Embassy of India

Lisbon, Portugal

Guidelines for Know India Programme (KIP)
About the Programme: KIP is an engagement programme for Diaspora youth (between the age of 18-30 years) of Indian origin to introduce them to India and promote awareness about different facets of Indian life, our cultural heritage, art and various aspects of contemporary India. This programme is open to youth of Indian origin (excluding non-resident Indians) with preference to those from Girmitiya countries (Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana, T&T, Jamaica etc.). The programme has been in existence since 2003.

Main elements of KIP:
a) Understanding of India’s political system, economy, society, and developments in various sectors etc.

b) Visit to places of historical, cultural, religious importance.

c) Familiarisation with art, music and culture of India.

d) Visit to industrial sites.

e) Visit to a village.

f) Interaction with non-profit organizations.

g) Meetings with senior leadership/officials in India.

h) Visit to a select state in India for 10 days.

Arrangements:
(a) The Ministry of External Affairs will take care of participants only for the duration of the program. If participants wish to arrive in India early or stay extra, they will have to make their own arrangements.

(b) The participants are provided local hospitality e.g. boarding/lodging in budget hotels and Internal transportation in India.

(c) Indian Missions/ Aboard Posts will arrange for return air tickets before participants leave for India, after getting 10% of total air fare from them.

(d) Gratis visa shall be granted to selected participants by the Indian Missions/Posts abroad.

Eligibility Criteria: Non Resident Indians are not eligible for KIPs.

Age: The programme is open to youth of Indian origin (excluding non-resident Indians) in the age group of 18-30 years, as on the first day of the month in which the programme is expected to begin. It is open to PIO youth from all over the world. Applicant must provide his/her previous PIO card number or that of his parents, grandparents or great grandparents. In the absence of any documentary proof of Indian Origin, the applicant must submit a written undertaking about his Indian Origin which must be attested by DCM/DCG or HOM/HOP of the Mission/Consulate.

Previous participation: The applicant should not have participated in any previous KIP or Internship Programme for Diaspora Youth (IPDY) Study India Programme of MEA or any other programme organized and paid for by the Ministry of External Affairs and any other Ministry/Department in Government of India or a State Government in India.

Those who have not visited India before will be given preference.

Educational Qualification: Minimum qualification required for participating in KIP is graduation from a recognized University/Institute or enrolled for graduation.

Language: The applicants should be able to speak in English, should have studied English as a subject at the High School level or have English as the medium of instruction for undergraduate course.

Duration
a) 25 days (excluding international travel) with 10 days in the partner State. The 25 day period includes the date of arrival and departure.

Intake:

(i) The total number of participants in a KIP will not exceed 40. If there are less than 20 applicants, KIP will not be conducted and applicants can opt to join for the next KIP, if they wish to.

(ii) Effort will be made for balanced participation of male and female PIOs in each KIP.

International Medical and Travel Insurance: There have been some previous instances in KIPs where participants have faced health issues during their visit to India. In the absence of a valid travel and medical insurance policy, it is difficult to settle the expenditure incurred on the medical care for the participant while in India. Therefore, all KIP participants are advised to obtain an international travel and medical insurance policy for their visit to India.

Criteria for Selection of Participants:
(a) Preference would be given to Indian origin persons from Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago (also known as Girmitiya countries)

(b) Person selected would be within 18-30 years of age.

(c) If for any reason, the confirmed KIP candidates drop out 20 days before KIP starts, the slot will be offered to the candidates in the reserve list as per their placing in the list.

Responsibilities of the Partner State:
(i) The State Government will arrange visit of the participants to places of historic, cultural, industrial and tourist importance in the State.

(ii) The State Government will facilitate participants meeting with leadership in State Government.

(iii) Include exposure of village life for one/ two days.

(iv) Arrange interactive sessions in premier universities/ organizations of the State.

(v) Arranged cultural programmes showcasing the State’s cultural heritage.

(vi) Ensure security of KIP participants and provide medical care as per requirement.

(vii) Designate a Nodal Officer for coordinating the programme within the State.

(viii) Designate a nodal officer of the State Government with whom MEA can coordinate.

(ix) Designate a Liaison Officer for the KIP Group during their tour of the State.

(x) Bring any untoward incident during KIP with regard to safety, security and health of KIP participants immediately to the attention of this Ministry.

(xi) Include the Regional Passport Officer and the Ministry of External Affairs Branch Secretariat Officer in the formal meetings of the KIP participants with State Government Dignitaries.

(xii) Arrange for a wrap up session chaired by a Minister of the State/Senior Official and distribute certificates of the programme, if it ends in the State.

FAQs:
What is the objective of the Know India Programme (KIP) and its content?
Earlier known as Internship Programme for Diaspora Youth (IPDY), it is a three-week internship programme for Diaspora youth conducted by the Ministry with a view to promote awareness on India, its socio-cultural diversity, its all round development, its emergence as an economic powerhouse, it being a centre of higher education and the ongoing developments in various fields including infrastructure, Information technology etc.

The content of the programme may include the following:
1. Visit and stay at a prominent University/College/Institute.

2. Activities related to youth.

3. Visit to Industries

4. Visit to a village

5. Exposure to Indian media and Film Industry.

6. Presentations on the country, the constitution, political process etc.

7. Interaction with NGOs and/or organizations dealing with women affairs.

8. Calls on high dignitaries, which may include President, Ministers of OIA, Youth Affairs and Sports, Women and Child Development.

9. Visit to places of historical importance/Monuments.

10. Cultural events

Who all can participate in KIP and what are the selection criteria?
The programme is open to youth of Indian origin (excluding non-resident Indians) in the age group of 18-30 years as on the first day of the month in which the programme is expected to start. The candidates should either be studying in the under-graduate level or should have completed under-graduation or equivalent. They should be well conversant in English. The applicant should not have participated in any previous KIP or Internship Programme for Diaspora Youth (IPDY).

The applicant needs to apply to the Indian Mission/Post in his country. Subject to the fulfilment of requisite criteria participants are selected by the Ministry. Participation from all countries is encouraged.

How many participants are usually taken in the program?
The total number of participants in any of the Programme may be up to 40.

What are the facilities provided to the participants under the program?
The facilities provided to the participants, under KIP include: Local hospitality e.g. boarding/lodging in State guest houses or three star hotels. Internal travel and local transport as per the Programme. Per diem allowance of Rs. 100/- for out-of-pocket expenses. Gratis visa by Indian Missions/Posts abroad. 90% of the total cost of air ticket for the cheapest economy class fare from their respective country to India is reimbursable to the participants by Indian missions / posts abroad on successful completion of the Programme by them.

How do I apply to KIP? Are there any guidelines or application form available?
Complete application for the programme is to be submitted in the prescribed application form to the Indian Diplomatic Mission/Consular Post that covers the area of residence of the applicant along with photographs.

How do I come to know about the dates of the Programs being organized?
Details of the Programme are posted on the KIP website (http://kip.gov.in/). The details are also sent to all the Indian Missions/Posts who are asked to give adequate publicity.

Can I leave the program mid-way or attend a part of it?
A participant is expected to complete the entire programme and cannot leave the programme mid-way.

The purpose of conducting KIP is to engage and make the students and young professionals of Indian diaspora feel a sense of connect with their ancestral roots, to be motivated and inspired by the transformational changes taking place in India and to give them an exposure  to various facets of contemporary India’s forms of art, heritage and culture.
Since the current KIP allows participation of young diaspora representing 3rd generation onwards who have never visited India before and in view of the growing popularity of KIPs, in order to meet the aspirations of the diaspora community, it has been decided to arrange a Know India Programme on Self Financing Basis on the following terms:
a. The KIP will be available to PIO/OCI card holders in the age group 18 - 35  years irrespective of their generation and previous visits to India.
b. The Programme will be organised by the same Event Management Company (EMC) that is approved for the regular KIPs and at the same rates and conditions. The participants will have to bear the total cost of international and domestic travel, boarding and lodging, management fee of the EMC, international medical insurance, etc.  Airtickets to/ from India and international medical insurance will be purchased directly by the participants.  The logistic arrangements in India will be made by the EMC on payment basis and the money will be payable directly by the participants to the EMC.
c. Ministry will identify one or two state(s) to be visited by the participants, draw a structured programme schedule in coordination with the EMC and coordinate with the organisations concerned for waiver of entrance fee to various historic sites.
d. Other conditions like provision of gratis visa by the Mission, orientation programme at FSI, deployment of a liaison officer with the KIP group, etc. will remain the same as for a regular KIP.

C. SPECIAL KNOW INDIA PROGRAMME (KIP)
Highlights of the scheme are as below:
(i) The special KIP will be applicable to PIOs in the age group of 45-65 years from 7 Girmitiya countries (Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius, South Africa, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Reunion Island) subject to their being medical fit. The scope of KIP and the number of countries can be expanded with the approval of EAM.
(ii) The applicant should be first time visitor to India.
(iii) Applicant must be from the low income group or in a financial position where they would otherwise be unable to pay for travel to India on their own accord. Decision of HOM/HOP would be considered as final in this regard.
(iv) There would be two groups visiting India every year. Each group would comprise 40 PIOs.
(v)Duration of each tour will be of 15 days including day of arrival and departure.
(vi) 90% of the cost of international airfare will be borne by the Ministry. 10% of the cost will be borne by the PIO himself. Visa will be issued gratis.
(vii) Complete local hospitality including hotel accommodation on twin sharing basis (preferably in a 4-star hotel), all meals and local transportation will be provided by the Ministry. The tour could be undertaken by Train ( Two tier AC Coach) in coordination with IRCTC.
(viii) First special KIP is scheduled from 20 January (arrival in Delhi) to 10 February (departure) coinciding with PBD Convention 2019, with the itinerary of “Delhi-Varanasi-Allahabad-Delhi-Rajasthan-Uttar Pradesh-Bihar-Tamil Nadu-Kerala-Delhi”. Participants of the first special KIP will also join PBD Convention 2019 in Varanasi, Kumbh Snan in Allahabad and Republic Day Parade in New Delhi.
(ix) Second Special KIP will be organised from 31 January to 16 February with the itinerary of “Delhi-Rajasthan-Uttar Pradesh-Bihar-Tamil Nadu-Kerala-Delhi”.
(x)Travel arrangement in India will be made by IRCTC by train (2-Tier AC coach).

Modalities of Selection
(a) From each country, a maximum of ten applications are to be recommended to the Ministry through online portal kip.gov.in
(b) Each applicant must be recommended by the HOM/HOP, along with an attestation about their Indian origin (where applicable) and documentary proof of low income status.
(c) In general, PIOs who are more senior in age would be given preference.
(d) The applicant shall be willing to pay 10% of international airfare from their country of residence to India and back, at the time of issue of ticket by the Mission/Post.
(e) Applicant must submit a medical fitness report and copy of a valid international travel insurance and medical insurance policy – for duration of his/her visit to India – a copy of which will be given to the Mission/Post before ticket is issued.
(f) Eligible applicants may apply for Special KIP through the online portal: kip.gov.in
(g) All the other procedures will remain the same as is for the normal KIP.
(h) Applicants applying for the first Special KIP may also register for PBD Conventiion, 2019, Kumbh Snan and Republic Day Parade through PBD website.