Chanakya University is a global institution in Bengaluru, committed unflinchingly to the service of society through excellence in teaching, development of knowledge and direct contributions to the world of practice. At Chanakya University, we are committed to fostering a multi-disciplinary approach to education.
Our Liberal Education model is empowering students to explore their full potential by discovering new avenues for growth and personal development.We believe that learning should be an exciting and fulfilling journey, and we are creating an environment that encourages every student to thrive.
Chanakya Fellowship in Social Sciences (CFSS)
Enabling Transformational Pathways
Chanakya University offers its flagship year-long residential postgraduate diploma program -Chanakya Fellowship in Social Sciences (CFSS). It is a distinguished program that unites passionate fellows who desire to learn across various disciplines, dimensions, and sectors. The CFSS comprises foundational courses in Economics, International and Strategic Affairs, Political Science, and Public Policy, and provides comprehensive interdisciplinary training. This program aims to cultivate V-shaped individuals who possess exceptional skills in particular functional areas, coupled with significant expertise in related disciplines.
CFSS is an academically rigorous program that encompasses over 25 courses. It presents a distinctive prospect for students to eventually move towards research in the social sciences. The guidance of renowned faculty from the world’s top universities is available to fellows, enabling them to eventually explore their interests more deeply. Fellows also work on Transformational Pathways in Action Module. This provides them with exposure to the real world at the premises of the host organization or remotely under the guidance of the partner organization. This module is designed to enable students to advance in their professional careers and become leaders in their fields.
Key Features:
- A rigorous 1-year residential PG Diploma with over 25 courses and 40 credits offered by Chanakya University, Bengaluru with Leading Global Faculty.
- Eligibility – Minimum UG Degree or Equivalent as of July 23′.
- Deadline – June 15
- Fees – 5.5 Lakh Tuition, 1.3 Lakh Residential
Up to 100% scholarship offered (Scholarship Deadline – May 30).
- Fellows will understand the nuances of social sciences with our leading global faculty. This will ensure adaptation to a rigorous academic culture. Highly qualified faculty will ensure the fellows graduate with an extremely strong foundation in key domains in the social sciences.
- Fellows will be mentored by alumni of top global institutions such as Cambridge, Oxford, KCL, and LSE, among others.
- Those interested in pursuing higher education overseas will understand the nuances of how leading global academics think and act. This will ensure adaptation/acclimatization to the academic culture.
- Think tanks/Reputed Organizations are among those who will be participating in the CFSS.
- Post Fellowship careers include think tanks, bureaucracy, academia, and consultancy roles, among others.
- Fellows will be equipped with cross-functional and domain skills along with a strong alumni and mentor network that will enable them to obtain synergies and support from diverse groups – while ensuring improved outcomes in their careers.
Core Objectives
- Provide holistic and multidisciplinary learning experiences.
- Foster leadership, creativity, collaboration, empathy, and adaptability.
- Identify and provide essential competencies and skills such as advanced research methods, problem-solving, and professional communication.
- Create opportunities for personal and professional growth for the fellows.
Key Highlights
- Global experts, local interventions
- Cross-cutting courses
- Multidisciplinary approach
- Modules for transformational pathways
- Action Research
- Emphasis on career competencies and life skills
- Multiple pathways enabling flexibility and choice.
- Learner-centric and peer-to-peer learning
Academics
Fellows will experience a cutting-edge curriculum designed by renowned national and international faculty members at Chanakya Fellowship in Social Sciences. Our program is benchmarked with the best of international practices to promote excellence in social sciences education. The teaching of all courses is entirely undertaken by outstanding faculty members, including many accomplished practitioners and prolific researchers who are fully responsible for developing the teaching pedagogies associated with the expected learning outcomes. The evaluation, grading, assessment, and all aspects of course evaluation, including assignments, coursework, and end-semester examinations, have been designed considering the need to enhance critical thinking and creativity among the fellows. Learn from outstanding practitioners and researchers who prioritize critical thinking and creativity among the fellows. We foster effective and efficient learning through theory-to-practice approaches, and our evaluation and assessment methods are designed to enhance your skills.
Key Domains Include:
- Economics
- International Relations and Strategic Studies
- Political Science
- Public Policy
- Transformational Pathways in Action Module
- Courses on Career Skills
- Workshops for Capacity Building in Social Sciences
Admissions
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for the Chanakya Fellowship Programme:
- Applicants should have completed a undergraduate degree or equivalent in any discipline as of July 2023 from a recognized university
- We welcome applicants of all age groups across diverse academic, geographical, professional and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Note: Final-year students, working professionals, postgraduate or doctoral degree holders, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and those in the middle of a gap year or preparing for competitive examinations, among others – are all eligible to apply.
Dates to Remember
- Application Open – 25 April 2023
- Application Deadline – 31th July 2023
- Start of Fellowship – August 28th 2023
- Conclusion of Fellowship – May 31 2024
Admission Criteria
Applicants are selected through a holistic admission process conducted over two rounds based on supplemental application, statement of purpose and interview.
Applicant Profile
The Chanakya Fellowship in Social Sciences programme is looking for candidates who can harness their academic and professional competencies. Individuals who we believe can use the learnings from the fellowship in synergy with their existing qualifications and aspirations to enable myriad pathways for their life. The key traits we look for in a candidate include passion, commitment, creativity and critical thinking. Fellows will be expected to show the utmost dedication to the programme and complete all coursework and projects for the fellowship period.
Applications are invited from a cross-section of disciplines. An ideal applicant is one who demonstrates a drive to succeed individually and collaboratively. We seek fellows who demonstrate the potential to be a leader in fields such as academia, corporate careers, social entrepreneurship, media, bureaucracy, technology, civil society and politics among others. Through active classroom participation, fellows will be able to leverage peer learning to facilitate multi-disciplinary understanding.
The application form aims to assess the candidate on the following parameters:
- Past Academic Record – Since this will be a rigorous program which will be academically demanding, a candidate’s past academic credentials will be evaluated. However, this will be one of several parameters which will be evaluated.
- Adaptability- Ability to work with diverse teams with different ideologies and worldviews and respect cognitive diversity.
- Stakeholder Management – Ability/Interest in working with a cross-section of stakeholder groups
- Ability to take the initiative and demonstrate Leadership qualities
- Passion/Commitment towards society at large and drive to succeed.
Some Questions in our mind while we will be evaluating your application – candidates are advised to seek answers to these questions to understand themselves and their possible pathways better to leverage the opportunities and facilities that will be a part of the fellowship better.
- How can institutions make the process of education more joyful and fulfilling?
- We want you to leverage past failures. You have decades ahead of you to apply these learnings. In this regard, we would like you to analyse your biggest failures and introspect the learnings you have obtained as a result.
- If you could change one thing in your vicinity – what would it be? This could be as granular as a neighbourhood/classroom/ workplace.
- We would love to know your interests and past participation in extracurriculars, sports, community, or cultural involvement.
- What does leadership mean to you – have you had an opportunity to demonstrate leadership? What are the avenues which you would be interested in exploring in terms of leadership?
- What do you hope to explore at Chanakya with your additional free time?
- Are you a self-starter or do you prefer external encouragement? What motivates you? How can we as an institution ensure you reach your potential?
- We intend to provide transformational pathways for you. What is your goal 5 years from now? What is your goal 25 years from now? How can we, at Chanakya help you with your deepest goals and aspirations?
- What is your idea of fun or recreation? What would you do to ensure the comfort of other students at your hostel, dining room, sports team, or project mate?
There is no right or wrong answer, the questions, or variants of these may be brought about in the interview stage to better understand the applicant and their fit for the program with an intent to understand the applicant’s line of thinking and reasoning.
Application Process
Two-stage application process.
The Application process aids the candidate in self-discovery. Any claims made during the application must be backed with examples, wherever applicable. While English will be the medium of instruction and the application, but the quality of
English will not be a factor in the application. Chanakya University aims to ensure candidates from varied socio-economic backgrounds apply to the CFSS.
Stage 1
- To register click here
- Applicants will receive a confirmation email
- Fill background information, education, current role, and related information
- The candidate shall submit a detailed CV/resume, a statement of purpose (about 500 words), and an essay (max 500 words).
- Optional writing brief (max 200 words) for candidates to convey any other essential information.
- Applicants for scholarships are required to share a 300-word essay to substantiate.
Stage 2
A personal interview will be conducted based on the information provided by the applicants, the interview may also entail relevant topics as decided by the panel to determine the fit of the candidate.
Program Fees
- Tuition fee: INR 5.5 lakhs
- Hostel fee: INR 1.3 lakhs
Applications for the 2023 cohort (Class of 2024) close on 31st July 2023.
For Further Details, write to us at cfss@chanakyauniversity.edu.in
Scholarships
Chanakya University has been providing scholarships to ensure diversity, belongingness, and inclusion.
In line with this, the Chanakya Fellowship in Social Sciences (CFSS) awards scholarships on the basis of merit as well as financial need, and in some cases, a combination of both. We understand that financial challenges can make it difficult for students to pursue their academic goals, which is why we aim to help deserving students by providing need-based scholarships.
Some recipients of the scholarship may receive a complete tuition and hostel fee waiver, depending on their circumstances. This means that they will not have to pay any fees for their tuition or accommodation.
If you are interested in applying for the CFSS scholarship, we encourage you to submit a high-quality essay (the optional 300-word scholarship essay) that showcases your academic achievements, financial needs, and any relevant personal or community achievements.
We hope that this scholarship will help make higher education more accessible to students who may be facing financial barriers and help them achieve their academic goals.
This list of courses can be accessed at https://chanakyauniversity.
Transformational Pathways
Completion of this fellowship opens the door to a wide range of fulfilling career paths. Our multidisciplinary approach to learning will provide you with a diverse set of skills and knowledge that will prepare you for the challenges of the VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) workplace.
Some possible career paths for CFSS graduates include roles in economics, international and strategic affairs, political consulting and analysis, public policy, NGOs, think tanks, industry, bureaucracy, media, and academia. With the flexibility to choose your own path and the support of a collaborative learning environment, you can design a career that is both personally meaningful and professionally rewarding.
The Following Think tanks/Reputed Organizations are among those who will be participating in the CFSS for the Transformational Pathways in Action Module (TPAM).
- Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)
- Indira Gandhi National Centre For Arts (IGNCA)
- Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR)
- Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR)
- Swaniti Initiative
- Network of Indian Cultural Enterprises (NICEorg)
- Center for Soft Power
- Global Vikas Trust
- SARW, University of Southern California
Chanakya University is organizing an information webinar for the program which will involve core team members and faculty of the fellowship. Those interested are kindly requested to fill out the Google form to register for the same. https://forms.gle/N4ybCSDopjWqMDGm9
