Chief Minister Fellowship, Maharashtra – Timeline
On May 29, 2015, Devendra Fadnavis launched an initiative called the ‘CM Fellowship Program’ to involve youth in the state in the various development schemes of the government. The objectives were beneficial for both sides. On one hand, it would provide speed into the departmental procedures using youthful energy, diverse knowledge, proficiency in the Internet and web technology, and the dynamic mindsets of the young graduates, while at the same time offering the fellows opportunities for internships in the various government departments and allowing them to gain insights into governance, public administration, and policy-making through active participation.
May 2015 – It was decided to pay a total of Rs 40,000 (Rs 35,000 as an honorarium and Rs 5,000 towards travel expenses) to the 20 fellows selected for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program 2015. Eligibility was graduation in any discipline with a minimum of 60% marks.
May 2016 – The government adopted a new application process for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program 2016. According to a government notice released on 20 May 2016, some changes were made regarding selection criteria, terms and conditions, and program implementation. As such, in 2015 the minimum percentile requirement for eligibility was 60%. It increased to 75% in 2016. Also, the number of fellows was increased from 20 to 50 in 2016.
May 2017 – As per a government notice dated 24 May 2017, the eligibility criteria for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program 2017 were further amended with the requirement of a minimum of 1 year of experience. This implied that the student needed to have undertaken a full-time internship/apprenticeship/articleship before joining the course. Also, the maximum age of students has been increased from 25 to 26. The government decision in this regard was published on 24 May 2017.
April 2018 – In the selection process of the Chief Minister Fellowship Program 2018, it was decided to give priority to the applicants with qualifications above graduation with 1st class. The proportion of girls vs. boys in the total number of fellows remained 1/3. In case a sufficient number of girls were not available, it was decided to select boys instead. The government notice in this regard was released on April 18, 2018.
May 2019 – A government notice released on 24th May 2019 mentioned that graduation in any branch with a minimum of 60% marks will be considered for the eligibility; however, preference will be given to higher educational qualifications. Also, the graduation mark sheet of the applicants should be dated before June 1, 2019. It was also decided to increase pay to Rs 40,000 as an honorarium and Rs 5,000 as traveling expenses, totaling Rs 45,000 for the fellows selected for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program 2019.
January 2020 – Following the 2019 elections, Uddhav Thackeray created the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party. The new government opted to discontinue the Chief Minister’s Fellowship program, citing the need for modifications. A government decision in this regard was published on January 30, 2020, declaring that the appointment of fellows for the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program 2019-20 would end on March 31, 2020.
January 2023 – In June 2022, the political equations changed once again in the state, with a Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government coming to power. Devendra Fadnavis, taking the responsibility of Deputy Chief Minister in this government, announced that the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program, suspended by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, would be resumed with the cooperation of the Chief Minister. Accordingly, the government decision on the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program was published on January 20, 2023.
January 2023 – Earlier, 50 youth used to be selected for the Chief Minister Fellowship program. The number was increased to 60 in 2023. It was also decided to give an honorarium of Rs. 75 thousand every month to the selected candidates.
Devendra Fadnavis, taking over the state’s charge as a young chief minister in October 2014, started many innovative social development schemes involving common people. One of his progressive initiatives entails using the spirit and skillset of the youth to make qualitative changes in the performance of the government departments and create a positive perception. That was the origin of the ‘Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program’ in Maharashtra, inviting young graduates to work as interns in the government departments and projects, which gives them opportunities to contribute and learn from working in various government functions and projects. This unique idea of Fadnavis helped create a bridge between the government and common people, which is now being replicated in the central government as well as in many state governments.
Recently, when Devendra Fadnavis went to Haryana for the swearing-in ceremony of Naib Singh Saini as the Chief Minister, he was met by IAS officer Deepak Babulal Karwa. Deepak Karwa is currently an officer in the Indian Administrative Service and is serving in the state of Haryana. Karwa had participated in the CM Fellowship Program of Maharashtra in 2017. Many such fellows from the CM Fellowship Program started by Devendra Fadnavis in 2015 are working in various positions across the country.
The Chief Minister Fellowship initiative was among the many ambitious projects that Fadnavis implemented shortly after taking charge as the Chief Minister of the state. The young generation has immense energy, and they want to see positive changes in the government’s functions. Devendra Fadnavis saw the opportunity in tapping the energy, honesty, creativity, and skillset of the dynamic young people to speed up and improve government’s functioning and popularize his government through word of mouth.
Chief Minister Fellowship Yojana Maharashtra | Chief Minister Fellowship Yojana Maharashtra
CM Fellowship: A great start to the career of the youth in the state
Over the years, the Chief Minister Fellowship program has become a leading platform for young and dynamic graduates and even more qualified candidates to acquire valuable experience and knowledge in administration, policymaking, and other important areas, which help them secure good jobs in the government and private sectors. The selected candidates learn to apply their logical approach and digital proficiency to modify the work procedures and find quick and viable solutions to problems. However, they lack experience and knowledge specific to a project or department. So, the CM Fellowship Program provides a platform for the fellows where they can hone their problem-solving skills and acquire valuable insights.
The government’s priority has always been the people. Therefore, the CM Fellowship Program also helps the government with a better connection with the common mass, and on the other hand creates an urge among the youth to serve the state and the country. Devendra Fadnavis, then CM of Maharashtra, first introduced the ‘Chief Minister Fellowship’ program in 2015. The government decision, giving complete information about this program, was published by the General Administration Department on May 29, 2015. Only the graduates between the upper age limit of 25 and the lower age limit of 21 years were eligible for this 11-month program. All information about the selected fellows, including their educational qualifications, experience, and knowledge in various subjects, along with the overall selection procedure, was given in the public domain. Initially, these fellows were paid a salary of Rs. 40,000 per month, which is now increased to Rs. 75,000.
After taking charge as Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis appealed to the promising youth of the state to join him in building the Maharashtra of tomorrow. His appeal received a huge response from all corners of the state. From 2015 to 2020, 50 youth were selected every year, and as of now, more than 250 students have completed the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program.
Maha Vikas Aghadi suspends (read terminates) the CM Fellowship Program
The Maha Vikas Aghadi government, led by Uddhav Thackeray in the state in 2019, suspended the Chief Minister’s Fellowship program. Accordingly, a government notification was issued on January 30, 2020, suspending the Chief Minister’s Fellowship program, saying there was a need to review its structure and implementation method. But in reality, the Aghadi government terminated this ambitious initiative by Devendra Fadnavis. Many people opposed this decision, as the program was stopped without giving any concrete reason. The youth who aimed to participate in the program were utterly disappointed. Devendra Fadnavis, then leader of the opposition, had written a letter to then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray requesting him to restart this initiative.
Fadnavis mentioned in the letter that the fellows selected under the Chief Minister Fellowship had shown courage, spirit, and high standards, working for 11 months in remote districts like Gadchiroli and Nandurbar in the Collectorate. The fellows were also effective in getting CSR assistance from private companies for various districts and involving non-governmental organizations in the government’s initiatives for socio-economic development. Devendra Fadnavis had also expressed his desire to see the review report of the Chief Minister Fellowship program and implement it in a new format with appropriate changes, if advised. However, the Maha Vikas Aghadi did not give any constructive answer to Fadnavis’ letter.
The ‘Chief Minister Fellowship Scheme’ was first launched in Gujarat in 2009. At that time, Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Seeing the success of this initiative, other states in the country opted to replicate the Chief Minister Fellowship program. Maharashtra was the first to replicate it in 2015. After that, this initiative was started in Kerala and Haryana in 2017, in Jharkhand in 2018, in Delhi in 2019, and in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland in 2020. Currently, many states run this scheme.
The fellowship program generates enthusiasm among the youth
The fellows selected through the Chief Minister’s Fellowship program are super motivated to contribute to the reform and streamlining of the government procedure to ensure better governance and overall progress of the state. The impact of the program was visible through the speedy execution of many government initiatives. Following are some of the projects in which the fellows contributed between 2015 and 2020:
- Major infrastructure projects such as Mumbai Metro, Navi-Mumbai Airport, the Mumbai-Nagpur highway, the Pune Metro Ring Road project, etc., from the Chief Minister’s war room.
- Setting up a social responsibility cell called Sahabhag.
- Implementing e-governance.
- Helping the forest department reach targets of planting 50 crore saplings in three years and developing eco-tourism.
- Initiatives by the Chandrapur Collector’s office to ensure that social security schemes reach the LGBT community, sex workers, HIV-positive people, and sickle cell patients. It further provided them in getting voter ID cards, ration cards, and opening bank accounts, and also found them jobs.
- Drafting of Maharashtra’s Startup Policy.
- Securing funds from the central government to purchase electric buses for BEST.
- Preparing drafts for handicraft policy and green building policy.
- Utilising CSR funds for rural development.
Currently under the Mahayuti government, the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Scheme in Maharashtra has started again from January 2023.
Government Resolution
Regarding the selection criteria, terms and conditions, and implementation of the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program 2019-20 – 24 May 2019
CM Fellowship Program: selection criteria, terms and conditions, and implementation- 29 May 2019
Regarding the conclusion/termination of the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program (2019-20)- 30 January 2020
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