Gandhi Fellowship: Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a list of FAQs to help you answer any questions you have about the Gandhi Fellowship.  

1.  What is the Gandhi Fellowship?

The Gandhi Fellowship is an intensive 2-year programme that helps talented young people develop the leadership skills to cause disproportionate positive change in society. The Fellowship challenges these young people to support primary school headmasters to turn around their failing schools, thus improving the quality of education provided in India’s government schools. By taking on real challenges and solving ‘live’ problems that exist today in schools across India, Fellows learn the generic skills that will allow them to lead change on a wide range of issues in other sectors. In the process Fellows are themselves supported to discover what they are passionate about, what they want to do with their lives and how to go about converting their dreams into reality. This intense personal change process is needed for Fellows to become the nation’s next generation of leaders.      

2.  Why is it called the ‘Gandhi’ Fellowship?

The Gandhi Fellowship is named after Mahatma Gandhi, because he believed that in order to change the world you first have to change yourself; as he put it, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. This belief is the foundation for the Fellowship. Gandhi Fellows will cause disproportionate change in society only by first changing and developing themselves during the 2-year programme. In the supportive environment of the Fellowship young people are encouraged to understand themselves better, recognize and overcome any unhelpful mindsets or social conditioning that commonly determines how we live our lives. This is achieved through a continual cycle of action and reflection undertaken by the Fellows while they go about their daily activities.    

3.  Isn’t a Fellowship an academic scholarship?

Usually, yes. But this Fellowship is different. While Gandhi Fellows are expected to show rigour and demonstrate analytical skills, they are not scholars. The 2-year programme consists of hands-on field work undertaken in small government schools, rural villages or slum communities. The Gandhi Fellowship’s philosophy is that although theory has value it should not be seen as the only source of knowledge in the world, as is often the case. Instead theory should be balanced by a process of learning by doing, whereby knowledge is built up through the process of going out into the world, taking on responsibility, facing challenges and working for change.  

4. Is this like any other job?

No. And this is not a job in the normal sense of ‘9 to 5’ working. Gandhi Fellows rarely work from 9 to 5. Although the Fellowship is well structured and Fellows have clearly defined responsibilities, a degree of flexibility and uncertainty is inherent to the 2-year programme. Moreover, while Fellows have a ‘job’ to do supporting Headmasters, they are not expected to focus exclusively on that task as they would be in other organisations. Instead Fellows also have to focus on their own self-development. For most employers self-development means you become better at your job, but in the Gandhi Fellowship it means much more. Here the process is about building leaders who can bring about change in a variety of sectors and in society at large.     

5.  What does the 2-year programme involve?

The structure of the Gandhi Fellowship has been designed in partnership with specialists in leadership development to create an intense 24-month process, involving:

• A 6-week Induction and Field Orientation that exposes Fellows to the new environment in which they will be working; familiarises them with the Gandhi Fellow role and responsibilities; raises key issues in the education sector and wider development field; introduces the structure and activities of the next 23 months,
• A 6-week Learning Quality Induction that introduces Fellows to the concept of learning quality and how it can be achieved in the classroom. After training from Jodo Gyan, Fellows take regular classes in primary schools and gain a first-hand experience of what teaching and learning involves,     
• A Personal Reflection Week once every 3 months, where Fellows are helped to understand themselves better, clearly articulate their dreams and gain clarity on what brings meaning to their lives,
• A Learning Journey once every 6 months, where Fellows have the opportunity to visit different organisations and interact with experts who can provide insights into a wide variety of fields. This helps Fellows broaden their world view, develop more informed opinions and gain insights to improve their decision-making.

On a weekly basis Fellows support Headmasters, take part in capacity building sessions, read case studies and articles, and manage to squeeze in some time for fun too. A typical week for each Gandhi Fellow consists of:

• 4 days of field work providing support to 5 Headmasters,
• 1 day of team review and planning,
• 1 day of capacity building with either working sessions or lectures given by specialists from the corporate, academic or development sectors,
• 1 day of relaxation, group activities and fun.

6. Can I join the Gandhi Fellowship for just 1 year?

No. The Gandhi Fellowship is a 2-year process because unwinding your conditioning and developing effective leadership skills takes time and can’t be compressed into 12 months. If you are considering joining the Fellowship, we would urge you to do so only if you are 100 % sure and are unlikely to drop out because of marriage plans, family pressure or the allure of your friends’ corporate pay packages! Your commitment to the programme is very important to us and for that reason we don’t ask for a bond to ensure you stay. Instead we trust you to join only if you are fully sure. Of course,  we understand that unforeseen circumstances can upset the best-laid plans. If you are forced to leave before the end of the programme for reasons beyond your control you will be issued with a certificate of attendance to acknowledge your participation up to that point.    

7. What does ‘supporting Headmasters’ mean?

A key aspect of the Gandhi Fellowship is the support Fellows provide to Headmasters of government primary schools. These Headmasters are themselves undergoing a process of personal and professional development while being trained in school leadership by Kaivalya Education Foundation. Over 3 years they are being trained to lead a variety of initiatives in their schools to improve learning quality, including implementing a project every 3 months to overcome a specific barrier to improved student learning. The role of the Gandhi Fellow is to help each of their 5 Headmasters successfully implement these projects and tackle all other challenges related to improving learning quality in their schools. In particular this means supporting their capacity building, so that once Fellows have moved on Headmasters are able to continue to work effectively to improve their schools.

8. What does ‘causing disproportionate change for the better in society’ mean?

India is a big country with some big problems that remain unsolved. These exist across the fields of education, healthcare and livelihoods, and encompass wider issues such as social justice and individual responsibility. The Gandhi Fellowship’s philosophy is that only with a new generation of leaders, who are committed and equipped to lead change in a variety of sectors, can we start to find effective and innovative solutions to these problems. The Fellowship exists to create that new generation of leaders.

9. How are Gandhi Fellows supported during their 2 years?

Gandhi Fellows will find themselves in a supporting environment from the first day of the Fellowship through to the last. Each Fellow is mentored by one of Kaivalya Education Foundation’s Programme Leaders. All the PLs have significant academic and professional experience, having completed postgraduate studies and worked in a variety of roles in the corporate, social and education sectors. They share accommodation with the Gandhi Fellows for much of the 2-year process and are always there to listen, help, advise and share. The PLs facilitate ongoing reflection sessions and the Personal Reflection Week. Gandhi Fellows are also exposed to a number of external mentors and coaching experts during the course of the programme.

Each Fellow’s development is their own responsibility as well as the Fellowship’s, and Fellows have to take the initiative in accessing and making the best of the people, resources and experiences made available to them.    

10. What leadership skills do Gandhi Fellows develop?

Gandhi Fellows are helped to develop the leadership skills they need to cause disproportionate change for the better in society. Through capacity building sessions and by helping primary school Headmasters improve the quality of education in their schools, Gandhi Fellows gradually improve their ability to lead change on any issue. This means developing, influencing and negotiation skills, the capacity for managing stakeholders, creative problem-solving abilities and execution excellence. By meeting experts from various fields Gandhi Fellows gain an understanding of what it takes to bring about change and the realities of leadership in different sectors.        

11.  Are Gandhi Fellows expected to enter the development sector after 2 years?

No. During their 2 years each Gandhi Fellow is encouraged and supported to find out what they as an individual want to do with their lives. At the end of the programme the Fellows have a clearer understanding of what they are passionate about and are equipped with the skills to start doing it. This could be in any sector, from the corporate world to government administration, and in any role, from journalist to policymaker, NGO head or teacher. What is important to the Fellowship is that each Fellow takes into their future roles what they have learnt and understood about themselves during their 2 years.     

12. How are Fellows helped to start their career after the Gandhi Fellowship?

Gandhi Fellows do not have a guaranteed job at the end of the Fellowship. But the programme is designed to prepare them for a successful career after their 2 years are up. This means ongoing help with making contacts in the corporate, education and social sectors, and exposure to individuals with expertise in these fields. With support from Programme Leaders and external mentors Fellows weigh up the range of career options open to them and plot their career path. As the PLs have themselves been through the same process of making career and life choices, they are able to help Fellows consider the merits of different options and challenge their assumptions.

Once Fellows leave they also become part of an alumni network that will be mutually supportive and facilitate collaboration by ex-Fellows for joint ventures and new projects. Moreover, having interacted with officials at the cluster, block and district levels, or in urban areas, over a period of 2 years, ex-Fellows will have an understanding of government systems, a skill greatly valued by employers. At the end of the programme Fellows are issued with a completion certificate acknowledging their achievements and the skills they have developed.  

13. Who established the Gandhi Fellowship?

The Gandhi Fellowship is an initiative of Kaivalya Education Foundation (KEF), a not-for-profit organisation that designs and runs innovative leadership development programmes in partnership with respected organisations from the education and professional development fields. KEF currently has a formal agreement with the Government of Rajasthan to deliver leadership training in the Jhunjhunu and Churu districts of the state and a similar agreement with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for conducting programmes in Municipal schools of 4 zones within the city. KEF is led by a professional and experienced management team and given strategic direction by an eminent management board, whose members are:

• Mr Ajay G. Piramal, Chairman of Piramal Healthcare,
• Mr Narayanan Vaghul, Chairman of ICICI Bank,
• Mr Ujwal Thakar, CEO of GiveIndia.org,
• Mr Chittaranjan Kaul, an Education Advisor and previously the Principal of Sahyadri School in Pune (a unit of Krishnamurti Foundation),
• Mr Aditya Natraj, Founder Director of KEF and previously a corporate finance consultant with KPMG.

14. Who funds the Gandhi Fellowship?

The Gandhi Fellowship is funded by the Ajay G. Piramal Foundation. The Foundation also supports the Gandhi Fellowship by providing access to the organisational development and marketing experts that work with Piramal Healthcare and by giving invaluable input on strategic issues. The Piramal Foundation was established to find replicable solutions to India’s most pressing development problems. As an organisation it believes that challenging talented young people to address these problems will generate innovative solutions that are relevant, cost-effective and applicable to the nation at large. The Foundation’s support for the Gandhi Fellowship flows from this belief. 

15. Who does the Gandhi Fellowship work with?

Four organisations provide direct input to the Gandhi Fellowship: CoCoon Consulting, Indicorps, Bodh Shiksha Samiti and Jodo Gyan. CoCoon is a specialist in talent development and leadership building, and developed the Fellowship’s 24-month process. Indicorps runs a successful fellowship programme in India for NRIs and has provided the Gandhi Fellowship with valuable insights on strategy. Bodh is India’s leading alternative education specialist and supports the Fellowship by training Gandhi Fellows on understanding learning quality and alternative education. Jodo Gyan is a Maths teaching specialist and provides material and training on Maths teaching for the Learning Quality Induction.

Gandhi Fellows will interact with at least three additional partners: Government, IIM-A and Mercer. Fellows often communicate with government officials on a daily basis and establish close contacts with key individuals, such as cluster and block officers. The Ravi J. Matthai Centre for Educational Innovation at IIM-A has been closely involved in developing KEF’s school leadership training for Headmasters and Fellows have the opportunity to interact with the Centre’s Professors. Mercer has also played an integral part in developing the school leadership training and Fellows are able to meet with its consultants in the course of the programme.            

16. Are Gandhi Fellows paid a salary?

No. Instead, Gandhi Fellows are given a grant of Rs.14,000 a month throughout their 2-years, from which applicable government taxes are deductable.

17. What costs are Gandhi Fellows expected to cover?

Gandhi Fellows must cover their basic living costs with their grant. These are primarily laundry and food costs, and any other expenses incurred over and above those covered by the organisation.

18. What costs are borne by the organisation?

• Water and electricity charges,
• Rent,
• A cook in each office,
• Purchase of motorbikes and public transport for official purposes,
• Mobile phone bills up to Rs.600 per month,
• Laptop purchase and maintenance (1 between 2 Fellows). 

19. Do Gandhi Fellows get holidays?

Yes. Holidays for the entire Fellowship batch are scheduled to fit in with the school calendar. Thus there is a break of approximately 1 week scheduled to coincide with Diwali and another 1 week break during the school summer holidays. Because almost all activities during the 2-year programme are group activities Fellows are discouraged from taking breaks apart from those which are scheduled for the group as a whole. However, sometimes individual Fellows do need to take extra time off for one reason or another, including for family emergencies. At the discretion of the PL Team this is allowed for a maximum of 8 days a year. Time-off for non-emergencies should be planned with the PL Team in advance, in order to minimize the effect of such breaks on Fellows’ work.   

20. Does the Gandhi Fellowship involve out-station travel?

Yes. Although Gandhi Fellows spend a majority of their time carrying out their responsibilities in-station, on occasion they will travel out of station, in particular for week-long Learning Journeys every 6 months. At other times out-of-station travel may be within the state or involve working in Delhi or Mumbai for short periods.

21. Who should apply to the Gandhi Fellowship?

The Gandhi Fellowship is an intense 24-month process that challenges Fellows to change themselves in order to develop the capacity to change society for the better. It is a demanding programme and therefore not suited to everyone. We encourage you to think seriously about whether the Gandhi Fellowship is right for you before you apply. In particular you must be able to commit to the full 2 years of the programme. In order to help you make your decision, the criteria used to select potential Gandhi Fellows are listed below. The 24-month process will be right for you if you:  

• Are self-driven and have intrinsic motivation,
• Approach any task with rigour,
• Are empathetic in dealings with others,
• Can manage stakeholders,
• Are solution-oriented,
• Are analytical.

22. What is the selection process for the Gandhi Fellowship?

Interested candidates have to fill up the Gandhi Fellowship application form. Applicants are advised to make sure they answer all questions as completely as possible. They then participate in a Group Discussion with other applicants.

Short-listed candidates will be asked to sit for a personal interview with a Kaivalya Education Foundation Programme Leader.

Those successful at this stage will be invited to participate in a 3-day selection process that will involve, a field visit, individual psychometric evaluation tests and various group assessment exercises.

A final shortlist of candidates will be interviewed by a panel comprising senior personnel from Kaivalya and guest interviewers.

23. What have previous batches of Gandhi Fellows done after completion of the Fellowship?

 The first batch of Fellows graduated in July of 2010 and have moved on to a wide variety of vocations. These include careers in public policy research and advocacy, rural youth skilling, rural marketing, curriculum design, youth mentoring and organic farming. Employers include prestigious organisations such as GTZ (German Development Organisation), Yuva Parivartan, Navdaniya and of course KEF itself. For more details please refer to our “Meet the Fellows” section.

24. What is Village/ Slum immersion (VI/SI)? Why is it essential?

VI and SI refers to the one-month period during which Fellows relocate from their comfortable living quarters to go find homes within slums (applicable for our urban project in Ahmedabad) or villages (applicable for our rural project in Rajasthan). The first of many opportunities to “de-condition”, community immersion takes Fellows one step closer to a crucial constituency – parents and guardians of school-going children. Fellows spend one month, relying completely on the local community for food, accommodation and security. What emerges is a better understanding of the living condition of village and slum communities.