission test, GD, and PI.

Entrance Exam

The students have to appear for an online admission exam before getting selected for the course. It will be held in all capital cities across the states. Listed below is the general examination pattern followed:

Top Colleges

Students getting selected for the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship program will be fully funded by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Given below is a list of IIMs offering this certification course:

• IIM Ahmedabad
• IIM Bangalore
• IIM Kozhikode
• IIM Nagpur
• IIM Ranchi
• IIM Udaipur
• IIM Visakhapatnam
• IIM Jammu
• IIM Lancashire

Course Structure

The concepts in Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship will be taught using classroom teaching methods, projects, case discussions, and closed-book exams. Some of the core topics covered are listed below: 

Academic Module

The on-campus academic modules will provide an applied and conceptual understanding of key ideas around management, development economics, skills, and integrated exposure. Each academic module consists of 10 working days. The duration of the academic module is 40 classroom days. 

District Immersion

Students will be told to visit pre-selected districts randomly. They will work in the district and use their on-campus teaching to understand the potential of employment and livelihoods. This module has two components 

The candidates will present specific issues about the district they have been assigned in each of the workshops. Each student will be assigned a Mentoring Team (MT) that will coach, them. 

Salary in India

Students will receive a stipend of Rs. 50,000 per month during the 1st-year program. In the second year, the candidate will receive a stipend of Rs. 60,000 per month. 

Career Options 

Students can work in various job sectors related to social causes, policy research, policy implementation, policy advocacy, etc. Listed below are some of the top companies that offer jobs for MGNF graduates in India:

• UN Organization
• Janaagraha
• Centre for Health and Social Justice
• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
• SEWA
• Pradhaan
• Boston Consulting Group
• KPMG
• McKinsey & Co