Ranchi: A city based social outfit rolled out a mentorship programme to support underprivileged students in education on Saturday to observe the birth anniversary of former Indian hockey legend and Parliamentarian Jaipal Singh Munda.Representatives of The Association for PARIVARTAN of Nation (APNA) said the mentorship programme will help students from poor families in accessing opportunities in higher education. The programme has been designed for students from ST and SC communities who are seeking scholarships for overseas education in the 2026-27 academic session.Under the programme, selected students will receive free one-on-one mentorship from scholars who have studied abroad through scholarships. Support will include guidance on statements of purpose, letters of recommendation, scholarship applications, interview preparation, pre-departure orientation and limited post-arrival academic and cultural adjustment support. Group workshops will also be organised.APNA secretary Md Faizan said, “Jaipal Singh Munda was an exceptional academic and leader. The JSM Mentorship Programme carries forward his legacy of leadership, excellence and empowerment of marginalised communities. We aim to mentor at least 25 students annually and reach over 100 aspirants with scholarship-related information, long-term goal of building a self-sustaining mentorship ecosystem.”Applications for the programme are open from Saturday to January 31. The mentorship programme will run till Nov this year. “The programme offers one-on-one mentorship covering application support, workshops, and four months of post-arrival cultural adjustment. The programme is free of cost and does not provide direct financial assistance or guaranteed admissions,” said Faizan.
