Curriculum

The four semesters of the fellowship and the processes therein chip away the conditioned learning of the young person to chisel her/him into a well-formed complete personality – a leader who has the courage to turn her/his private dream into a public reality.

The programme does not expect the fellows to forego ambitions, careers and the material world. On the contrary we expect them to be even more ambitious about their careers, but with the right set of motivations.

First Semester (Induction)

The first semester is to help the Gandhi Fellows UNFOLD. It is here that the first lessons in self-awareness are imbibed through an intense exposure to grassroots reality and one’s relationship with it.

The Village/Slum Immersion process puts the Gandhi Fellows in the midst of a community where they learn to survive on the basis of intelligence, wit and ingenuity. Within absolutely safe yet challenging environs, the Fellows get an opportunity to absorb the harsh truths of life.

  • The Fellows are exposed to the reality of the government schools, where they take classes for 5 to 6 weeks. This six-week exposure to teaching is a humbling experience as the Fellows begin to understand the challenges of teaching children from socially and economically challenged backgrounds.
  • Personal Reflection: One-week long intense process of self-reflection helps the Fellows understand the patterns of behaviour, decision making and reactions.
  • Here they learn to PLAN-ACT-REFLECT, a habit that becomes the DNA of the Gandhi Fellows.

Second Semester (The execution phase)

  • This semester is the phase where the Fellows begin to work as an Academic Support Person. Assigned to 5 or more schools the Fellows learn how to form a lasting relationship with the school principal.
  • This is the most challenging aspect of the Fellowship because it is here that the Fellows learn the fundamentals of change, both outside and within. The Fellows catalyze a change in the headmasters without lording over him or by becoming his passive tool. During this period they become rigorous, patient, empathetic and learn how to influence those who are older than them. The seeds of leadership are sown here.
  • Personal Reflection II – Fellows learn to address their own complexities, get a feedback on how they have done on the ground and begin to come up with their first ideas on future career plans and their private dreams.
  • Perspective Building and Skill Building Curriculum – As a support to experiential learning a case-study based curriculum is offered to the fellows to sharpen their critical thinking and develop a worldview.
  • Learning Journey – Here the fellows visit other organisations working in diverse areas in diverse geographies to understand how they function and begin to develop a sharper understanding of public reality outside. The other aspect of the Learning Journey involves attending a Vipassana Meditation retreat.

The Third Semester [Execution]

The third semester continues and builds upon the learning and experience of the second term in ASP (?) and in the Curriculum. This semester ends with the third Personal Reflection process, which helps the Fellows to come to a sharp articulation of their private dream and first version of their life and career plan.

The Fourth Semester [Consolidation]

This is the semester when the Fellows hand over their work as Academic Support Person to the junior Fellows and move on to take up Research Associate roles  within Kaivalya. The new roles are based on fellows’ aptitude and their private dream articulation.

  • Perspective Building Curriculum continues.
  • The Fellow visit and study two organisations to understand their working and functioning. These attachments are mostly with organisations, which are working on domains of interest to the Fellows.
  • The Fellows also participate in the placement process, where s/he will be supported to get a job.
  • The fourth personal reflection process concludes the fellowship with the Fellow drawing out a 10- year life plan that includes a clear articulation of their personal and professional goals.