The Deshpande Fellowship Program (DFP) is a six-month residential program for young social leaders. Fellows receive the knowledge, skills, and practices necessary for success in the development sector. The rigorous program emphasizes the DCSE’s three core themes—innovation, scalability, and entrepreneurship—through various course modules, guest speakers, and field activities. Practical components play an important role in the fellow’s development as they test theories and develop skills in leadership and entrepreneurship. Throughout the program, fellows are pushed to learn, achieve, and develop into thoughtful, influential leaders. The DFP ensures that upon its conclusion, fellows can apply their teachings to their future careers or in starting their own innovative social enterprise.

       The objectives of the DFP are to:

• Build the fellow’s knowledge of the history and current context of development and social entrepreneurship, both in India and internationally;
• Establish in fellows the soft skills necessary for effective management and leadership;
• Train the next generation of social entrepreneurs and change-agents in specific technical skills, providing them with the tools needed to leverage their efforts for significant change;
• Develop a network of human resources to innovate and implement both efficient and scalable approaches for resolving the most intractable challenges facing developing countries.

The DFP is no ordinary academic or training program. It is uniquely focused purely on social entrepreneurship. While the program curriculum does include theoretical courses, emphasis is heavily placed on practical learning. Through practical learning, fellows are able to develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills, understand rural development, and learn on-the-ground from the area’s rich NGO network. Course instructors emanate from the top of their fields, including local, national, and international lecturers. Successful social entrepreneurs serve as guest speakers, adding to the practical and theoretical teachings by sharing their personal experiences to motivate and inspire. Fellows also have unlimited access to DF’s vast network of social and corporate professionals and non-profit organizations, and are encouraged to begin developing their own network.

The DFP places heavy emphasis on individual attention development, mentoring, and monitoring, and therefore keeps each batch in the range of 20-25 fellows.

Yes, all fellows must live in the group hostel. Living together is an important way for fellows to build supportive relationships and learn from each other. Fellows also have many group assignments to complete at night. Living together encourages fellows to help each other, read together, and exchange knowledge and ideas. The hostel has full internet access.

The fellowship includes a 45 day residential pre-training component plus the 6 month program component. Pre-training includes English language and technology courses. Final admission into the program is offered only after selected candidates successfully pass the pre-training component.

Yes. The fee includes INR 3,500 for the 45 day pre-training plus INR 30,000 for the 6 month program. However, throughout the fellowship fellows are paid a performance-based stipend up to INR 30,000 per fellowship period.

The INR 30,000 program fee must be paid in full before the deadline at the beginning of the fellowship period (the deadline will be disclosed upon acceptance to the program). Similarly, the INR 3,500 pre-training fee must be paid in full at the beginning of the pre-training program.

In order to ensure that the DFP opportunity be made available to applicants from all backgrounds, DFP offers a low-interest loan option. Fellows can borrow up to INR 50,000 to cover the cost of the program plus any applicable living expenses.

As soon as they enter the program, fellows are responsible for paying the entire program fee. If a fellow chooses to leave, the program fee will not be returned.

Yes. The 23-28 age range is only a preference. The DFP will consider qualified candidates older than 28 years.

Everyone who submits a completed application must travel to Hubli at their own expense to undergo a reasoning test, group interview, and personal interview.

Yes. Everyone must submit an INR 500 application fee in order to be considered. This fee must be paid at the time your application is submitted, by the application deadline. The fee can be paid by cash, by DD, or by check. DDs and checks should be made out to BVB-DCSE. DDs are payable to Hubli syndicate bank. Make sure that if you are paying with a DD to submit the DD number with your application.

The letters of recommendation should be submitted by a senior officer at your previous employment, head of your academic institution, or a professor. Your recommenders should know you well, be informed about the program, and be able to attest to your qualifications for participating in the program.

Yes. The recommendation should be in the form of a letter addressed to the DFP, and at the minimum should address all of the points listed on the recommendation template. The chart on the recommendation template should also be filled out. The recommendation should not be in the form of a filled-out template.

Yes. Please visit our online application and recommendation forms.