SBI Youth for India Fellowship 2025, Apply Now

Do you want to be the enthusiastic young person in rural India who has to reshape your own life? The SBI Youth for India Fellowship 2025–26 – You Now have a chance to shatter the norm and be associated with something BIG. Launched by SBI Foundation, this 13 months fellowship offers an exclusive business platform for the most Intelligent minds in India to be associated with leading NGO’s and work on Groundwaters projects.

If you are a recent graduate or working professional yearning to meaningfully contribute to the world this program will give you the ability to take on some of the biggest and pressing rural issues around education, women uplift, agriculture and sustainability. Keep reading to find out what you can expect — from the application and title check to all perks as a fellow with SBI Youth for India Let’s dive into how you can be changemakers;

Goal and Vision Behind the SBI Youth for India Fellowship 2025-26

The SBI Youth for India Fellowship was started with a strong vision—to connect urban youth and rural India. Fundamentally, the fellowship seeks to infuse a sense of social obligation and innovation in India’s finest brains by putting them in the grassroots, where their skills and ideas can make a real difference.

The dream is to enable young professionals to comprehend rural realities, collaborate with seasoned NGOs, and co-design lasting solutions for some of India’s most critical social and developmental issues—education, environment, women empowerment, livelihood, or health.

By developing socially aware leaders who are driven to achieve inclusive growth, SBI Foundation dreams of a world where young changemakers are catalysts for rural transformation, village by village.

This fellowship is not about service—it’s about learning, unlearning, and growing through practical experience. It’s a process that changes both the fellow and the community they are serving.

SBI Youth for India Fellowship 2025- 26 Structure and Focus Areas

The SBI Youth for India Fellowship is precisely designed to give a hands- on, immersive experience in pastoral development. The 13- month program is structured to guide fellows through the trip of understanding pastoral challenges, uniting with grassroots associations, and designing innovative results for sustainable change.

🔹 Fellowship Structure

1. Orientation & Training

Fellows start with a comprehensive induction program comprising orientation sessions, workshops, and field trips. This process is important in learning rural realities, problem-solving methodologies, and fellow expectations during the fellowship.

2. Project Planning Phase

Once they report to their assigned locations and partner NGOs, fellows determine a focus area in line with local needs. They create their project plan in collaboration with the NGO mentors and local communities.

3. Implementation Phase

Fellows work full-time in villages to implement their projects. This stage involves closely interacting with villagers, data collection, strategy modification, and problem-solving on the ground. 

4. Documentation & Knowledge Sharing

Since the fellowship is nearing its conclusion, fellows record their learnings, case studies, and impact reports. They also submit their work to peers, NGO partners, and the SBI Foundation team.

5. Alumni Engagement

Post-fellowship, fellows become part of a growing alumni network that continues to engage in social impact, entrepreneurship, and policy-making.

🔸 Focus Areas

Fellows can decide to work in one or more of the following key evolution sectors:

1. Education: Improving education quality and access in rural schools, with cutting-edge learning resources and community partnerships.
2. Health & Sanitation: Creating awareness and change in behavior toward health, hygiene, and sanitation habits.
3. Environmental Protection: Promoting sustainable agriculture, waste minimization, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience.
4. Women Empowerment: Encouraging gender empowerment by empowering rural women for economic independence, education, and leadership.
5. Rural Livelihoods: Constructing income-generating activities such as handicrafts, organic farming, and microenterprises .
6. Food Security: Improving nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and local food systems.
7. Technology: Utilizing technology to fill information gaps and improve services in rural areas.
8. Social Entrepreneurship: Designing innovation-based solutions that are scalable and sustainable.

Eligibility Criteria for SBI Youth for India Fellowship 2025-26

For SBI Youth for India Fellowship 2025-26 application, the candidates should possess the following qualifications:

1. Age Restriction

• They should be in the age range of 21 to 32 years as of the date of program activation.
• You must be born between 2nd October 1993 and 1st October 2004 (provisional on past years).

2. Educational Qualification

• You must have finished your Bachelor’s or equivalent before the start of the fellowship.
• Full-time graduation/post-graduation students registered currently are not eligible.

3. Citizenship

• The fellowship is extendable to

• Indian nationals
• Overseas Citizens of India (OCI)
• Nepali and Bhutanese nationals (in some cases)

4. Language and Communication

• Competent English skills are needed in formal communication.
• Familiarity with local Indian language is a plus but not necessary.

5. Passion for Social Impact

• SBI seeks individuals who are dedicated to rural development, problem-solving, and community service.
• A sincere interest in contributing positively to underprivileged communities is an important characteristic.

6. Flexibility and Adaptability

• Applicants must be prepared to remain and work in isolated rural areas for 13 months.
• Adaptability to harsh environments is crucial.

SBI Youth For India Fellowship Benefits and Financial Support

The SBI Youth for India Fellowship presents a great chance not only to contribute meaningfully to rural lives, but also to develop as an individual and professional — all with the benefit of funding support along the way.

• Monthly stipend of ₹16,000 for living expenses.
• ₹2,000 monthly allowance for travel expenses.
• ₹1,000 monthly allowance for project-related costs.
• ₹90,000 readjustment allowance post successful completion of the fellowship.
• Reimbursement of 3rd AC train travel from the fellow’s residence to the project site and for training sessions.
• Access to a medical insurance policy throughout the fellowship period.
• Certificate of Completion awarded during a valedictory ceremony.

Fellowship Completion Certificate

Upon completion, fellows receive an official certificate, which carries high prestige value to their academic or professional curriculum vitae, particularly in social impact and public policy.

Project Locations and Diversity Policy

Fellows are placed in 20 Indian states such as:

Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

To ensure cross-cultural awareness and education, the Fellowship has a strong “no home state” policy. Fellows are supported by support staff and collaborating NGOs in bridging language or cultural gaps.