Chief Minister Fellowship, Maharashtra – Timeline On May 29, 2015, Devendra Fadnavis launched an initiative…
The Chief Minister Fellowship timeline: How this unique internship program evolved
The Chief Minister Fellowship Program, a one-of-its-kind initiative taken by the Maharashtra government under CM Devendra Fadnavis in 2015 and later adopted by the Mahayuti government in 2023, to bring energy, efficiency, and speed to project execution and public service delivery. By engaging bright, young graduates in various government schemes and procedures, even in policy-making, it’s possible to notch up higher efficiency, speed, and transparency in governance and make a positive impression on the citizens. The experiment, a brainchild of Devendra Fadnavis, proved a success and is now back in its 2nd inning with greater rewards for the CM fellows. What makes the program effective is its benefits for the government and young graduates. Started as an 11-month Administrative Fellowship program with CM Fadnavis as the chief mentor, this program provided opportunities for young people to engage in different stages of work in government projects and developmental schemes, learn through working as officer-grade interns under the senior officers, infuse fresh energy and ideas to get over various bottlenecks in the processes to improve their efficacies. The CM Fellowship program gives young graduates a learning platform to gain valuable insights and credibility to secure responsible job positions in the public sector and connected industries. This unique and beneficial program was scrapped by the MVA government but made a comeback during the Shinde-Fadnavis government with an enhanced form. Currently, the CM fellowship Maharashtra is extended to a 12-month program in which the fellows are given status equivalent to Grade A officers in the state government and a stipend of Rs. 75000 p.m.
29
May 2015
Launch of the Chief Minister Fellowship Program
Devendra Fadnavis as CM of Maharashtra launched the CM Fellowship program on 29th May 2015 providing internship opportunities for select young graduates of the state, so they can gain valuable experience and insights through working in government departments, getting actively involved in development projects and improving quality of governance for the common people.
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20
May 2016
Changes in the implementation of the CM Fellowship program
The government started inviting fresh applications for the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program 2016. The program saw some changes in 2016 in the selection criteria, terms and conditions, and also in implementation. For example, the minimum mark requirement was 75% in 2015, was changed to 60% in 2016. The number of fellows was fixed at 50 in 2016.
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 20 May 2016
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24
Aug 2016
The number of fellows increased
It was decided to select 50 fellows for the year 2016-2017. However, following the good run of the Chief Minister Fellowship program in 2015-2016, demands started pouring in from several District Collectors, Municipal Corporations, MIDCs, and the administrative departments of the Ministry for CM Fellows for the year 2016-17. So, it was decided to recruit 10 more fellows for the year 2016-2017.
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 24 Aug 2016
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24
May 2017
Increase in age limit to qualify for CM Fellows
The selection process for the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program 2017 stipulated at least 1 year of experience after graduation to appear in the test. Candidates were required to have completed at least 1 year of internship /apprenticeship / articleship after graduation or master’s. Accordingly, the maximum age to qualify for the program was increased from 25 years to 26 years.
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 24 May 2017
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18
Apr 2018
One-third of the seats were reserved for girls
The selection criteria for the CM Fellowship Maharashtra 2018 stipulated preference for the candidates with higher educational qualifications The candidates were also required to have secured at least 60% in their Bachelor’s degree exams. At the same time, ⅓ of the total seats were reserved for female candidates to encourage more female participation.
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 18 Apr 2018
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24
May 2019
Increase in the stipend amount for the Chief Minister’s Fellowship
The selection criteria for the Chief Minister Fellowship program maintained the level crossing of minimum 60% percentile marks in graduation and preference for higher educational qualifications. However, it stipulated that the date of passing the final year of the Bachelor’s degree for a candidate should be before 1st June 2019. The stipend amount was also increased to Rs. 45000 p.m. including Rs. 5000 toward the travel expenses.
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 24 May 2019
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20
Jan 2020
MVA govt scrapped the CM fellowship program
After the 2019 elections, the ShivSena made alliances with the NCP and Congress to form the MVA government in Maharashtra. This led to the MVA government scrapping the CM Fellowship program citing some reasons. Accordingly, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government released a government statement on 30th January 2020 to this effect saying that the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program 2019-20 would be terminated on March 31, 2020.
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 20 Jan 2020
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20
Jan 2023
CM Fellowship program resumes
In June 2022, the political scenario in the state once again changed, paving the way for the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance to come to power. With Eknath Shinde as the Chief Minister and Devendra Fadnavis taking charge as the Dy, Chief Minister, the new government announced the resumption of the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Programme, suspended by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Accordingly, the new government’s decision on the resumption of the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program was published on 20th January 2023. Two major enhancements were made this time:
The number of candidates increased from earlier 50 to 60
The amount of stipend further increased to Rs. 75000 p.m
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 20 Jan 2023
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3
Apr 2025
Announcement of the Chief Minister Fellowship Program 2025-26
The Government of Maharashtra has announced the Chief Minister Fellowship Program 2025-26, designed to provide the bright graduate youth in the state with the opportunity to work as interns in the state government departments and acquire valuable knowledge and experience that will help them land corporate or government jobs. Applications for this fellowship will be accepted from April 15 to May 5, 2025. From the selected candidates, groups of 2-3 interns will be appointed to serve specific requirements in each of 20 selected districts. These fellows will work under the guidance of the respective District Collector, Chief Executive Officer, and the Zilla Parishad. The tenure for the selected fellows will be 12 months. A specialized Postgraduate Certificate Course in Public Policy will be organized for the selected fellows in collaboration with IIT Bombay. Upon successful completion of the course, each fellow will be awarded a certificate by the coveted institution. Meanwhile, to receive the fellowship certificate by the government after the completion of the program, fellows must successfully complete both the fieldwork and the academic program. Fellows selected for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program will receive a total stipend of ₹61,500, comprising an honorarium of ₹56,100 and a travel allowance of ₹5,400. The Chief Minister Fellowship Program was launched ten years ago, on May 29, 2015, by Devendra Fadnavis himself during his first term as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 3 Apr 2025
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21
Jul 2025
CM Fellows to Receive Guidance from IIT Mumbai
A Public Policy Certificate Course will be launched for the youth selected for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program. This course will be conducted by IIT Bombay (Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Mumbai). To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday (July 21) between the State Government’s Planning Department and IIT Mumbai. This course at IIT Mumbai will enhance the value and capabilities of the CM Fellows, thereby enabling them to work more effectively in governance and public services. The course will include 20 days of classroom training, 90 hours of online learning over a year, and direct interaction with senior IIT professors, retired civil servants, and domain experts.
Previously, youth selected for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program would be placed in the offices directly under the ministries. However, starting this year, the fellowship program will
be implemented at the district level. Consequently, these fellows will have the opportunity to work in the field alongside District Collectors and Chief Executive Officers of District Councils. This year, a total of 4,403 young individuals were registered for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program. Of them, 214 candidates were interviewed, and 60 were ultimately selected as fellows. All 60 of these fellows will be attached to the district administrations this year. Additionally, under the ‘Karmayogi Bharat’ initiative, structured training in 14 different fields will be provided to the CM Fellows along with government officials, to enhance their skills for future-ready governance.
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 21 Jul 2025
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8
Apr 2026
Youth Awarded Chief Minister Fellowship to Receive Stipend of ₹61,500
Through the Chief Minister Fellowship program, the bright and promising young men and women from the state are provided with the opportunity to work as interns in the state government departments under various ministries. The fellowship program allows the young individuals to gain firsthand experience of how state affairs are conducted, how the administration functions, how state policies are formulated, and how the decision-making process operates. The fellowship spans a duration of one year. From this year, the selected fellows will receive a total monthly stipend of ₹61,500 p.m., which comprises a base amount of ₹56,100 and a travel expense of ₹5,400. This year, 60 young individuals will be selected for the Chief Minister Fellowship program. One-third of the available seats will be reserved for female candidates. Graduates in any discipline, aged between 21 and 26 years, are eligible to apply for this fellowship. Registration for the 2026 program has officially commenced.
CM Fellowship Program Related Photos & Video - 8 Apr 2026
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The Conclusion
The Chief Minister Fellowship Program is an important initiative of the state government to harness the potential of the youths of Maharashtra. This novel and progressive initiative of Devendra Fadnavis proved to be a bridge between the government and the common people due to the opportunity it provides for the meritorious and spirited youths of the state to work, learn, and improve the developmental projects of the government and delivery of governance. While the government gained from the skill, intelligence, and energy of the young CM Fellows, it helped the CM Fellows acquire knowledge, insight, and experience from working under top officers in various key projects of the government.
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