Tamil Nadu CM's fellowship programme to improve governance with young talent begins

CHENNAI: The Chief Minister’s Fellowship Programme, aimed at harnessing the talents of young professionals from diverse academic backgrounds in implementing various schemes of the State government, got under way on Thursday.

Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated the two-year fellowship programme (2022-24) for 30 youngsters who were selected through a three-phase examination. The programme started with a 30-day orientation programme at the Anna Administrative Staff College, Chennai.

Stalin said renowned experts from across the globe, including former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, Nobel laureate Esther Duflo, and professors from acclaimed universities, will guide these professionals, and after two years, they would work in the departments allotted to them. During the two-year course, they will be engaged in field inspections, and will submit a report based on their experience and data gathered.

“I think the Dravidian Model of governance in the State should be a blend of thoughts and dreams of many, and the innovative thoughts of the youth should be used in governance. Through this programme, fresh blood is being infused into the government,” he tweeted.

Special programme implementation secretary T Udhayachandran said about 25,000 people applied for the three-phase exam to join the programme, and about 18,000 wrote it. Of them, the top 30 have been selected. After the orientation programme, the Fellows will be attached to various government departments identified by the Special Programme Implementation Department. Their primary role will be to monitor, identify issues, and aid data-driven decision-making regarding the assigned programmes to address the gaps and optimise service delivery with global best practices.

The chief minister presented laptops to the young professionals and advised them to utilise the opportunity in the best possible manner to ensure good governance in the State. The Fellows will be given a monthly remuneration of Rs 65,000 and an additional allowance of Rs 10,000 to meet their incidental expenses. Those who complete the two-year fellowship programme satisfactorily will receive a post graduate certificate in public policy and management from the Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Tiruchy.