Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellows Program (India)

The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India is currently inviting applications for Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellows (PMRDF) program that was started to generate a resource pool of high quality development professionals ready to be deployed in the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts. This program provides an excellent opportunity to committed young people to contribute to enhancing development and welfare of the people in rural and tribal areas in India.

Program Objectives

The aim of PMRDF Program is to deploy young professionals in each of the IAP districts to assist the District Collector. It is a fact that the challenge of Naxalite violence cannot be dealt with by following the “business as usual” principle. New ways of increasing efficiency and effectiveness of public services must be found. This requires rigorous efforts to understand the community and its socio-cultural and political structure, local economy and its linkages, and relationship of the political and executive machinery with the community. Above all, it requires nurturing relationships among all the important actors in a way that the disaffection and discontent are addressed effectively. Creating a deep sense of empathy in the administration for the poorer and marginalized sections of society is a non-negotiable factor for democratic governance in areas under Naxalite influence. Moreover, the district administration needs strong support in improving the planning process, refurbishing the implementation machinery, monitoring results and influencing government decisions for quick redressal when necessary.

Number of Posts

The final number of PMRDFs to be posted in the IAP districts will be 180. The recruitment of PMRDFs will be done in two phases. In each phase, 90 candidates will be finally selected after the training program. This will assist in ascertaining the efficacy of the placement of the batch.

Job Responsibilities

• Conduct socio-economic and political situation analysis of the district and ascertain the felt needs of the people
• Promote micro-planning (at ward and panchayat levels) in the district
• Provide critical inputs in preparation of district plans and outcome budgets
• Conduct data crunching relating to budget outlays and utilisation of funds
• Identify critical gaps in development programs
• Create a network for voluntary cooperation in the local area
• Assist district collectors in carrying out any assignment desired by the collector.

The job requires PMRDF to have a strong commitment to the values of equity and social justice and a passion for making a difference in the lives of the people.

Eligibility Criteria

The applicants must:

• be 21-30 years old
• be a postgraduate in Social Science/ Science/ Management or a graduate in Law/ Engineering/ Medicine
• have Knowledge of Hindi and a local language used in an IAP district is desirable.
• Work experience is preferred.

Last date for submitting the applications is December 11, 2011.

For more information, visit this link.