Fast Facts
For: Social workers, Field of study: PG course in Social Sciences
Eligibility: Three years' work experience in development sector
Selection process: Involves four levels, Application form: Log on to Ifpsa website and download
Last date: December 15, 2009
'I have shortlisted Michigan State, Cornell, and Texas (universities) for the master's on sustainability development,' the excitement is palpable in the voice of Mushtaq Farooq Shaikh, Fellow-elect, International Fellowships Program (IFP), just like many other starry-eyed US education aspirants. But the similarity ends there. 'Maths and science made me sleep in school,' he says, and an indifferent family couldn't care less. No wonder, he cleared Class 10 after five attempts.
The only thing that made Mushtaq persist was the real threat of his family sending him to tend a small shop in Kadval, a tiny hamlet in Vadodara for the rest of his life. The threat did wonders, and he even went on to complete an MBA. After working in the development sector for a few years as a Ford Foundation fellow, he hopes to pursue a higher degree. The IFP beckons.
Explore: Exciting careers in the social sector
The programme
Funded by the Ford Foundation, the fellowship enables students who lack access to higher education, due to monetary or other constraints to study overseas or in their own countries and get exposure to cutting-edge education, says Vivek Mansukhani, Director, IFP Programme. Since its inception in 2001, the IFP has selected 3,836 fellows worldwide, of which 50 percent are women.
The fellows are chosen from 22 countries, from across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Russia. Generally, fellow-elects enrol at universities in the US, UK and Canada. The IFP has been bolstering minority groups or communities in a dynamic and unique way, covering states such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
Nurturing leadership skills
The programme nurtures leadership qualities, and instils a practical and policy-driven approach in the proposed field of study. For instance, Richa Ghansiyal, social entrepreneur, IFP alumnus and a National Institute of Design graduate in Industrial Design (Furniture), pursued an MA in Rural Development from the University of Sussex, UK. Today, she manages her own studio Alaya, a for-profit social enterprise in Uttarakhand, which trains local craftsmen and generates a market strategy for handicrafts. 'IFP has broadened my perspective and confidence to work as a community leader,' she says.
Are you eligible?
You must be a working professional with at least three years of full-time experience in the development sector. Candidates familiar with the grassroots problems of their own region or state, may have an edge. Sarita Sundari Rout, a fellow-elect, says that it is difficult to identify and familiarise oneself with the problems faced by individuals, without any real exposure in the field. And the primary differentiator for selection also remains the same.
Selection procedure
The screening process is rigourous:
Level 1: A preliminary application form that serves as basic criteria for judges.
Level 2: Those eligible will be sent a 16-page final application form, which entails essay-type of questions.
Level 3: Shortlisted candidates will be called for regional-level interview
Level 4: A national-level interview is conducted for final selection, usually conducted in mid-June in Delhi.
'Besides questions on my background, and the issues relevant to my region and state, the panelists tried to gauge my ability to comprehend the proposed subject of study,' says Thukjay Tashi, 2009 fellow-elect, from Zanskar region in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir.
What not to do
Do not fudge your work experience, by assuming that freelancing is included in the required three years of work experience. 'Never write answers, such as 'helping a blind lady cross the road' as proof of social commitment,' advises Neera Handa, Deputy Director, IFP. 'Don't hide your limitations,' says IFP fellow Sabita Parida from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Boston.
Remedial and bridge courses
IFP handholds all selected candidates until they gain admissions in their chosen programmes. Every candidate has to go through a one-year rigourous pre-academic training. It prepares a fellow-elect to meet the admission requirements and language proficiency standards for the preferred foreign or Indian university. One must also appear for tests like TOEFL, IELTS and GRE.
Tashi is currently in Delhi, attending a six-month language training programme at Inlingua, funded by the Ford Foundation. 'The IFP team members are way too supportive. We share a relationship which is professional, yet close,' he says. The fellow-elect period begins in July-2009 while the Fellowship period begins in July 2010 for two years.
Additional benefits
The programme offers full financial support, right from providing extensive training to university placement. Sabita shares, 'It provides a special professional enhancement fund to attend several other seminars and workshops beyond the university curriculum and also pays a separate amount to buy books, a computer and computer accessories'.
Conclusion
'It is the right fellowship for people like me. What they look for is commitment and capabilities, but the real clincher is always the passion,' says Mushtaq. So in case you have all the three, and oodles of experience in development sector, IFP is the way to go.
(This may be the last cycle of IFP unless other donors step in)
| 'We are looking for future leaders' |
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| Neera L Handa |
| Deputy Director, Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program |
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Q. What qualities do you look for in a prospective fellow?
A. Students bound to become future leaders of their own communities, those who would find solutions in relation to what ails their respective communities, rather than those with a top-down approach, with no basic ground-level understanding of what's really happening.
Q. How do you reach out to people in remote areas?
A. We advertise in national and local dailies. We conduct press conferences in each region of the proposed states. Our NGO network too comes in handy.
Q. What is the greatest challenge while conducting interviews?
A. The regional selection checks how authentic the person's claims are. Language is a huge barrier. In order to ease the process, the interviewees are allowed to speak in any language they choose. At this stage, we give a fair chance to the person and take the matter further. The challenge is to find out if they have the ability to reach the levels required for higher education overseas.
Q. Your advice to applicants?
A. Be as honest as possible, because our fellowship is very transparent. Don't apply half-heartedly. Some applicants tend to make sweeping statements, without substantiating it. It would be ideal, if you could pad up your answer, by demonstrating a statement with an example. Finally, it is your sincerity that comes through.
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