SBI Youth for India Fellowship 2023-24
SBI Youth for India is a fellowship programme for outstanding young professionals and graduates, who are passionate about touching lives and seek to lead the change for a better India. Join us if you’re ready to commit one year of your life to create change that matters.
SBI has always believed and worked towards the progress of the country. Through the SBI YFI Fellowship, we are investing in the future of the nation. On one hand, we are trying to create leaders of tomorrow and on the other hand, we are making a much-needed difference in rural India. To learn more, continue reading.
Recognized as the flagship program of SBI Foundation, it is a 13-month long Fellowship that enables the nation’s youth to work on rural development projects in partnership with experienced NGOs.
The Fellowship provides a framework for India’s best minds to join hands with rural communities, empathise with their struggles and connect with their aspirations.
CAN YOU BE THE CATALYST?
India is going through a unique phase.
While its urban population is building a strong case as the next global and economic powerhouse, its rural population is struggling with basic issues like non-availability of potable water, no electricity supply, poor health services and education facilities.
It is left to India’s next generation
of thought leaders, policy makers, professionals and intellectuals to bridge the urban-rural divide and paint a more holistic and inclusive picture of India’s growth.
The important decisions that affect rural areas
cannot be taken from the comfort of air-conditioned conference rooms. It is imperative to gain a deeper understanding of the issues which can only be acquired by experiencing them first-hand.
During the year,
our Fellows are given the opportunity to study the rural scenario with open minds. Their interactions with the community is what will help them to prioritize problems and come up with solutions. It is the involvement with the community that matters the most.
INITIAL YEAR
Launched on 1st March, 2011, the pilot batch had 27 fellows who successfully completed the Fellowship. The feedback for the concept was overwhelmingly positive from all the stakeholders, and its impact was substantial and notable on the ground.
The Program seeks to help India secure an equitable and sustainable growth path by :
- Providing educated and passionate urban Indian youth with an opportunity to touch lives and create positive change at the grass root level in rural india
- Providing NGOs working on development projects in rural India with educated manpower whose skill sets can be used to catalyze rural development.
- Promoting a forum for the Program alumni to share ideas and contribute to rural development throughout their professional life.
So far, we have built a network of more than 500+ alumni, who have made a difference at more than 200 rural locations across 20 states of India.70% of these alumni continue to be actively involved in the development sector.
The projects will be located at Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Telangana and Jharkhand . To encourage our Fellows to explore Indian diversity and to also offer them the opportunity to work in a multicultural setting, we follow a strict “no home state” policy. The staff of our partner NGO present in the project locations shall facilitate the resolution of any potential concerns including the language and cultural barrier.
OUR VISION
Our vision is that one day every village has the necessary capacities to develop themselves sustainably.
OUR MISSION
To build a movement of passionate and sincere changemakers who bridge the rural urban gap, by:
Creating a trusted gateway for higher talents to flow into rural development, thereby reviving the grassroots development machinery and benefit marginalized communities.
OUR CORE VALUES
These core values are reflected in our conduct and guide us to positively impact the community, Fellows and partners.
RESPECT
We hold respect for an individual as the cornerstone of the SBI Youth for India Fellowship. We embrace diversity, value distinct opinions, encourage aspirations and appreciate unique talents to create a collaborative culture that is conducive to ideas. We believe in treating others as we expect to be treated.
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
Healthy communities are the building blocks of great civilizations. Nations flourish when common objectives are put before personal goals. We, at SBI Youth for India, encourage an environment where relationships are valued, distribution is fair and roles are played effectively. For there is no doubt that even a small service to the community makes the world a better place to live in.
CREATIVITY
Unconventional is the new norm and out-of-the-box thinking is the new mantra. We, at SBI Youth for India, value innovations and intend to create a culture where ideas are encouraged and nurtured. In our opinion, it is a simple yet imperative process that can be achieved just by changing our way of looking at problems. At SBI YFI, we replace “What?” with “What If!”, “How?” with “How about!” and “Why?” with “Why not!” to create a new world of infinite possibilities.
FAIRNESS
Nature treats everyone equally. We draw our inspiration from nature to look at every stakeholder with the same lens. Well-chalked out policies, transparent operations and honest communication to all the stakeholders are carried out to ensure an unbiased conduct. We wish to inculcate this value in all the communities and individuals we touch because we believe that Fairness alone can bridge the urban-rural development divide.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The candidate must-
- be an Indian citizen, or a citizen of Nepal/Bhutan, or an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI).
- be between 21 and 32 years of age on the day of commencement of the program, i.e., the candidate must have been born not earlier than 2nd August 1992 and not later than 1st October 2002.
- have completed at least a Bachelor’s degree before the commencement of the program. i.e the candidate must have completed their degree before 1st October 2023.
Note to OCI Candidates: In case you don’t possess an OCI card currently, please visit the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India for OCI registration. As the process takes at least 1-3 months, we recommend that you apply for it as soon as you initiate your Fellowship application.
APPLICATION PROCESS OVERVIEW
The Application Process for the 2023-24 batch is open now. You can apply for Stage-1 (Registeration & Online Assessment) using https://you4.in/yfi-org-2023. Notifications and announcements about the status of the applications shall be shared on our website and social media channels.
The 2-stage Application Process of the SBI Youth for India Fellowship is as follows:
STAGE-1 (Registeration & Online Assessment)
Fill out the Registeration from and begin your Online Assesment. During the assesment you will be asked to provide a detailed easy-based response in which you can share your story, perspectives, intention to join the Fellowship, and overall worldview.
STAGE-2 (Personal Interview)
The Personal Interview stage is where the esteemed panel evaluates the applicant’s personal characteristics and suitability for the role. This stage is designed to help the selection panel make informed decisions based on factors beyound academic qualifications and work experience and gain a deeper understanding of the person.
FINAL SELECTION
The selected candidates of Stage -2 will be notified on a rolling basis during the application period via email and/or SMS. On confirmation, candidates will be sent the offer letter, specifying details of the programme, Fellowship support and terms and conditions of the Fellowship.
ONBOARDING
Once the candidates have accepted the offer, the onboarding process will be initiated. We continuously engage with selected candidates over an online forum to get to know them better and clarify their doubts regarding the Fellowship.
FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT
- A monthly allowance of 15000 INR for the duration of the programme to meet your living expenses.
- A monthly allowance of 1000 INR for the duration of the programme to meet your transport expenses.
- A monthly allowance of 1000 INR for the duration of the programme to meet your project related expenses.
- A dedicated provision for language support will be provided at the location.
- A readjustment allowance of 60000 INR upon successful & satisfactory completion of the Fellowship.
- The cost of 3AC train fare from your residence to the project site location as well as expenses incurred on travelling for training programmes shall be covered.
- A health and personal accident insurance policy will also be provided.
Other Support
- You will be assisted by the local NGO staff to find suitable accommodation with safety in mind.
- The partner NGO will also arrange for necessary support as and when required.
- An SBI Youth for India team member will be available for overall support & guidance.
- Mentorship by experienced professionals in the field.
- Access to the community through well-established Partner NGOs
- Linkages with premier organizations of the country.
The Application Process for the 2023-2024 batch is open now. You can register for Stage-1 (registration & Online Assesment) using https://register.you4.in/. Candidates shall be notified of the late date for submitting their applications for the 2023-2024 batch through our website and our social media channels. Notifications and announcements about the status of the applications shall be shared on our website and social media channels.
