India’s premier higher education institutions have united to launch the Adi Karmayogi Student Chapters, aimed at mentoring and empowering tribal youth.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs announced the initiative, with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi’s Bhagwan Birsa Munda Cell serving as the central hub, reported India Today.
Unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17 as part of Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh (November 2024–2025), the Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan is described as the world’s largest tribal leadership movement.
Bridging educational and tribal communities
At the launch event at IIT Delhi, Tribal Affairs Secretary Vibhu Nayar emphasised the programme’s goal of connecting top educational institutes with tribal communities. “By connecting students with tribal development programmes, we are nurturing a generation of young leaders who will shape India’s educational, social and entrepreneurial landscape,” he stated.
Opportunities for innovation and impact
IIT Delhi Director Professor Rangan Banerjee highlighted the initiative as a transformative platform for students. “It is a platform for mentoring, innovating, and building solutions that can impact tribal regions,” he said, encouraging students to leverage their skills for meaningful change in tribal areas.
Broad institutional participation in first phase
The first phase of the Adi Karmayogi Student Chapters includes a diverse network of leading institutions, such as:
- Engineering and Management: IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Dharwad, IIT Hyderabad, IIM Sirmaur, and IIM Nagpur.
- Medical Institutes: AIIMS Nagpur, AIIMS Gorakhpur, AIIMS Bhatinda, and VMMC-Safdarjung Hospital.
- Science and Research: IISER Mohali, SVNIRTAR, and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) Trivandrum.
- Technical and Law Universities: DTU Delhi, NITs in Delhi, Patna, Raipur, Puducherry, and Meghalaya, IIITDM Kurnool, BIT Mesra, NERIST Arunachal Pradesh, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute, and RGNUL Patiala.
- Hospitality Institutes: IHM Kufri, IHM Tharamani, IHM Pusa, IHM Bhopal, and IHM Bhubaneswar.
Key activities of the student chapters
The Adi Karmayogi Student Chapters will focus on mentorship, innovation, and collaboration through the following activities:
- Mentorship and Education: Linking students from premier institutes with Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and Ashram schools to improve educational outcomes.
- Entrepreneurship Support: Providing access to a Rs 50 crore venture capital fund to support tribal-led startups.
- Innovation Challenges: Hosting hackathons and workshops to create technology-driven solutions for tribal communities.
- Village Development Projects: Developing Vision 2030 plans, SWOT analyses, and sustainable strategies for villages.
- Skill Training: Offering training in semiconductors and frontier technologies, in collaboration with IISc Bangalore.
Additionally, the chapters will facilitate internships with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, state governments, and district administrations, with awards recognising student leaders and mentors for significant contributions.
Leaders from participating institutions have expressed enthusiasm for the programme, viewing it as a vital step toward equipping tribal youth to contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.