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Teach for India – Selection Process

Every career decision is tough. and it is true in case of teach for india also. here, i have made the sequential layout of the selection process for anyone who want to understand the complexity of its nature. a lot of contemplation accompanied by consistent deliberation is required right from day 1..

Application Open: May 01 2015 

Application Deadline: Feb 08 2016

Step 1 (a): An extensive application (For more details, visit – www.teachforindia.org )

It encompasses all the details right from your education to professional experience. They had five sections in the application – a. Basic Information b. Professional Information – Current job description, 2 essays about achievements showing your perseverance and leadership. c. Education Information – Extra-curricular activities, sports, any other achievements, scores d. Interests and experiences – Activities, clubs etc. e. Essays – This is the most important section. It had three essays. Note that they are looking for demonstrated excellence and they want to know your story through these essays. Lot of self-analysis and reflective thinking is required to write these essays. It took me 4 weeks of time, 15-20 reviews and countless keystrokes to finish my draft. f. Location – Finally, you need to upload your passport size photo with choice of location for both assessment centre and fellowship.

Step 1 (b): AMCAT Exam

Once, you submit the application; you will get a request link to register for a written AMCAT examination. You need to access the link and submit the exam within 3 days from the date of submission of application. This exam contains basic questions from critical reasoning and data interpretation. Basic high-school math and logical reasoning is enough to get you through this.

Step 2: Pre-assessment Centre Prep

The result for the second round will be announced within 2 two weeks after the deadline. In my case, I received an e-mail on 25th Feb. I was thrilled. I was given three dates to choose my assessment centre. I quickly chose the one which is comfortable for me. Along with the mail, I had received an attached instruction manual for the assessment centre. I carefully read through it.

It had four main activities – 1. Five-minute Mock Lesson Plan  2. Group Discussion 3. critical Reasoning 4. Personal Interview

Before the assessment, I had 2 weeks with me to prepare. I started reading my essays again to extract any hidden questions that might pop out during the interview. I spent most of my time in preparing for the lesson plan. I chose fourth grade science among the four options given to me. And my topic was Water Cycle. I had a lot of examples in my mind that I could use to demonstrate each phenomenon. I worked on my plan till the last day and also came with an interactive game at the end of the lesson. During this time, I wanted to know for sure what I was getting into. I had only imagined things in my mind until then. So, I wanted to see the kind of challenges that were actually faced by TFI fellows on the ground. The purpose of this visit was just to assess/gauge if I was really equipped enough to justify my job. With the help of a friend, I got in touch with some wonderful people who helped me visit a school Chennai (Thiruvanmiyur Corporation School). Now, that was a government school nothing like I had expected. A sprawling play ground with basketball court and a centre stage. The classrooms were big, but ill-equipped; no tables and chairs. I sat through two class-rooms. One was a 4th grade reading class where I observed the these unique things –

1. Greeting – I was pleasantly greeted in unison as I entered the class – good morning & how are you? To which I replied back – I am good. How are you? And there was an instant connection. 2. Value education – I saw values being taught at every instance during the classroom. Students were made to reflect, think and find out their mistakes to rectify them 3. Individual focus – Fellow was providing excellent individual attention since it was a reading class. 4. Rollercoaster clap – This is the fun part. Students had this unique personalized clap where they would a wave with their hand and clap thrice. And would use these on special occasions like when someone answers a question in the class correctly. There might be a lot of other tricks to engage the class too but as a layman, this occurred to me as something that even I can use if I ever get a chance. And it was fun  5. English Proficiency – And lastly, every student was speaking in English and it was the only acceptable mode of communication in the classroom. It was more than an assurance that TFI was a working model which is showing results on the ground. Every second I spent in the classroom was worth it.

After a couple of days, TFI also conducted a support session for the assessment centre to help us understand teach for India’s selection procedure closely. Although I knew most things they mentioned, I did learn one or two new things about the selection process. They also explicitly mentioned about the reporting time and how coming late will directly disqualify you.

Step 3: Assessment Centre

The big day; the day I have been waiting for all along. my assessment centre was on 6th March. It was at a place called American International School. Yes, that was the biggest irony but they had their own reasons of logistics and accommodation which absolutely makes sense when you think about it. It was 12 Kms away from the place where I stay and I had to reach the centre by 08:15. I booked a cab so that the charts I had prepared for my lesson won’t get damaged on the way. I reached 5 minutes beforehand and finished my security check within the next 10 minutes. To my surprise, I was the first one to reach the centre. I waited for another 10 minutes while listening to my favourite opera music when I saw two more candidates walking in. After a few minutes of interaction, I found out that all of us were from diverse backgrounds. By 08:40, a TFI guy came gave us a piece of paper and tape to use them as name badges. At 09:00m, we were all ushered into a hall and we were shown some videos about teach for india, most of which I had already seen on YouTube. After a brief presentation, we had an ice breaker introduction session. Then we were split into 3 groups of 6 people each.

Our group started with 5-minute lesson. We were given one minute to prepare everything and 5 minutes to teach. I was the last one to go. I was anxiously sitting and waiting for my turn while observing and participating in others teaching activity. Within no time, my turn had come. I started with an example of evaporation and instantly, I was asked a question by the panel member. I took some to assimilate the question, complimented the question and answered it to the best of my knowledge. Then we moved on to the group discussion. It was based on a scenario where each one of us got one cue card. On each of them, there will be one entity that a school would require. I had got sports equipment and cost of cricket set and football was mentioned on it. Similarly, there were science lab, computers, library etc. And collectively, we were given three lakh rupees to spend on a school. So, I had to convince the other members to buy sports equipment. I was successful to an extent. After 15 minutes, they changed the budget from 3 lakhs to 2 lakhs. So, the course of the entire discussion so far had to be altered and finally I managed to steer the discussion to a logical output and announced the final decision to the panel. After a 5 minute break, we had to write a small twenty-minute exam on critical reasoning and then a small reflective passage about the challenges that you anticipate as a fellow in TFI and how you will go about to tackle those challenges. This was the end of the first half of the day. And there was a mid-day evaluation. After one-hour of waiting, they called each one of us separately to give us feedback and tell us if we got selected for the personal interview. I was called in last and he told me instantly that I got selected for the next round. You may wait inside (High Five). So, after few more minutes of patient waiting, I was given my interview slot at 17:00 hr. Till then, I had a chance to interact with the other candidates, got to know about them a bit more. As I have mentioned earlier, all of them were from diverse background. As a male engineering graduate, it was the first time in my life where I felt like I was in the minority both in terms of education and gender. Finally, I was called in at around 16:30. I had a lady interviewing me. It was an hour-long interview. It was mostly professional and based out of my essays and other life experiences. There were one or two occasions where I felt uncomfortable while narrating few personal accounts. But overall, it was a really good experience and at the end of the interview, I had a fairly good insight about myself and where I stand in life. I left the assessment centre with a smile. I knew I had given my best and it was a humble attempt from my side to eradicate education inequity in this country. On 14th March 2016, I got an email about my selection. I will continue to write about the journey in TFI and my learning through this experience.

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I read the whole article, which I generally don’t do. Thanks for sharing the deets. It’s helpful.

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Frequently Asked Questions

We answer the most common questions about the Teach For India Fellowship below.

• | The Fellowship
• | Leadership Training
• | Location & Placement
• | Compensation & Benefits
• | Post Fellowship Opportunities
• | Application Process
• | Other Questions

The Teach For India Fellowship: Why and How

Why should i join teach for india.

Teach For India offers you the chance to make a real difference in tackling one of India's most pressing challenges — educational inequity. By placing you in an underserved classroom, the Fellowship is an opportunity to impact the lives of entire classroom(s) of children. You develop your leadership skills which are critical in today's dynamic global work environment. The Fellowship Program allows you to become a part of the solution and grow as a change agent in society. In short, the Teach For India Fellowship is an opportunity for you to:

• Find Your Purpose Develop an awareness of how poverty and inequity impacts India's children. Discover your values, strengths and areas of development, passion and purpose.
• Become a Leader Deliver bold possibilities for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to realise their full potential. Build concrete leadership skills of envisioning, stakeholder management planning, execution and reflection in challenging environments. 
• Join a Movement Work with diverse stakeholders towards a shared vision. Become part of a movement of 4,000+ Fellows across India and countless more globally who will be your lifelong partners in this work.
• Drive Change Work at the grassroots level, and impact the lives of children and their families. Don't just talk about the India you envision. Build an India free of poverty and filled with love.

What does the Teach For India Fellowship entail?

• The Fellowship is a 2-year, full-time, paid commitment.
• Fellows are placed in under-resourced English-medium classrooms in a government or low-income private school.
• Fellows work as subject/class teachers for a set of 40-80 Students, where they:

- take responsibility for students' academic and holistic learning outcomes growth. - empower and enable the parents of Students. - collaborate with school faculty and staff to create a conducive learning environment for all Students and learn about the grassroots challenges and enablers.

• Fellows work closely with other Fellows and staff members to learn, facilitate, and enable each other's leadership development and growth.
• Fellows embark on their own leadership development journey where they: 

- practice skills and traits of leadership through their daily work, reflective spaces, coaching conversations, and feedback loops. - plan, execute and monitor their work while mobilising stakeholders regularly. - drive a "Be The Change Project" - an entrepreneurial project rooted in solving daily challenges their Students encounter.

What does Teach For India look for in a Fellow?

We look for: 

• A deep belief in an equitable India and an excellent education for all children.
• Leadership potential and openness to learning.
• Courage - an orientation to set bold and ambitious goals for their children and themselves.
• Problem-solving abilities to navigate the many challenges they will encounter. 
• Collaborative skills to work with diverse people towards shared goals.

How many Fellows does Teach For India currently have?

The Fellowship has approximately 490+ Year 1 Fellows and 430+ Year 2 Fellows teaching across eight cities.

Where do Fellows come from? What is the composition of the cohort like?

Over the years, we have seen 4,500+ individuals complete the Fellowship. In the cohort, one will experience the following:

• Professional diversity  - We have seen applicants from over 500 universities and 300 organisations apply to the Fellowship. 
• We have  recent graduates and postgraduates  from diverse degrees and Institutions such as LSR, Hindu College, Daulat Ram, Christ College, Anna University, Fergusson College, St. Xaviers, Jadavpur University, TISS, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi University, Symbiosis, Wellesley, Illinois Urbana Champagne, Franklin & Marshall, etc.
• We attract ‍ ‍ professionals  pivoting from corporate jobs (who want to #DoMore than a 9-5 job) or other social sector professionals looking to work at the grassroots. These include professionals from Aditya Birla, Citibank, Axis Bank, Deloitte, E&Y, Salesforce, TCS, Zensar, Amazon, Infosys, ICICI, Make A Difference, etc.
• Some are  entrepreneurs  keen to grow their leadership skills and explore the grassroots of India through the medium of the Fellowship. ‍
• Age diversity  - Our Fellows range from the age of 22 to 55. It is never too late or too early to begin creating social impact and driving sustainable change in the world, no matter what stage of life you are at. ‍
• Regional diversity  - Our Fellows come from all over the country, and we have some foreign nationals of Indian origin too. We have Fellows from varied cultural backgrounds.

Leadership Development, Training and Readiness

How does teach for india's approach to teaching differ from traditional approaches.

At Teach For India, we believe in imparting a holistic education that enables children to excel academically and gain a holistic education rooted in children's personal growth. Students (and Fellows) are encouraged and empowered to explore their growth, enable others around them, and constantly strive to positively impact the community around them.   We believe that teaching is leadership. For our Fellows and Students to be leaders, we focus on building skills and mindsets through our Leadership Development Journey (LDJ).

Is it mandatory to have prior teaching experience in order to apply for the Fellowship?

No, teaching experience is not required to be a Fellow. The Fellowship provides adequate training and development to help individuals learn the knowledge and skills of being a great teacher.

Will I be trained adequately before I start teaching?

• The Fellowship begins with a residential training program (also known as Institute) where you will be exposed to curriculum, lesson planning, classroom facilitation and Student assessments, among other modules, sessions and keys to successful teaching. 
• Additionally, you will embark on your leadership journey and explore your strengths, values and stakeholder engagement. 
• You will also have a Programme Manager support and coach you to lead yourself and your students. 
• Moreover, in the first few weeks, you will be placed in a classroom as a full-time teacher and receive ongoing on-the-job training to improve yourself continually. 

How will the Teach For India experience help me grow professionally? What will I learn?

Through the Fellowship, you will learn transferable leadership skills and traits, including the following: 

• Connect : As you work closely with other teachers, parents, school staff and your Students, you will learn to listen deeply, empathise, and build strong relationships.
• Envision : As you envision a bold, new future for your children, you will learn to dream big for yourself and others.
• Plan : As you plan for Students at different levels with a wide range of needs and interests, you will learn advanced planning, organisational and time management skills.
• Execute : As you learn to teach Students to learn in ways that meet their varied learning styles, you will discover a range of communication, management and team skills. ‍
• Reflect : As you pause to see where your Students have progressed and ask what you might have done better in and beyond class, you will learn to reflect deeply and make meaning of every challenge and opportunity.

Location and Placement

Where will i be teaching.

As a Teach For India Fellow, you will be placed in schools in underserved communities in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai or Pune. All Fellows will be required to reside in one of these cities during the period of the Fellowship.

Which grade will I teach and what will be the medium of instruction?

As a Teach For India Fellow, you will be placed in grade 1 to 10 classrooms where you will teach all major subjects — including English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science, except for regional languages. Although the mother tongue helps interact within our communities, it is not a necessary prerequisite, as you will be teaching in English medium classrooms.

Compensation and Benefits

How much will i be paid during the fellowship.

As a Teach For India Fellow, you will be paid a stipend of INR 23,043 per month. If you are relocating from your home city, you will receive a City Compensatory Allowance (CCA) ranging from INR 5,300 to INR 10,000, depending on your placement city during the Fellowship.

Will I be eligible for the stipend during the Summer Institute?

Yes, you will be eligible for the stipend even during the Summer Institute. However, Fellows relocating to a different city become eligible for the City Compensatory Allowance only once they move to their respective Teach For India placement city.

What additional benefits does the organisation provide?

• A stipend of INR 23,043 per month.
• A housing allowance of INR 5,300–10,000 (depending on the placement city).
• Reimbursements for work-related expenses (e.g. school supplies on a per-child cost basis).
• Health insurance of up to INR 100,000 and access to free counselling.
• Casual and sick leave, national, regional and school holidays and a summer break.
• Access to our career fair after the Fellowship.

Post Fellowship Opportunities

What options will be open to me after the fellowship.

Our Alumni study and work across India and around the world. Teach For India supports its Fellows to pursue their career interests by training and mentoring them and striving to build relationships with NGOs, corporations, top schools and universities. Here's a list of common pathways pursued by our Alumni:

• They choose to stay as  teachers and leaders in schools  or community centres — for example, iTeach Schools, Akanksha Foundation, and Simple Education Foundation. 
• They support schools through  curriculum  and assessment reform,  large-scale teacher training  and  ed-tech , like Khan Academy and LEAD School.
• They work on  policy and governance issues , supporting governments directly on large-scale systemic reforms in education. Samagra and Central Square Foundation are some of these organisations.
• They launch their own enterprises, treading the path of  social entrepreneurship . Mantra4Change, Leadership For Equity, TrustIn, and Indian School of Democracy are just a few of the organisations set up by our Alumni. 
• They choose to pursue their  graduate or doctoral education  at top universities in India and abroad in institutions like Azim Premji University, Indian School of Business, IIM, Harvard, Columbia and London School of Economics.
• They enter the  corporate sector  to work with consulting firms or on a CSR team. For example, BCG, Sattva, Thermax and LTTS.

How does Teach For India support Fellows with their post-Fellowship opportunities?

Teach For India hosts two Career Fairs for its second-year Fellows in the last quarter of their Fellowship:

• The Internal Career Fair for staff roles within Teach For India.
• The External Career Fair with over 100 diverse employers (from the education, social development and corporate sectors) offering roles up to mid-level positions. 

In addition, Fellows receive support for post-Fellowship opportunities through training and review sessions on topics like Resume making and mock interviews.

Other Questions

Can i be engaged in any external professional or academic engagement during the course of the fellowship.

No. The Fellowship is a two-year full-time commitment. We do not permit our Fellows to be involved in any other external professional or academic engagements during their Fellowship.

Can I defer my place in the Fellowship?

We do not currently offer deferrals, due to the changing needs of schools from year to year, and the unpredictability of teacher shortages.

Application Process

How can i apply to the teach for india fellowship.

Visit apply.teachforindia.org to begin your application process.

When is the application deadline?

Visit apply.teachforindia.org to know the upcoming application deadline. An applicant can apply only once during each selection cycle, that is, between July 2023 and March 2024.

What is the eligibility criteria to apply to the 2024 Teach For India Fellowship?

You are eligible to apply for the 2024 Fellowship cohort if you: 1. Completed graduation by June/July 2024.

2. Are applying for the first time for 2024 Fellowship cohort, since July 2023.

3. Are a citizen of India or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI).

Why have I not received a confirmation email yet?

Our system is compatible with email services such as Gmail and Yahoo. However, some email services, such as Hotmail, have a highly restrictive email filter, and our email may not get delivered. We request you register using a Gmail or Yahoo account.

Additionally, please check your Spam/Junk folder for our email. If you are still waiting to receive an email, please send a mail to  [email protected]  and we will get back to you within 48 hours.

When will I hear back from Teach For India once I submit my application form?

You will hear back with the outcome of your application form via email within 10 working days from the submission date.

Will Teach For India offer support during the Selection process?

We have a dedicated team to support you through the selection process and journey until our Summer Institute. These include spaces to learn about Teach For India, hear from Fellows and Alumni, clinics to prepare effectively for the Application Form and Assessment Centre and a Recruiter point-of-contact for any additional queries.

Still have questions about the Fellowship? Please write to [email protected]

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Building a movement of leaders

The teach for india fellowship is an opportunity for india’s brightest and most promising talent, stemming from the nation’s best institutions and firms, to serve as full-time teachers to children from low-income communities in under-resourced schools. , contact us at [email protected] if interested in learning more., *please note only indian citizens or individuals with an oci are eligible for the fellowship., teach for india's fellowship is a powerful two-year grassroots immersion program. having worked with students, and forged first-hand critical relationships with principals, parents, and public institutions, fellows emerge as informed, invigorated, and empathetic future leaders in the social sector.  tfi fellows then graduate and become a part of our alumni. 77% of the alumni stay in the education and social sectors, creating a movement of leaders and leveraging the multiplier effect to collectively build a vibrant continuum towards educational equity..

the Fellows’ impact on our students is real, and measurable.

Watch the Fellows, Students, and Alumni in action:

Teach for india’s alumni are impacting 1 in 10 children in india in our quest to erase educational inequity..

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