Build for Bharat Fellowship 2026 – Apply Now to Use Your Tech Skills for Real-World Impact

About the Fellowship

The Build for Bharat Fellowship aims to identify, train, and empower early-career public-interest technologists who can strengthen, modernize, and humanize India’s digital public systems.
Fellows will work directly with government partners on real-world projects that address India’s most pressing social and governance challenges.

Key Highlights

Opportunity

Fellows will be placed within government departments to work on high-impact tech projects that:

• Improve the lives of millions of citizens, or

• Enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of government operations.

You’ll contribute to projects that drive meaningful change — from welfare platforms to data-driven policy tools.

Guidance

Every fellow will receive mentorship and guidance through:

• Online office hours and interactions with experts from top tech companies, academia, and the public sector.

• Mentors specializing in databases, distributed systems, open-source technology, cybersecurity, and design.

This ensures every participant gains not just technical experience but also real-world implementation insights.

Ecosystem

Fellows will undergo a rigorous orientation and training program focused on:

• Understanding public policy and service design,

• Navigating the complexity of government digital systems, and

• Learning how to deploy technology within real social frameworks.

This prepares them to become the next generation of Public Technologists.

Program Details

Eligibility Criteria

The fellowship is open to:

• Students or early-career professionals who are recent graduates (2024, 2025) or will graduate in 2026.

• Candidates with strong technical or design skills who want to apply them for social good.

Preferred Skill Areas:

• Design: UI/UX, User Research, Human-Centered Design

• Engineering: Full Stack Development, Open Source, Distributed Systems

• Data: Data Science, Machine Learning, AI

• GIS: Geospatial Analytics, Mapping, Remote Sensing.

Who Should Apply

You should apply if you are:

• A builder and changemaker who believes in using technology for public good.

• A problem solver who questions, innovates, and wants to make governance more efficient and humane.

• Passionate about working at the intersection of technology, design, and policy.

Application Process

You can apply based on your track — each has a dedicated application form:

• Product Design

• Data Science

• GIS (Geospatial Information Systems)

• Engineering / Full Stack Development

Conclusion

The Build for Bharat program is a remarkable opportunity for innovators, developers, and students across India to contribute to the nation’s digital growth. This initiative aims to harness local talent and creativity to build scalable tech solutions that address real-world problems faced by Indian communities.

Participants can gain national-level recognition, mentorship from experts, and a chance to transform their ideas into impactful projects.

If you’re passionate about technology and innovation, Build for Bharat is your platform to make a difference — to build for change, build for the nation, and build for the future.