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SBI Foundation has opened applications for the SBI Youth for India Fellowship. Graduates aged 21–32 will spend 13 months working with rural communities on development projects.
SBI Youth for India Fellowship registrations open; graduates to work in rural communities. (Representational Image)
SBI Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the State Bank of India Group, has opened registrations for the 14th batch of its SBI Youth for India Fellowship. The programme is a 13-month residential fellowship in which selected candidates work with rural communities across the country through partner non-government organisations.
The fellowship is open to graduates and young professionals aged between 21 and 32 years. Indian citizens, Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) holders, and citizens of Bhutan or Nepal can apply. SBI employees are also eligible, provided they are confirmed officers in Scale I or II. Applications can be submitted online at apply.youthforindia.org.
Programme Details And Eligibility
Participants will be placed in villages and will work with 15 partner NGOs on development projects in areas such as education, women’s empowerment, rural livelihoods, environment, water and technology. Fellows choose a theme based on their interest and work with local communities during the programme.
Speaking about the fellowship, Swapan Dhar, MD and CEO, SBI Foundation, said, “Aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, the SBI Youth for India Fellowship nurtures changemakers who bridge urban-rural divides through collaboration and empathy, not charity. Across 12 key thematic areas, including education, women’s empowerment, and rural livelihoods, Fellows drive meaningful grassroots impact while building inclusive leadership capabilities. With over 70 percent of alumni moving into social sector leadership, 50-plus social ventures launched, and partnerships with institutions such as NITI Aayog, UN Women, ILO, and J-PAL, the Fellowship continues to convert individual potential into India’s collective progress.”
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Past Batches And Work In Villages
Over the past 14 years, more than 700 fellows from 12 completed batches have worked in over 250 villages across 22 states and Union Territories. The ongoing 2025–26 batch currently has 94 fellows working on the ground. According to the organisers, community projects carried out by participants have reached over two lakh people.
In earlier batches, fellows have implemented projects such as micro-forest plantations in Madhya Pradesh and rainwater harvesting initiatives in Rajasthan to improve water availability in villages.
The fellowship began in 2011 and places young graduates with rural communities to work on development initiatives while gaining field experience in areas such as public policy, rural development and social sector work.
February 17, 2026, 17:20 IST
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