Know India Programme
Know India Programme (KIP) is a flagship initiative for Diaspora engagement which familiarizes Indian-origin youth (18-30 years) with their Indian roots and contemporary India, through a three-week orientation programme organised by the Ministry. In 2016, the scheme was revamped to increase duration from 21 to 25 days, with a 10-day visit to one or two States and preference given to PIOs from Girmitiya countries. Since 2016, six KIPs are being organised in a year. For the first time, four KIP groups (37-40th edition) participated in the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention from 7 to 9 January 2017 in Bengaluru. In the current financial year 2017-18 four editions of Know India Programme (41st-44th )have already been organised with the total participation of 160 PIO youths, 40 in each group. Two more editions (45 &46th ) are scheduled to be organised from 29 January -22 February, 2018 and 12February-08 March, 2018. So far a total number of 1460 PIO youths have participated in this programme, till 44th KIP.
An online portal (kip.gov.in) has been launched in 2017 exclusively for Know India Programme. Indian-origin youth now submit their applications online for participation in the KIP to the Indian Missions/Posts abroad. A maximum of 40 Indian Diaspora youth are selected for each programme and provided full hospitality in India. 90% of the total cost of international airfare is also paid by the Ministry. The entire process of applying, processing etc. is now through a portal (kip.gov.in).
The content of the programme broadly includes the following:
- Presentations on the country, political process, developments in various sectors.
- Interaction with faculty and students at a prestigious University/College/Institute
- Presentation on the industrial development and visits to some Industries
- Visit to a village to better understand the typical village life
- Visit to Agra
- Visit to one or two focus states in India
- Interaction with NGOs and organizations dealing with women affairs
- Visit to places of historical importance/Monuments
- Taking part in Cultural programmes
- Exposure to yoga
- Call on high dignitaries, which may include Vice President of India, President House, Parliament, Union Ministers, Governor and Chief Ministers of partner states. Etc
Further details are available on kip.gov.in