The Planning Department of the Maharashtra Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Bombay to train 60 fellows in the second batch of the Chief Minister Fellowship Programme for the academic year 2025-26.
Certificate Course in Public Policy
Under the MoU, IIT Bombay will offer a postgraduate certificate course in Public Policy and Welfare Research. The course aims to equip fellows with analytical abilities, research techniques, and policy instruments for solving actual problems in governance and public service provision.
Selection Process
A total of 60 fellows were chosen through a competitive process involving a written test and interview. The program is scheduled to begin on July 28, 2025, at the IIT Bombay campus.
Hybrid Learning Model
The academic program entails four weeks of on-site training at IIT Bombay, and weekend online sessions for 12 months. Throughout this period, fellows will implement policy projects while being stationed at 23 district collectors and zilla parishad offices in Maharashtra.
Faculty and Mentorship
Fellows will be guided by a prestigious pool of IIT Bombay faculty members consisting of:
-Prof. Anand B Rao
-Prof. Bakul Rao
-Prof. Satish B Agnihotri
-Prof. Om Damani
-Prof. Sarthak Gaurav
-Prof. Aditi Chaubal
-Prof. Pooja Purang
-Prof. Parmeshwar Udmale (Principal Investigator and Course Coordinator)
Moreover, experienced IAS officers and other professors of IIT Bombay will be invited as guests for lectures, presenting real-world policy perspectives.
Objective of the Programme
The fellowship seeks to prepare young professionals for leadership positions in public administration by providing them with experiential learning in policy research and implementation. It closes the gap between theoretical knowledge and ground-level governance, preparing effective policy practitioners for the future.
MoU Signing Ceremony
The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Professor Shireesh Kedare, Director at IIT Bombay. Senior faculty who were present on the occasion were Professor Milind Atrey, Deputy Director (Academics, Research and Translation), Professor Usha Ananthakumar, Dean of Educational Outreach, and Professor Vinish Kathuria, Head of the Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies.
