Home - Eklavya India Foundation

Education
For

Change

Eklavya India Foundation empowers first-generation university students from historically marginalized communities – Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Nomadic and De-notified Tribes, and Other Backward Communities, representing over 1 billion people in India (12% of the world’s population). We facilitate their successful career transitions by accessing world-class higher education, breaking the poverty cycle, and inspiring them to become community role models.

The Power of Higher Education

Since 2017, Eklavya India Foundation has implemented a proven strategy focused on awareness, exposure, mentoring, and coaching, complemented by relatable role models. Our impact is evident: 700+ workshops reached a quarter million first-generation students. Our residential program guided 1,200+ students to secure admissions to 80+ leading national and international universities, alongside securing fellowships. Our 400 alumni, empowered with meaningful employment, serve as community inspirations.

Over the past 7 years, we've dedicated around 0.9 million hours to mentorship and career guidance. Our students have been awarded scholarships exceeding 5 million USD from government programs, trusts, and prestigious global institutions

Our mission is empowering underrepresented Indian communities by dismantling education and career barriers, cultivating equitable leadership, fostering social mobility, and building a just society..

Problems

Marginalized communities are historically deprived of particularly higher education and its benefits.

According to NSSO 2014 data:

Enrollment in college education (18–21-year) for Dalits (Scheduled Caste) is 20.8%.
Enrollment in college education (18–21-year) for Adivasi (Scheduled Tribes) is 15.7%.
Enrollment in college education (18–21-year) for privileged forward castes is 39.5%.

In premier universities:

Out of 10 top universities in India, students from Dalit and Adivasi groups are underrepresented in 7 universities (a recent survey of the Department of Higher Education).

According to the recent Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (GMPI):

Among these groups, 33.3% of SC, 50.6% of ST, and 27.2% of OBC are living in multidimensional poverty.

Education is one of the three dimensions of GMPI where these communities are significantly lagging and which contributed to their poverty.

Our

Solutions

Initiatives to reduce inequality and enhance marginalized student participation in premier universities:

According to NSSO 2014 data:

Enrollment in college education (18–21-year) for Dalits (Scheduled Caste) is 20.8%.
Enrollment in college education (18–21-year) for Adivasi (Scheduled Tribes) is 15.7%.
Enrollment in college education (18–21-year) for privileged forward castes is 39.5%.

In premier universities:

Out of 10 top universities in India, students from Dalit and Adivasi groups are underrepresented in 7 universities (a recent survey of the Department of Higher Education).

According to the recent Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (GMPI):

Among these groups, 33.3% of SC, 50.6% of ST, and 27.2% of OBC are living in multidimensional poverty.

Education is one of the three dimensions of GMPI where these communities are significantly lagging and which contributed to their poverty.

The Impact !

In the last 7 years, our intervention enabled over 1200 first-generation students to attend 80+ top tier global universities and development fellowship programs.

*Some of the top tier universities and development fellowships where Eklavya students are admitted:

Testimonial

"I come from a community where girls get married in their teenage. Eklavya not only guided me but gave me confidence to study in prestigious institution like Fergusson College in Pune. I am the first woman in my village to travel to cities like Pune for education. With the continuous mentoring from Eklavya, I have recently achieved the spot at the Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University with a scholarship of 10 lakh rupees which is 10 times my family income. I am mentoring my younger sibling and other girls in the community to get higher education and gain meaningful jobs so that they won't get married early.”

"4 Years ago, one of my village friends suggested me to attend Eklavya’s workshop. At that time, I was engaged in wage work to support my family's livelihood. As a Dalit child, pursuing further education was discouraged. However, Eklavya's workshop became a turning point, igniting my confidence. With Eklavya's mentoring support, I gained admission to the esteemed TISS for a master's degree. I am proud to be the first Dalit student from our village to attend such a prestigious university. Today, I'm enjoying a stable income and am able to support my family and younger siblings in their career pursuits."

"I belong to a nomadic tribe community in Yavatmal. I learned about Eklavya’s foreign education program through social media. One of my close friends suggested to attend it, because I aspired for foreign education. At the boot camp, I met a bunch of mentors studying in premier universities abroad who inspired me and boosted my confidence to pursue studies in global universities. A year-long mentoring and coaching helped me in applying for the right course, university, scholarship applications, IELTS preparation, and immigration procedures. Today, I am the first student in my village to travel overseas."

WE EKLAVYA

Reaching out to more students in need and also volunteers and mentors are key to this movement.

Join Us in Transforming Lives Through Quality Higher Education

At Eklavya India Foundation, we believe in the power of quality education to change lives and shape futures.

With your support, we are making the difference in the lives of students belonging to historically marginalized communities in India by providing the same.

Email-id

For queries related to Undergraduate and Postgraduate program -hello@eklavyaindia.org

For queries related to Eklavya Global Scholars Program – eklavyagsp@gmail.com

Please note: Mails will be responded to within 48 hours.

Head Office

971 Vishal Nagar, Pimpalgaon Road Yavatmal, Maharashtra
Pin code: 445001

Change

Our mission is empowering underrepresented Indian communities by dismantling education and career barriers, cultivating equitable leadership, fostering social mobility, and building a just society..

Problems

Our

Solutions

The Impact !

Testimonial

Join Us in Transforming Lives Through Quality Higher Education

Email-id

Head Office

Newsletter Sign Up

SURVEY FORM - Aspiring and Applying for Overseas Higher Education

GSP - Master's Cohort Application 🎓

GSP - PhD. Cohort Application 🎓

Mentors Registration - Masters/PhD 📣

Featured in Career360 Magazine - Eklavya’s GSP will ‘create leaders with empathy'

Glimpses of the GSP Residential Bootcamp (In the last 2 years, GSP has held 5 bootcamps)

GSP Alumni - Kursongkit Lepcha (University of Cambridge)

GSP Alumni - Pooja Maske (NOS Awardee, University of Bristol)

GSP Alumni - Vaibhav Sonone (Commonwealth Scholar, University of Leeds )

GSP Alumni - Raju Sarkar (NOS Awardee, University of Manchester)

GSP Alumni - Kiran Kurma (MH Govt Awardee, University of Leeds )

After JNU, IIT, tribal students at Yavatmal’s Eklavya now dream global—Chevening to DAAD

परदेशात शिक्षण घ्यायचंय? काळजी कसली करता, एकलव्य आहे ना...!

Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj Scholarship for Study Abroad (by Maha. Govt) Session

University of Oxford - India Centre Scholarships Session

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship - Introductory session

Chevening Scholarship Resources | Seven Sessions

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