Embarking on an amazing journey: My Path to Becoming an Open-Source Contributor with C4GT'23!

Introduction :

For some time now, open-source and open-source technology has been the buzz in India. The launch of Namma Yatri, a collaborative effort of Beckn Open Collective, Juspay, and Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union Bangalore, exemplifies this trend.

There is a mismatch between the demands for DPGs(Digital Public Goods) and the engineering skills contributing to the DPG revolution. C4GT bridges that gap by providing a platform for individuals to actively contribute and make a meaningful impact in the open-source community.

What is C4GT🤔?

Code for GovTech (C4GT) is India's first dedicated mentoring program, to develop a community that can construct and contribute to global DPGs.
To learn more about the program, see Rahul Kulkarni's blog (Chief Technologist at Samagra): blog

Perks of C4GT🔥:

• 1:1 mentorship: This is the best part of the program, you get mentored by industry leaders who help you advance your knowledge and abilities This is a great opportunity to network with mentors and organizations.

• Stipend: Contributors are given a stipend of INR 1 Lakh, which is distributed throughout the program in two payments.

• Future opportunities: Contributors may get future job opportunities in the form of PPI and PPO from participating organizations.

• Impact: If you've always wanted to have an influence and change people's lives, then C4GT is a great way to contribute to the lives of millions by contributing to Digital Public Goods.

Eligibility🌐:

C4GT is open to all software development enthusiasts interested in contributing to open-source projects.
Both college students and working professionals are encouraged to participate and embrace this amazing opportunity.

Application Process💻:

The application process for C4GT'23 took place on Unstop platform.

1. Registration at unstop platform:
   Applicants must register on the Unstop platform and join the Discord community, where project discussions and interactions take place.

   Discord: link

2. Project Selection: Choose projects from the list that best fits your skill set after looking through the list of available projects.

   Tip: Pick at least 2 or 3 projects and then select a project after analyzing the project idea, potential issues, and solutions.

3. Proposal submission: You have to submit a proposal about your implementation of the project based on your project understanding. You can submit a maximum of 3 proposals for three different projects.

   Tip: Connect with the respective project mentor on Discord to get more understanding of the project.

4. Interviews: Some mentors may hold interviews to narrow down the applicant pool.

   Tip: You should have a good understanding of your proposal and the tech stack. It is the topic for the majority of the conversation.

5. Results: If everything goes well and the mentor finds you to be a good fit for the project, you will be selected as a contributor.

My journey😎:

I first learned about the C4GT program when I received an email from Unstop on a Friday evening titled "3 Days Left to Submit | Code for GovTech 2023"
I researched the program, looked through the project lists, and made a list of five projects that caught my attention based on my tech stack (Angular, Ionic, Flutter).

Then I analyzed those projects and Unnati was the project that I thought of applying for.
I only had a day left, so I focused all my energy on one proposal instead of submitting two or three ( it worked🌟).

I created a proposal with the sections below:

• My understanding of the project's idea

• Potential issues that we might face

• Possible solutions to those issues

• Weekly milestones or the deliverables from my end at the end of each week

• A section describing my contributions to open-source projects and why I'm qualified to work on the project

I spent the entire day crafting the proposal, and I submitted it 10 minutes before the deadline.

My mentor texted me about discussing my proposal, but I missed it. After two days, I received a call while binge-watching Netflix; on the other end of the line was my mentor.
He introduced himself, and we discussed the important aspects of my proposal and my familiarity with the tech stack.
He asked me some questions related to the Angular/Ionic framework. I hadn't worked on Angular in a while, so I couldn't answer some of the questions and explained that I'd been out of touch with the technology for a few months.
However, he appeared pleased with my responses, but I was still uncertain about my selection at this time.

Overall, the interview went well and after a few days, I got this mail😍

I made it to the C4GT'23 program and was on cloud nine after watching the results🚀.

You can connect with me on LinkedIn: Abhishek Bhatt
Follow the C4GT LinkedIn profile to keep up with the program: LinkedIn