In a landmark move to foster tribal leadership and innovation, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs recently launched the Adi Karmayogi Student Chapters across India’s premier institutions, including IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, NITs, and central universities.

The initiative forms part of the Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan, hailed as the world’s largest tribal leadership movement, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17 during the ongoing Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh (2024–2025).

Speaking at the launch event at IIT Delhi, Tribal Affairs Secretary Vibhu Nayar highlighted the transformative potential of the chapters. “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 said.

IIT Delhi Director Prof. Rangan Banerjee described the platform as “a way for students to mentor, innovate, and drive meaningful impact in tribal regions.”

In the first phase, the Adi Karmayogi Student Chapters will be established in a wide network of top colleges and universities, including IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Dharwad, IIT Hyderabad, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Nagpur, AIIMS Nagpur, AIIMS Gorakhpur, AIIMS Bhatinda, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, and research institutions like IISER Mohali, SVNIRTAR, and IIST Trivandrum.

Participation also extends to DTU Delhi, NIT Delhi, NIT Patna, NIT Raipur, NIT Puducherry, NIT Meghalaya, IIITDM Kurnool, BIT Mesra, NERIST Arunachal Pradesh, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute, RGNUL Patiala, and institutes of hotel management including IHM Kufri, IHM Tharamani, IHM Pusa, IHM Bhopal, and IHM Bhubaneswar.

The chapters will focus on mentorship, education, entrepreneurship, innovation, village development, and skill-building:

·        Mentorship & Education: Linking students with EMRS and Ashram schools to enhance learning outcomes.

·        Entrepreneurship: Facilitating access to a ₹50 crore venture capital fund for tribal-led startups.

·        Innovation: Organising hackathons and workshops to develop tech-driven solutions for tribal development.

·        Village Development: Preparing Vision 2030 plans, SWOT analyses, and sustainable development strategies.

·        Skill Development: Training students in areas such as semiconductors and frontier technologies in partnership with IISc Bangalore.

The chapters will also provide internships with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, state departments, and district administrations, while recognising outstanding student leaders and mentors through awards.

The initiative enjoys strong support from leaders across IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, NITs, and IIST Trivandrum, aiming to empower tribal youth and contribute to Viksit Bharat @2047.