UNICEF’s YuWaah initiative and Rajasthan’s Higher Education Department are seeking an implementation partner to strengthen placement cells in government colleges. The objective is to make college-to-work pathways functional through career guidance, relevant skills, employer engagement and independently verifiable placements. Application deadline: 19 October 2026.
Funding opportunity snapshot
- UN agency: UNICEF / YuWaah
- Call reference: CEF/IND/2026/081
- Geographic focus: Government colleges in Rajasthan, India
- Deadline: 19 October 2026
- Indicative project term: 2 November 2026–31 March 2027
- Funding information: Not disclosed.
- Official application: UN Partner Portal
Purpose and expected programme activities
A placement cell must first be formally constituted within each participating college, with an institutional order, responsible training and placement officer, staff or faculty contacts and student representation. The programme then expects regular career engagement, employer outreach and pathways to training, internships, apprenticeships and entry-level jobs.
The notice distinguishes three performance levels. It targets 100% of participating colleges having established placement cells; 70% having functional cells with student orientation, weekly engagement, at least 50 relevant employers in their database and at least one placement or recruitment activity; and 40% operating placement-generating cells contributing to at least 50 verified placements annually. The full terms govern any adjustments to these measures.
The implementing partner should work with the state department and colleges, not create a parallel employment service that disappears when a project ends. A strong approach provides training for placement officers, employer-engagement systems, practical communication routines, documented student consent and procedures for verifying outcomes.
Who is a good fit?
Suitable applicants have demonstrated government-college employability programming, employer partnerships, institutional training and placement verification. Applicants need operational capacity in Rajasthan and systems to handle employer and student information responsibly.
Selection criteria and competitive strengths
The selection awards 30 points each to sector expertise, cost effectiveness and understanding of the technical assignment, with 10 points for employer engagement and placement facilitation. An applicant must show not only an education programme but a credible employer pipeline.
Five steps to prepare
- 1. Assess each participating college’s starting placement infrastructure and define the operating model for staff and student representatives.
- 2. Identify credible employers, internships and apprenticeships; explain how contact and placement opportunities will be verified.
- 3. Train placement officers on learner guidance, communications, referrals and documentation.
- 4. Develop a simple placement tracker that distinguishes employer outreach, applications, interviews and confirmed hires.
- 5. Cost the support model realistically within the implementation period and plan transfer to college management.
One important mistake to avoid
Do not confuse attendance at an employability workshop with actual placement. Verified employment outcomes and enduring college functions are the distinctive deliverables.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the call implemented?
Government colleges in Rajasthan.
Is it a scholarship call for students?
No. It is for an implementation partner to strengthen institutional placement systems.
What share of placement cells should become functional?
The call’s stated outcome level is 70% functional cells.
How many employers are expected in a functional cell’s database?
At least 50 relevant employers.
What is the submission deadline?
19 October 2026.
Official application documents
Go to the UN Partner Portal and search for CEF/IND/2026/081. Review the full terms of reference, eligibility, financial conditions, required templates, exact deadline time and any modifications. These opportunities concern implementing partnerships, not automatic grants to applicants.
Africads readiness resources
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