(a) whether the Government to boost skill development at the district level, has signed a contract with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore for introducing a two-year fellowship Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme recently;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any representatives from the State of Andhra Pradesh were selected for this programme; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
(a) and (b) To boost skill development at the district level, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) have signed a contract with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore for implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme. MGNF is a two year academic programme with an in-built component of on-ground practical experience with the district administration. It seeks to create a cadre of individuals, and train them in a blended academic program that provides both academic inputs and requires a field immersion at the district level to understand and contribute to the creation of a district level ecosystem to support skill development. Upon completion of these components, the Fellows will be awarded a Certificate of Public Policy and Management. In the pilot phase, 75 Mahatma Gandhi National Fellows would be deputed to 75 districts across 06 identified States namely (i) Gujarat; (ii) Karnataka; (iii) Meghalaya; (iv) Rajasthan; (v) Uttarakhand; and (vi) Uttar Pradesh.
(c) and (d) The selection process of MGNF fellows is not yet complete. The deadline for submission of online applications was 20.11.2019. A written entrance examination, followed by a case analysis and a personal interview will be conducted before the final list of selected candidates is announced.