Mufti Sayeed global fellowship program launched

SRINAGAR, MAY 12: The State Knowledge Initiative Platform (SKIP), constituted under the chairmanship of Advisor to Chief Minister, Prof Amitabh Mattoo, has launched the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Global Leaders Fellowship Program -2019 (MMS-GLFP) in collaboration with J&K State Sports Council.

The program is aimed to reach out to the educated youth and to develop global leaders from the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

The fellowship seeks potential leaders who have the acumen to make a difference and aims to provide a select group of outstanding young men and women from Jammu and Kashmir the opportunity to study at some of the world’s finest institutions for up to 12 months beginning in the academic session in 2019.

There shall be a maximum of 20 Fellowships for the year 2019 which shall cover international economy class return travel, tuition fees, and a modest allowance to cover boarding and lodging.

The Fellowship is inspired by the vision of the former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and is modelled after the well-known Rhodes Scholarships at the University of Oxford. The MMS-GLFP does not have any connection with the Rhodes Trust but may include former Rhodes Scholars in its selection committees. The selection to this prestigious fellowship shall be without prejudice to gender, marital status, religion, social background or disability.

The State Knowledge Initiative Platform has identified six Universities for the Fellowship in 2019:  Oxford and Cambridge (in the United Kingdom); Harvard, Yale and Princeton (in the United States of America); and Melbourne (in Australia).

To be eligible, the applicants must have been born no later than 31st December 1994 and should be below 25years of age on the last date of submission of the application that is 20th June 2018. Applicants should have completed an undergraduate degree from any University in Jammu and Kashmir with at least 60 percent marks or equivalent CGPA grade, should have excelled in sports or/and other extracurricular and should hold Permanent Residents’ Certificate (PRC) of the State. The candidate should also hold requisite eligibility prescribed by the identified University, to pursue the course/ programme.

Eligible candidates who are desirous of competing for the opportunity shall be required to submit a one page covering letter along with recent passport size photograph, indicating reasons for interest in the MMS-GLFP, a detailed Curriculum Vitae (of not more than 5pages) and a 1000-wordstatement on “Qualities needed to lead in the 21stCentury”. The candidates shall also submit preference of courses/programs / Universities and shall provide a reference in favor of the applicant, by consent of three willing individuals indicating their Names, designation, postal address, phone number and email.

Speaking about the Fellowship, Prof Mattoo said that the selection process shall be fair and transparent and shall involve different stages. All applications received by SKIP shall be vetted by a committee and eligible candidates shall be invited for an interview.

The short-listed candidates shall be screened by a jury chaired by a Nobel-laureate which will finally select the Fellows for 2019.  Selection as a Fellow shall not be a guarantee for admission to the University, for which the candidate has to apply separately at the individual level.

All Selected fellows who finally get admitted in the identified University will need to provide an undertaking guaranteed by two securely employed individuals of J&K that they will spend at least 12 months serving Jammu and Kashmir, latest commencing January 2023.

The applications for fellowship shall be received only by e-mail on jksportscouncil@gmail.com orknowledgeinitiative.jk@gmail.com till 5 pm on 20th June 2018.