Lok Sabha Question No. 3070 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-15
Subject: Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship Program
Ministry: SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Asked by: Shantanu Thakur

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3070 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2021

## MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

## 3070.  SHRI SHANTANU THAKUR:

## Will  the  Minister  of  SKILL  DEVELOPMENT  AND  ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  and  salient  features  of  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Fellowship Program along with the present status;
- (b) whether the Government is planning to introduce this said program in all the state/UTs across the Country; and;
- (c) if so, the details thereof, district wise including West-Bengal?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SHRI R.K SINGH)

(a) Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) is a two-year academic programme  launched  by  the  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  &  Entrepreneurship (MSDE)  under  its  World  Bank  Loan  assisted  Skills  Acquisition  and  Knowledge Awareness  for  Livelihood  Promotion  (SANKALP)  scheme.  MGNF  Programme combines  classroom  sessions  at  selected  Indian  Institute  of  Managements  (IIMs) with an intensive field immersion at the District level to strengthen the District Skill Committees (DSCs). In  the  course  of  their  training,  the  fellows  would  be  an  asset and resource person for the District Skill Committee (DSC) to develop, manage and coordinate the  skill  programmes  at  the  District  level.  The  State  Skill  Development Mission (SSDM) and DSCs have a key role to play in the successful implementation of this programme. The SSDMs are responsible for creating a robust and responsive support mechanism for the fellows deployed in the Districts.

The eligibility criteria prescribed for being a Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow are as under:

- i. The candidate should possess a minimum qualification of a graduate degree from a recognized University;
- ii. The candidate should be a citizen of India;
- iii. The candidate should be in the age group of 21-30 years;
- iv. The  candidate  should  possess  Proficiency  in  official  language  of  State  of fieldwork.

Fellows will not be employees of Government of India. The fellows are paid stipend of Rs. 50,000 per month in first year and Rs. 60,000 per month in second year. Upon completion of the programme, the Fellow would be awarded a Certificate in Public Policy and Management by the host IIM.

Phase-I  of  MGNF  Programme  was  launched  on  08.03.2020,  with  IIM Bangalore as  the  Academic  Partner.  Currently,  69  Fellows  are  deployed  in  69 Districts  across  six  States  namely  Gujarat,  Karnataka,  Meghalaya,  Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

(b)  and  (c)        Yes,  MSDE  has  launched  the  National  roll-out  (Phase-II)  of MGNF programme to cover all  Districts  (excluding  the  Districts  covered  under  Phase-I  of MGNF) across the country, including all Districts of West Bengal. The advertisement for  which  was  released  on  13.02.2021.  MSDE  has  onboarded  9  IIMs  namely, IIM Bangalore,  IIM  Ahmedabad,  IIM  Lucknow,  IIM  Kozhikode,  IIM  Visakhapatnam, IIM  Udaipur,  IIM  Nagpur,  IIM  Ranchi  and  IIM  Jammu to  act  as  the  Academic Partners for the Phase-II of MGNF programme.

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