IIM Bangalore Certification Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) is a prestigious two-year, full-time fellowship programme jointly designed by IIM Bangalore (IIMB) and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, under the SANKALP scheme. The programme leads to a Certificate in Public Policy and Management and is offered in a blended mode combining intensive classroom sessions at IIM Bangalore with hands-on district-level field immersion. It is fully funded by the Government of India with no fees charged to fellows; instead, selected candidates receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 50,000 in Year 1 and Rs. 60,000 in Year 2. The programme covered 660+ fellows across 9 IIMs in Phase II (2021-23), with IIM Bangalore managing the common admission process and overseeing fellows in states such as Karnataka, Odisha, Goa, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Tripura. MGNF is highly sought after by young graduates passionate about public policy, rural development, and governance, as it offers a rare combination of IIM-level academic training and real-world district administration experience.

As of March 2026, no new admission cycle for MGNF has been officially announced by IIM Bangalore or MSDE. The last completed batch was the 2021-23 Phase II cohort, which concluded with valedictory ceremonies in 2023. The programme is expected to be relaunched in a new phase; prospective applicants are advised to monitor the official IIMB MGNF page (www.iimb.ac.in/mgnf) and the MSDE/SANKALP portal for any upcoming admission notifications. Based on the previous cycle, the admission window typically opens in February-March, with the entrance test held in July.

Key Points

The programme is a Government of India initiative under the SANKALP scheme, making it one of the few fully government-funded fellowship programmes at a premier IIM.
Fellows are deployed in specific districts across India and work directly with District Collectors, District Skill Committees (DSCs), and State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs).
Upon successful completion, fellows are awarded a Certificate in Public Policy and Management by IIM Bangalore.
The programme is blended: it includes residential academic modules at IIM Bangalore campus and continuous district immersion for the remaining period.
Fellows are not employees of the government but receive a monthly stipend and logistical support for their district postings.
IIM Bangalore managed the common admission process for all 9 participating IIMs in Phase II, making it the nodal academic institution for MGNF.
The programme has been implemented in two phases covering 660+ districts across India, with Phase I in 6 states and Phase II expanded nationally.

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Placements
FAQs

IIMB MGNF Fees

The MGNF programme at IIM Bangalore is entirely funded by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India. There are no tuition fees, hostel fees, or any other charges payable by the selected fellows. In fact, fellows receive a monthly stipend throughout the two-year programme as compensation for their work and learning. The stipend is performance-linked for Year 2.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Amount
Tuition Fees	Nil (Fully funded by MSDE, GoI)
Hostel / Accommodation	Nil (Logistical support provided during academic modules)
Other Charges	Nil
Stipend - Year 1	Rs. 50,000 per month
Stipend - Year 2	Rs. 60,000 per month (performance-linked)
Total Fees Payable by Fellow	Nil

The entire programme cost is borne by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) under the SANKALP scheme.
Fellows receive a monthly stipend, not a salary; they are not classified as government employees.
Travel arrangements to IIM Bangalore for academic modules and IT equipment support are also provided to fellows.
The Year 2 stipend of Rs. 60,000/month is subject to satisfactory completion of Year 1 requirements.

IIMB MGNF Admission 2026

Admissions to the MGNF programme are conducted through a centralised process managed by IIM Bangalore on behalf of all participating IIMs. The selection involves a written entrance test followed by a personal interview, case analysis, and language proficiency assessment. As of March 2026, no new admission cycle has been announced; the information below is based on the last known admission cycle (2021-23 Phase II) and should be treated as indicative for any upcoming phase.

Important Dates

Event	Date (2021-23 Cycle)
Admission cycle opens / Application window opens	13 February 2021
Application deadline	27 March 2021
Admit card release	1st week of April 2021
Written Entrance Test	18 July 2021
Result declaration	7 August 2021
Personal Interview (PI)	August - September 2021
Programme commencement / District deployment	November 2021

Entrance Exam Details

Exam	Details
MGNF Written Entrance Test	Conducted by IIM Bangalore; 100 MCQs; 2 hours; 4 sections: General Awareness (25 Qs), Quantitative Ability (25 Qs), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (25 Qs), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (25 Qs); Negative marking: +3 for correct, -1 for incorrect

Note: The MGNF entrance test is a standalone exam conducted specifically for this fellowship. No external exam (such as CAT, GMAT, etc.) is required.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Must be a citizen of India with age between 21 and 30 years at the time of application.
Must hold at least a graduate degree in any discipline (Engineering, Law, Medicine, Social Sciences, etc.) from a recognised university; postgraduates are also eligible.
Proficiency in the official language of the state where the fellow will be deployed is mandatory.
Three years of work experience in the social/non-profit sector is preferred, but fresh graduates with strong motivation to work in rural/developmental areas may also apply.

Admission Process

Visit the official MGNF portal at www.iimb.ac.in/mgnf and complete the online application form.
Select the preferred state for deployment (language proficiency in the state's official language is required).
Appear for the MGNF Written Entrance Test conducted in capital cities of major states and UTs.
Candidates who clear the written test are called for a Personal Interview comprising an interview, case analysis, and language proficiency test, conducted in state capitals.
Final selection is based on performance in the written test and personal interview; district allocation is done post-selection.
Selected candidates are deployed to their assigned districts after completion of initial academic modules at IIM Bangalore.

IIMB MGNF Scholarships 2026

The MGNF programme itself is a fully funded fellowship, making it one of the most financially rewarding opportunities for young graduates interested in public policy and development. The entire programme is sponsored by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, and fellows receive a monthly stipend throughout the two-year duration. There are no additional external scholarships required or typically available for this programme, as the government funding comprehensively covers all programme costs.

Financial Support

Scholarship / Financial Support	Provider	Amount	Remarks
MGNF Stipend - Year 1	MSDE, Government of India	Rs. 50,000 per month	Paid to all selected fellows
MGNF Stipend - Year 2	MSDE, Government of India	Rs. 60,000 per month	Subject to satisfactory completion of Year 1
Programme Funding (Tuition, Logistics)	MSDE, Government of India	Full coverage	No fees payable by fellows

The stipend is disbursed monthly through NIMI (National Instructional Media Institute), the implementation partner.
Fellows must maintain satisfactory attendance and performance to continue receiving the stipend.
The stipend is not a salary; fellows are not classified as government employees.
No separate scholarship application is required; all selected fellows automatically receive the stipend.

IIMB MGNF Placement 2026

The MGNF is a fellowship programme and not a traditional degree course; hence, there are no formal campus placements. However, the programme provides significant career capital for fellows in the public policy, development, and governance sectors. Fellows who have completed the programme have gone on to work in roles such as development consultants, policy analysts, project managers in NGOs and social enterprises, state/district government advisory roles, and CSR project leads in private firms. The IIM Bangalore certificate in Public Policy and Management, combined with two years of hands-on district administration experience, is highly valued in the development sector.

Career Pathways

Career Pathway	Examples
Development Sector	NGOs, social enterprises, development consulting firms
Government Advisory	State Skill Development Missions, district administration roles
Corporate CSR	CSR project management in private companies
Higher Education / Research	Public policy research, academia
Entrepreneurship	Social entrepreneurship, rural livelihoods ventures

MGNF does not offer traditional placements.
Career outcomes depend on individual initiative and the networks built during the fellowship.

IIMB MGNF FAQs

Ques. Is the MGNF programme currently open for admissions in 2025-26?

Ans. As of March 2026, no new admission cycle for MGNF has been officially announced by IIM Bangalore or MSDE. The last completed batch was the 2021-23 Phase II cohort. Prospective applicants should regularly check www.iimb.ac.in/mgnf and the MSDE/SANKALP portal (sankalp.msde.gov.in) for any new phase announcement. Based on past cycles, the application window typically opens in February-March.

Ques. Do I need a CAT score to apply for MGNF at IIM Bangalore?

Ans. No, CAT score is not required for MGNF. The programme has its own standalone written entrance test conducted by IIM Bangalore, consisting of 100 MCQs across four sections: General Awareness, Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. The test is held in capital cities of major states and UTs.

Ques. Can I choose which district or state I will be posted to?

Ans. During the application process, candidates can indicate a preferred state for deployment. However, language proficiency in the official language of the chosen state is mandatory. The final district allocation within the selected state is done by IIM Bangalore and MSDE after the selection process, and candidates may not always get their first preference.

Ques. What happens after the two-year fellowship ends? Is there any job guarantee?

Ans. There is no job guarantee after MGNF. The programme is a fellowship, not a placement-linked degree. However, the two-year experience working with district administrations, combined with the IIM Bangalore Certificate in Public Policy and Management, opens doors in the development sector, government advisory roles, NGOs, social enterprises, and CSR functions. Several alumni have also pursued higher education in public policy after the fellowship.

Ques. Is the MGNF stipend taxable? Are there any deductions?

Ans. The MGNF stipend is paid by MSDE through NIMI. As per general tax rules in India, fellowship stipends may be exempt from income tax under Section 10(16) of the Income Tax Act if they are for educational purposes. However, fellows are advised to consult a tax professional for their specific situation, as the tax treatment can depend on individual circumstances and any updates to tax regulations.

Ques. I am a working professional above 30 years of age. Can I apply for MGNF?

Ans. No. The MGNF programme has a strict age criterion: applicants must be between 21 and 30 years of age at the time of application. This is a non-negotiable eligibility condition set by MSDE. The programme is specifically designed for young graduates and early-career professionals who can commit to two years of district-level field work.

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IIM Bangalore: 1 Answered Question

Has anyone appeared for the entrance exam for the Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship Program of IIM Bangalore? If yes, how was the experience?

Ashmita SahaBS-MS from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal (2018)

A friend of mine has recently appeared in the entrance exam of the MGNF program of IIM Bangalore and Ministry of Skill Development and he even qualified for the written exam.

He wrote the examination and just received a confirmation email for the interview process. He briefly gave an overview of the different sections of the Entrance paper which is as follows.

In the General Awareness section, you will have around 10 questions and the level of the questions are not very high. There were questions about a metal that is found in the liquid state, capital of Tripura, civil disobedience movement launched by the newest state of India, etc.
In the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section, there are a total of 30 questions. There would be two sets (5 questions each) based on a bar graph and the graph would be quite easy to read. You can solve them by using the approximation method because questions are mainly ratio-based.
Then there would be one set (5 questions) based on the pie graph which again was very easy to read and answer. Only one catch in one question is that you should know the conversion of hectares to acres. One very easy set based on the linear sitting arrangement and a few questions based on simplification. There was only one set based on some missing/incomplete tables which were tough and time-consuming.
Let us now move to the next section which was Quantitative Ability, again there would be 30 questions on topics like percentages, ratio proportion, averages, Simple interest, ages, probability, TSD, circles, cubes, time, and work, and few questions were based on simplification.
The final section of the paper is Reading comprehension and Vocabulary, again there you will have 30 questions. There were 4 small RCs consisting of 10 questions and most of the questions based on RC were inferred based on only 1 or 2 questions based on facts so this part of the paper would be a little tricky. The other 20 questions were easy to moderate level based on Synonyms, antonyms, odd man out, fillers, sentence correction, and one question was based on analogy.

So overall, I would say the paper would be easy but the only constraint would be time. Only 120 minutes for 100 questions. Out of 100 questions, 55-60 questions would be really easy and doable.

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