This is a three year fellowship designed specifically for emerging youth with disability who are inclined to engage in transforming socio-economic scenarios around Disability in India.
Yes, NCPEDP in collaboration with Azim Premji Foundation will recognize and acknowledge the completion of fellowship for select candidates. Please refer to programme structure for further details.
All Indian citizens with disabilities between the ages of 18-28 years who have completed minimum higher secondary level of education are eligible for fellowship. Please refer to eligibility criteria for further clarification.
No, only 25 candidates will be selected for the beginning year of the fellowship and selected fellows amongst them will successfully complete the three-year fellowship. Furthermore, the selection will not be on a first come first serve basis and such a decision will be pursued carefully by the selection committee. Please refer to details of the selection process.
The fellows will primarily participate in evidence based policy research around issues related to disability. They will be provided with basic training and insights to build their capacity for carving out their way through in the fellowship which involves electronic media campaigns, group and individual level dialogue and discussions with community members, host NGOs, cross disability training, multiple advocacy based networking and engagement with institutions, policy makers and other stakeholders and submission of monthly and quarterly reports generated by means of qualitative and quantitative study.
An independent, autonomous and neutral committee will be responsible for such actions after careful evaluation of application form and initial conversations. Most importantly, it is for the applicants to understand that not being selected for the fellowship in no way questions their potential or should demotivate them from exploring future prospects for themselves with NCPEDP or within the disability sector.
Yes, applicants can re-apply for the next term of the fellowship programme.
The fellowship is one of a selected few programmes in the country which has been designed for youth with disabilities and entails a multi-pronged approach for facilitation of the same. Please refer “What’s in it for you” section for developing further understanding on the highlights of the programme.
The State Partners or Partner Organizations are grassroot Disabled Peoples’ Organizations and members of the National Disability Network, a cross-disability platform working on the rights of persons with disabilities from all corners of the country, promoting local advocacy groups and building leadership, acting as a pressure group to influence meaningful policies at various levels – village, block, district, state and national, in order to build a joint strategy for a cohesive disability movement in India. Please refer to the section on State Partners for more information on the organizations that will be participating in the fellowship programme.
The fellows will be paid a small competitive stipend upto Rs 25000 per month for provisional expenses to support their discourse in the fellowship by NCPEDP-Azim Premji Foundation collaboration. Thus, the host organisations will only be responsible for facilitating the fellows with mobilization, training, and networking required for complementing the journey of fellows.
The fellows will be based in their area of residence (permanent or correspondence) and accordingly matched with a host/partnering organization in the area/region. However, the fellows will be expected to travel within their region/State and explore and witness facets attached to disability in socio-economic terms for real time exposure.
Given the current situation, an online mode of discourse will be followed for as long as the lockdown norms may prevail in the region and health concerns are high. Similarly, alternative mechanisms will be used to carry out planned activities abiding to the prevailing pandemic norms, as initiated by local authorities.
Given the current situation, an online mode of discourse will be followed for as long as the lockdown norms may prevail in the region and health concerns are high. Similarly, alternative mechanisms will be used to carry out planned activities abiding to the prevailing pandemic norms, as initiated by local authorities.
This is not a residential fellowship programme and since fellows will be working in their area of residence, all accommodation related arrangements will be the responsibility of the fellows. However, with regards to work, the host/partnering organizations may accommodate fellows in their premise, on availability.
The fellowship programme is a full-time paid engagement which requires complete dedication and commitment from the fellows. Therefore, it is preferred that fellows do not engage in other activities that may hamper their work or focus towards the fellowship programme. However, if the fellows can manage and intends to pursue voluntary engagements (with prior intimation) and keeping in mind that the latter must not affect the former, then in that case it may not be a problem.
At the start of the programme year, the fellows are expected to complete 12 months of the fellowship with full commitment and dedication. At the end of the 11th month, if a fellow decides to drop-out from the fellowship programme for any reason, he/she can do so with one month’s notice.
Interested applicants are advised to read all the information on the website for better understanding of the fellowship programme. In case of a query/doubt, please write to ncpedp.fellowship@gmail.com.