Thirty-six young professionals from 19 districts of Chhattisgarh have been selected for the second batch of the Chief Minister’s Good Governance Fellowship, a two-year programme that combines academic training at IIM Raipur with hands-on experience in policymaking and public administration.
TFP Bureau, Raipur, June 22, 2026: The Chhattisgarh government has launched the second batch of its Chief Minister’s Good Governance Fellowship, an initiative aimed at nurturing future leaders in public policy, governance, and administrative reforms through a blend of academic learning and field experience.
The orientation and inaugural programme for the MBA (Public Policy and Governance) 2026–28 batch was held at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur. The programme is being jointly conducted by the Department of Good Governance and Convergence and IIM Raipur in line with the state government’s vision of strengthening citizen-centric governance.
Under the fellowship, 36 candidates selected from 19 districts of the state will pursue a two-year MBA in Public Policy and Governance. The cohort includes 12 candidates from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category and four from the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, reflecting efforts to ensure inclusive participation in leadership development.
The fellowship is designed to equip participants with both academic knowledge and practical administrative experience. Fellows will undergo five months of classroom instruction at IIM Raipur before spending the next 19 months working with various state government departments and district administrations. During this period, they will gain exposure to policy formulation, programme implementation, governance innovations, and administrative processes.
Addressing the inaugural session, Rahul Bhagat, Secretary to the Chief Minister and Secretary of the Department of Good Governance and Convergence, said that good governance extends beyond policymaking and depends equally on effective implementation, timely service delivery, and accountability. He encouraged the fellows to embrace ethical leadership, innovation, and a strong commitment to public service.
Special Secretary Rajat Bansal and Joint Secretary Mayank Agarwal also interacted with the participants, sharing insights on digital governance, administrative reforms, policy design, and data-driven decision-making. They urged the fellows to contribute actively to the state’s development through evidence-based governance and innovative solutions.
Officials said admission to the fellowship is open only to natives of Chhattisgarh and is based on valid CAT scores along with a transparent selection process established by IIM Raipur. The selected candidates represent a cross-section of districts and are expected to play a significant role in strengthening governance and public service delivery in the state.
The Chief Minister’s Good Governance Fellowship is being positioned as a flagship initiative to cultivate a new generation of policy professionals and administrators capable of driving people-centric reforms and innovation in governance across Chhattisgarh.
