IIT Bombay, in collaboration with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the Hon’ble Shri Devendra Fadnavis, signed an MoU with the Planning Department, Government of Maharashtra, for the second batch of the Chief Minister Fellowship Programme. The MoU was signed and exchanged at Varsha Bungalow, the official residence of the Chief Minister. Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director, IIT Bombay, was present at the occasion. The agreement outlines the launch of a certification course aimed at equipping Chief Minister Fellows with the right tools and methodologies to understand, articulate, and solve problems related to public welfare.

Other IIT Bombay dignitaries present at the MoU signing ceremony include:

• Prof. Milind Atrey, Deputy Director, ART (Academics, Research and Translation)
• Prof. Usha Ananthakumar, Dean (Educational Outreach)
• Prof. Vinish Kathuria, Head, Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies (ADCPS)

The course will be coordinated by Prof. Parmeshwar Udmale from the Centre for Technology for Rural Areas (C-TARA), who serves as the PI/Course Coordinator for the second batch through the office of the Dean – Educational Outreach.

This year, 60 Fellows have been selected through a rigorous selection process that included a written exam and a personal interview. Fellows will attend in-person classes for four weeks at the Institute, interspersed with breaks and supported by continuous online instruction on weekends over 12 months. During this time, they will be posted across 23 district collectors and zilla parishad offices across Maharashtra. In addition to coursework, the Fellows will undertake directed research projects under the guidance of IIT Bombay faculty.

Course instructors from IIT Bombay include:

• Prof. Anand B. Rao
• Prof. Bakul Rao
• Prof. Satish B. Agnihori
• Prof. Om Damani
• Prof. Sarthak Gaurav
• Prof. Aditi Chaubal
• Prof. Pooja Purang
• Prof. Parmeshwar Udmale

The course will also feature guest lectures from experienced IAS officers and other IIT Bombay faculty members. Upon completion of the programme, Fellows will be awarded a ‘Postgraduate Certificate Programme in Public Policy.’

This collaboration underscores IIT Bombay’s ongoing commitment to strengthening governance and public policy through capacity building. By partnering with the Government of Maharashtra on the Chief Minister Fellowship Programme, the Institute brings academic rigor, data-driven thinking, and a multidisciplinary approach to some of the most pressing challenges in public administration.