Community Resources and Partnerships/India General Support Project/WikiClub Tech India - Road to Wiki Cohort 2
Applicant information
[edit]- Organization name or Wikimedia Username for individuals. (required)
- Wikiclub Tech
- Are you a first-time applicant? (required)
- You are applying as a(n). (required)
- Group of individuals not registered with an organization
- Are your group or organization legally registered in your country? (required)
- No
- Please provide links to the following documents if they are available
These documentation can be provided in your local language(s), no translations required.
- Organizational website
- Detailed financial reporting and/or audits
- Documentation of the governance structure, board list, governance processes
- Documentation of the general assembly decision on your plan
Main proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be a title for the Meta-Wiki page. (required)
- WikiClub Tech India - Road to Wiki Cohort 2
- 3. Proposed start date. (required)
- 2025-05-15
- 4. Proposed end date. (required)
- 2026-05-14
- 5. Does your organization or group have an Affiliate or Organizational Annual Plan that can help us understand your proposal? If yes, please provide it. (required)
- No
- 6. Does your affiliate, organization or group have a Strategic Plan that can help us understand your proposal? If yes, please provide it. (required)
- No
- 7.1. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
- India
- 7.2. If your project includes in-person activities, are there any international participants travelling to India for them? (required)
- No
- 7.2.1. List all countries of participation. (required)
N/A
- 7.3. Will the project be transferring funds to any international participants? (required)
- No
- 7.3.1. List all international participants receiving funding and their countries. (required)
N/A
- 8. What are your programs, approaches, and strategies? What are the challenges that you are trying to address and how will your strategies support you in addressing these challenges? (required)
Preface & Background:
[edit]India has one of the largest and fastest-growing developer ecosystems in the world, supported by a vast network of engineering colleges that produce thousands of graduates each year. However, despite the increasing interest in open-source contributions, many students lack structured opportunities to engage meaningfully with global open-source projects. The awareness of MediaWiki—the open-source software powering Wikipedia and many other knowledge platforms also remains limited.
Wikiclub Tech aims to bridge this gap by not only training developers in MediaWiki but also fostering a broader culture of open-source contribution. While we emphasize the broader benefits of open-source participation to attract more developers, our core objective is to build a strong pipeline of MediaWiki contributors in India by equipping students with the skills, knowledge, and mindset to actively participate in the open-source ecosystem. By positioning MediaWiki within the larger open-source landscape, we aim to make it an attractive and rewarding space for engineering students and Institutions to come and participate in WikiClub Tech - Road to Wiki program. This initiative not only enhances their technical skills but also ensures sustained contributions to MediaWiki, strengthening the global open-source knowledge ecosystem.
Cohort 1:
[edit]WikiClub Tech – Road to Wiki Cohort 1 started as a joint initiative between IIIT-H & Indic Mediawiki Developer User Group, CIS-A2K and WMF, designed to engage and upskill tech talent from India’s Tier 2-3 engineering colleges to contribute to the open source and mediawiki ecosystem.
The goal is to create a sustained pipeline of technical contributors who will help enhance the technical infrastructure and documentation of Wiki projects. It’s a cohort-based learning which provides a unique opportunity that combines learning, hands-on experience, and mentorship, which help provide students with a comprehensive approach to learn technology and open-source contributions. This program is designed to empower students with the skills to contribute effectively to the MediaWiki developer ecosystem.
Pilot Phase (Cohort 1) Highlights:
The pilot phase successfully demonstrated the program's potential. Key achievements include:
Engagement: Attracted 250+ applications and successfully onboarded 48 participants from 7+ institutions.
Outcome: Out of 48 Road to Wiki participants, 20 participants successfully completed the program, acquiring foundational technical skills to contribute to open source and Mediawiki, with women representing 25% of the cohort.
Contributions: Participants Successfully Merged 15+ technical tasks, 50+ Mediawiki installation locally and feedback to improve new developer onboarding documentation.
Mentorship and Resources: Established a mentorship program to learn with collaboration and created Wiki Developer PlayBook for newcomers, Recorded Lectures,AndHackathons
Cohort 2 Program
[edit]Cohort 2: Building on Success (One-Year Timeline)
Based on the learnings and success of Cohort 1, Cohort 2 will be focusing on refining the curriculum to impart the right sets of knowledge and skill sets to the participants. Enabling them to contribute effectively and efficiently to the open source & MediaWiki Developer ecosystem. A key addition this year will be the WikiWomen Tech initiative, fostering greater diversity and inclusion in WikiClub Tech Initiative to increase women's participation.
This year, we are expanding our reach by onboarding 6 new colleges across India. Each college will have offline in-person sessions, Open source-focused sessions, and hands-on workshops to introduce students to MediaWiki and open-source tools. In cohort 2 we’d be focusing on the below elements:
Skill-Building Tracks: Two structured tracks:
- Beginners: The new set of selected participants for Cohort 2 would focus on learning foundational knowledge and contribution pathways. This would involve Curriculum-based learning to enable beginners to understand and contribute to MediaWiki, Phabricator, and technical documentation.
- Advanced: Participants would contribute to extension/plugin development, bug fixing, and new feature creation.
Collaborative Hackathons and Assignments: Cohort 2 will also include regional hackathons and structured assignments, engaging both beginners and advanced participants. These activities will focus on solving real-world MediaWiki technical challenges, improving documentation, and contributing to open-source development.
Mentorship Program: Participants will receive guidance and support from experienced Wikimedia tech contributors, including mentors, graduates from Cohort 1 and the Indic MediaWiki Developer User Group. This structured mentorship will ensure sustained engagement and skill development.
Capstone Project Showcase: Participants will contribute and merge tasks on Gerrit, culminating in a final project presentation on Graduation Day. This showcase will highlight impactful Wikimedia-related projects, demonstrating the skills and contributions made during the program.
Women in Tech – Capacity Building within Cohort 2
Within Road to Wiki Cohort 2, outstanding women contributors will be identified and selected from the general cohort based on their active participation, contributions, and engagement. By integrating this initiative within Cohort 2, women contributors will gain access to mentorship, peer learning, and offline engagement opportunities.
Program Structure & Implementation
[edit]- Selection Process: Women participants will be selected from Cohort 2 based on their technical contributions and engagement.
- Offline Leadership & Capacity-Building Sessions: Structured in-person sessions from women leaders and speakers, focusing on empowerment, leadership, and skill-building.
- Integrating the Larger Cohort: These in-person sessions will extend beyond selected women contributors, promoting peer learning and inclusive collaboration across the full cohort.
Key Focus Areas of the Offline Meetups: A key component of the program to ensure sustained engagement and active participation from women contributors is the introduction of early offline meetups. These meetups will lay the foundation for a collaborative and inclusive environment, strengthening women's participation in the program from the outset. Leading to:
[edit]- Capacity Building & Problem-Solving – Equipping participants with structured methodologies for addressing technical challenges,
- Leadership in Open Source & Wikimedia – Training on advocacy, contribution pathways, and long-term engagement strategies focusing on Core concepts in Machine Learning, IoT, Open Source, and Wikimedia Technologies.
- Networking & Community Growth – Connecting with industry mentors, Wikimedia experts, and open-source leaders.
- Technical Contributions & Innovation – Practical sessions focused on advancing technical contributions within Wikimedia projects.
This approach ensures that women participants in Cohort 2 are equipped with the necessary skills and mentorship to contribute meaningfully to the Road to Wiki program and to the open-source community, assume leadership roles, and create sustained impact within the Wikimedia Technical community.
Approaches
[edit]Cohort 2 of Road to Wiki builds on the learnings from Cohort 1 while introducing new approaches to engagement, skill development, and sustainability. These approaches ensure that the program remains impactful, structured, and scalable.
College Selection Process
[edit]- Target Tier 2-3 engineering colleges with active open-source or tech communities. Engaging underrepresented institutions and creating new contributor pipelines.
- Conduct Offline sessions and webinars to introduce the Road to Wiki program.
- Collaborate with faculty, student clubs, and placement cells for wider outreach.
Strengthening mentorship, collaboration, and technical excellence
- Open student selection forms for Cohort 2 participation
Ensuring only high-motivated candidates join, leading to higher impact contributions.
Structured Learning & Technical Contributions
[edit]Approach: A clear Cohort-based learning pathway that transitions students from beginner to advanced contributors.
- Onboarding & Training – Introductory sessions on MediaWiki, Wikimedia APIs, and open-source workflows.
- Hands-on Wikimedia Contributions – Participants will work on technical tasks directly linked to real Wikimedia projects, gaining practical experience in open-source development.
- Mentorship & Progress Tracking – Regular check-ins and expert guidance to ensure contributors stay engaged.
Collaboration with institutions & Open source organizations
[edit]Approach: Scale participation by onboarding 6 new colleges and strengthening engagement with 7+ existing colleges from Cohort 1.
- College Ambassadors & Campus Clubs – Identifying local community leaders to sustain engagement.
- Offline & Hybrid Workshops – Organizing offline and Hybrid technical workshops, speaker sessions, and hackathons.
- Industry Collaboration – Bringing in guest speakers from the industry & mentors from Wikimedia and tech companies.
- Cross-Community Collaboration – collaborate with other communities contributing to open source tools like C4GT, Meta Open Source, FOSS, Mozilla, CNCF, TensorFlow User Group etc.
Addressing Challenges
Cohort 2 directly addresses key challenges to sustained contribution:
Challenge
Strategy
Lack of Awareness about MediaWikiMediawiki
Targeted outreach campaigns with college collaboration; webinars and in-person sessions highlighting the relevance and aspirational value of contributing to the MediaWiki Developer Ecosystem, emphasizing the impact on open knowledge and global collaboration.
Low Participant Retention
Providing continuous mentorship and support; incorporating regular check-ins, feedback loops, and recognition for contributions.
Difficulty in Building Long-Term Commitment
Establishing MediaWiki Open Source Clubs in partner colleges to create a local community of contributors; designing capstone projects to make contributions feel impactful and connected to real-world problems.
Navigating Wikimedia's Contribution Process
Simplifying the onboarding process by creating easy-to-follow guides and tutorials like developer playbook; and assigning mentors or team leads from cohort 1 to help newcomers navigate Phabricator and Gerrit efficiently.
Limited Practical Exposure
Focusing on hands-on, project-based learning; introducing real-world tasks from Wikimedia repositories; and organizing hackathons and sprints where students tackle real issues collaboratively.
Low Awareness of the Community Wishlist Survey
Building awareness and providing training through dedicated workshops on drafting and proposing impactful Wishlist items; conducting sessions on identifying high-priority issues and participating in community discussions.
Gender Disparity in Participation
Encouraging women in tech through dedicated programs like the WikiWomen Tech in Initiative; organizing women-led hackathons and coding workshops; offering exclusive mentorship opportunities; and highlighting women alumni as role models.
Technical Skill Gaps
Offering specialized training to bridge gaps, including advanced MediaWiki development sessions; providing resources and tutorials for handling Phabricator tasks and other technical tools; partnering with technical experts.
Sustaining Engagement
Creating long-term engagement opportunities through competitive challenges (e.g., leaderboards, gamification); offering recognition for consistent contributors; establishing regular check-ins and feedback sessions.
Resource Constraints
Strengthening resource allocation by collaborating with Indic MediaWiki Developer User Group, open source communities, and external organizations (e.g., Coursera, Meta) to secure technical resources and mentorship; developing a structured mentorship framework.
- 9. What categories are your main programs and related activities under? Please select all that apply. (required)
| Category | Yes/No |
|---|---|
| Education | Yes |
| Culture, heritage or GLAM | No |
| Gender and diversity | Yes |
| Community support and engagement | Yes |
| Participation in campaigns and contests | No |
| Other | No |
Education
- 9.1.1. Select all your programs and activities for Education. (required)
- Wiki Club
- Other programs and activities if any: N/A
- 9.1.2. Select all relevant audience groups for Education. (required)
- Vocational, tertiary, or higher education, Teachers or professors
- Other groups if any: N/A
Gender and diversity
- 9.3. Select all your programs and activities for Gender and diversity.
- Bringing in women and/or gender diverse participants and editors, Focusing on knowledge equity by bringing in contributors from underrepresented communities, Building organizer skills in women and diversity groups
- Other programs and activities if any: N/A
Community support and engagement
- 9.4. Select all your programs and activities for Community support and engagement.
- On-wiki training of community members, Off-wiki training of community members, Organizing meetups, conferences, and community events, Offering micro-funding and other financial support to community members , Offering non financial support and services to community members (equipment, space, books, etc.)
- Other programs and activities if any: N/A
- 10. Please include a link to or upload a timeline (operational calendar) for your programs and activities. (required)
Month
Program/Activity
Description
Month 1-2
Establishing Offline Sessions / Kickoff Calls
- Official program launch announcement.
- Outreach to partner colleges (including the 6 new ones) and open source tech communities.
- Information sessions (webinars and in-person sessions).
- Begin accepting applications for "Road to Wiki" program
Month 3
- Review applications and select participants for programs.
- Round 2 of selection via Assignment [ MediaWiki Installation Locally]
- Onboarding sessions for "Road to Wiki" cohort (Wiki Tech Onboarding). Introduce Wikimedia ecosystem, tools, and contribution pathways.
- Begin initial online engagement with selected participants.
Month 4-8
Community Growth & Skill Enhancement
Skill-Building (Beginner/Advanced Tracks)
- Road to Wiki cohort begins the Beginner Track.
- Foundational workshops and online modules covering MediaWiki, basic contribution workflows, and community guidelines.
- Match mentors with participants in both programs.
Month 7-8
Mid-Program Review & Mini Hackathon/ Assignment Prep
- Conduct a mid-program review to assess participant progress and gather feedback.
- Host the collaborative hybrid hackathon in all colleges. Focus on solving real-world Wikimedia technical problems.
- Partnering with open-source communities to strengthen engagement and expand Wikimedia contributions within the region.
Month 9
Women in Tech program offline call
-Women Participants will receive invitations to join in-person Event/session focused training in foundational technologies (e.g., Machine Learning, IoT, Leadership Skills, Capacity building).
- Provide technical support and mentorship during the offline Event/ hackathon [ WikiWomen Tech]
Month 10-11
Capstone Project Development [Mentor Based Learning]
- Road to Wiki Participants begin working on their capstone projects,Good first task with continued mentorship and support.
- Regular check-ins and progress reviews for capstone projects.
Month 11-12
Graduation and Reporting
- Host the concluding offline Graduation Day event, where participants present their capstone projects and Participants will Get Graduated from Cohort 2
- Celebrate program achievements and recognize outstanding contributions
- Gather final feedback and plan for future cohorts.
- Write and submit report of Cohort 2
- 11. Describe your team. (required)
Project Coordinator with Partnered institution IIIT Hyderabad - Ankit Kumar Verma
Program Mentor and facilitator - Hridyesh Gupta
Advisors from Indic MediaWiki Developers User Group: Mentorship, curriculum design, course structure, and execution
Krishna Chaitanya Velaga
Nivas10798
Gopavasanth
Advisors from WMF: Overall program strategy, program direction, scalability, and sustenance
Rachit Sharma
Satdeep Gill
Praveen Das
Advisors from IIIT-H: Organizational support, strategic direction, and course structure
Prof. Vasu
Prof. Radhika
Kasyap
- 12. Will you be working with any internal (Wikimedia) or external partners? Describe the characteristics of these partnerships and bring a few examples of the most significant partnerships. (required)
The Wikiclub Tech - Road to Wiki program will leverage partnerships with both internal Wikimedia stakeholders and external organizations to achieve its goals.
Internal Partners: We will work closely with the Wikimedia Foundation P&T and Community Growth teams to ensure alignment with WMF’s product and technology goal 2025, provide guidance, and share best practices. We will also collaborate with Indic MediaWiki Developer User Group for mentorship, curriculum design, and course structure development. Their expertise in MediaWiki and community engagement will help us create high-quality learning materials and support for program participants.
External Partners: We will partner with Engineering colleges/universities, Code4GovTech (C4GT), Women Tech Makers, Google Developers Group, Meta Open Source, Tensorflow user group and other open source tech communities for cross-community collaboration and to provide external mentorship, training, and project opportunities for our participants. These partnerships will help us tap into their expertise, networks, and resources, providing a broader range of learning experiences and opportunities for our participants
- 13. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select all that apply. (required)
- Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement, Improve User Experience, Coordinate Across Stakeholders, Invest in Skills and Leadership Development, Evaluate, Iterate, and Adapt
Metrics
[edit]Wikimedia Metrics
[edit]- 14. Please select and fill out Wikimedia Metrics for your proposal. (recommended)
- 14.1. Number of participants, editors, and organizers.
All metrics provided are optional, please fill them out if they are aligned with your programs and activities.
| Metrics name | Target | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of all participants | 100 | * New cohort participants - 80
|
| Number of all editors | 100 | Based on the learning from Cohort 1 where the retention of the cohort 1 participants was at ~42%. We are aiming at 50% retention of the participants in the cohort 2. This is subject to completion of all the assignments and the active participation of the participants in the program. |
| Number of new editors | 80 | |
| Number of retained editors | 40 | |
| Number of all organizers | 20 | * Number of all organizers: Wikimedia organizers involved in activities
|
| Number of new organizers | 15 |
- 14.2. Number of new content contributions to Wikimedia projects. (recommended)
| Wikimedia project | Created | Edited or improved |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | ||
| Wikimedia Commons | ||
| Wikidata | ||
| Wiktionary | ||
| Wikisource | ||
| Wikimedia Incubator | ||
| Translatewiki | ||
| MediaWiki | ||
| Wikiquote | ||
| Wikivoyage | ||
| Wikibooks | ||
| Wikiversity | ||
| Wikinews | ||
| Wikispecies | ||
| Wikifunctions / Abstract Wikipedia |
- Description for Wikimedia projects contributions metrics. (optional)
Mentioning Phabricator/ Wikitech Component We are aiming at least 25 merged patches at the end of the cohort 2
Other Metrics
[edit]- 15. Do you have other quantitative and qualitative targets for your project (other metrics)? (required)
- Yes
| Other Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| quantitative and qualitative targets for Road to Wiki Program | * We aim to engage at least 80 participants in the program
|
N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
Budget
[edit]- 16. Will you have any other revenue sources when implementing this proposal (e.g. other funding, membership contributions, donations)? (required)
- No
- 16.1. List other revenue sources. (required)
N/A
- 16.2. Approximately how much revenue will you have from other sources in your local currency? (required)
- N/A
- 17. Local currency
- Indian Rupees (INR)
- 18. What is the requested amount in Indian Rupees? (required)
- 4571910 INR
- 19. Does this proposal include compensation for staff or contractors? (required)
- Yes
- 19.1. How many paid staff members and contractors do you plan to cover with this General Support Project? (required)
- There will be one paid staff as Project Coordinator.
Key Responsibilities would be:
- Program Planning and Coordination
- Develop a detailed project plan, including timelines, milestones, and resources needed for the program's successful implementation
- Coordinate with Advisors, mentors, and partners including Indic Mediawiki Developer User Group to ensure effective collaboration and communication
- Build a robust curriculum for the program
- Oversee end-to-end planning, execution, and delivery of the Road to Wiki program.
- Participant Engagement and Support
- Drive outreach efforts to attract diverse participants and ensure inclusive representation.
- Recruit and onboard new participants, ensuring they have a smooth transition into the program
- Provide ongoing support and guidance to participants throughout the program, addressing any questions or concerns they may have.
- Develop and disseminate promotional materials, newsletters, and updates to keep stakeholders informed.
- Mentorship and Training
- Coordinate with speakers and mentors for effective session delivery
- Assist with training session planning, coordination, and execution, including logistics and speaker management.
- Partnership Development
- Establish and maintain relationships with external organizations, partners, and stakeholders to support the program's growth and success.
- Identify potential partnerships and opportunities for collaboration, ensuring alignment with the program's goals and objectives.
- Reporting and Evaluation
- Track progress and document key learnings from the program.
- Track key performance indicators and metrics to measure the program's progress and impact.
- Conduct regular evaluations and assessments of the participants to identify areas for improvement and inform program adjustments.
- Capture any feedbacks from the partners & participants and share it with the advisors and mentors.
- General Administration
- Provide regular updates on program progress and challenges to stakeholders.
- Manage project budgets, expenses, and financial reporting.
- Maintain accurate records of program activities, participant data, and stakeholder communications.
- 19.2. How many FTEs (full-time equivalents) in total will be covered with this General Support Project? (required)
- There will be one paid staff as Project Coordinator.
- 19.3. Describe any staff or contractor changes compared to the current year / ongoing General Support Project if any. (required only for returning applicants)
- N/A
- 20. Please provide an overview of your overall budget categories in your local currency. The budget breakdown should include only the amount requested with this General Support Project. (required)
| Budget category | Amount in local currency |
|---|---|
| Staff and contractor costs | 600000 |
| Operational costs | 670000 |
| Programmatic costs | 2358500 |
- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
Additional information
[edit]- 22. In this optional space you can add any other additional information about your proposal or organization that you think can help us when reviewing your proposal. (optional)
By submitting this proposal request you agree with the Institutional Partner Privacy Policy, Application Privacy Statements, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
- Yes
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