YIF – Structure and Design

Overview | A Yearlong Fellowship | A Fellow For Life

Started in 2011, the Young India Fellowship (YIF) grooms socially conscious leaders and change-makers for the 21st century. Offered as Ashoka University’s flagship residential postgraduate diploma in Liberal Studies, the YIF is unlike any other graduate academic programme. It exposes Fellows to a multidisciplinary and multidimensional curriculum, through which they get access to diverse areas of study, research and practice within a year. This often helps Fellows reimagine themselves and discover or strengthen their areas of interest. It also prepares them to solve complex problems using a multidisciplinary approach, no matter what they do in their lives.

Fellows study a curated selection of about 20 courses taught by renowned educators, work on a team-based project to solve a real-world problem, and learn how to think critically and write effectively. They also engage with and are mentored by inspiring individuals from the Ashoka community and beyond, and live with a diverse community of around 100 exceptional individuals from many walks of life.

Over 2100 individuals from India and abroad have commenced their lifelong journeys as Young India Fellows. They are spread across the world, pursuing impactful careers across development and corporate sectors, government, academia and as entrepreneurs. Many work at some of the world’s most aspirational organizations and continue to study on prestigious scholarships at leading academic institutions globally. Fellows keep coming back to the Fellowship, and contribute to shaping and nurturing it further. They continue to support and collaborate with each other and with members of the larger Ashoka ecosystem in their professional and personal pursuits.

A Multidisciplinary Programme Designed Like No Other

YIF offers Fellows an opportunity to complement the depth that they gained in previous educational and/or professional experiences, with intellectual breadth. The multiple ways in which they engage with the curriculum and extra-curricular initiatives enables them to build or sharpen skills that are in high demand, regardless of where they work or study: Writing, Collaboration, Communication, Problem-Solving, Critical Thinking and Leadership.

The year-long programme is divided into eight terms of roughly six weeks each. Fellows will typically study most courses as a cohort of 100, and a few choice-based Special Seminars as smaller classes of around 25. In addition to the academic coursework, there are two flagship components of the programme, which run in parallel for about eight to ten months of the year. The Critical Writing programme trains you to read closely, think critically and write effectively. The Experiential Learning Module (ELM) allows you to apply your learning and improve your skills through working on real-world projects.

New additions to the programme include The Crossover Series and the Alumni-in-Residence programme.

Principles of the Programme

The year-long programme has been designed on the following key principles, keeping in mind our goal of delivering a transformative learning experience:

1. To provide Fellows with a holistic learning experience to open minds and broaden perspectives.
2. To nurture leadership, creativity, collaboration, empathy and adaptability.
3. To assist the Fellows to acquire essential skills needed for research, problem-solving and effective communication.
4. To spark new ideas and create opportunities for personal and professional growth for the Fellows.
5. To enable Fellows to discover or strengthen their passion and embark upon meaningful careers.
6. To nurture a spirit of service and a socially-conscious mindset.

 

Learn More

 

Multidisciplinary Courses Experiential Learning Critical Writing Mentorship The Crossover Series Alumni in Residence