Rajasthan Chief Minister Fellowship Program (CMFP)

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

The Rajasthan Chief Minister Fellowship Program (CMFP) is a fellowship initiative of the Government of Rajasthan that brings bright, highly educated young people into the heart of state administration. The state government designed the program to infuse novelty and innovation into the service delivery system through the fresh ideas and modern techniques of young minds. The Planning Department acts as the administrative department for CMFP, while the Directorate of Economics & Statistics (DES), Jaipur, works as the implementing agency.

The government launched CMFP with a clear purpose: to use the energy and diverse experience of youth in policymaking and coordination, bring innovation into government schemes so that they reach more people, and get an independent critical analysis of government programs along with suggestions to improve their performance. The program also aims to build interest among youth in the public service delivery system, sharpen their research and evaluation skills in public administration, and improve communication between stakeholders through new communication techniques and media tools. In short, the program benefits both sides - the government gets fresh thinking, and the Fellows gain first-hand knowledge of project implementation and the way government works.

Under the CMFP-2025 guidelines, the state engages 50 Fellows and deploys them in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) or in departments allotted by the CMO. Each Fellow receives a stipend of ₹60,000 per month along with an additional ₹5,000 per month for connectivity and mobility support, which takes the total monthly payment to ₹65,000. The fellowship runs for one year at first and can be extended by one more year, in blocks of six months, but never beyond two years in total. Fellows also get 12 days of leave in a calendar year and a Fellowship Completion Certificate from the Planning Department after they finish the fellowship and their final report gets approved.

The program works on a simple model. Fellows report to the CMO or to the ACS/Principal Secretary/Secretary of the department where they are posted, take up the work assigned to them, and submit a Monthly Progress Report (MPR). The DES releases the stipend within fifteen days after the month ends, based on attendance and the MPR. To be eligible, a candidate must not be older than 28 years as on 1 January 2026 and must hold either a postgraduate degree with 65% marks (or CGPA 7/10) or a bachelor's degree in a professional course such as Engineering, Medical, CA, CS or Law. CMFP is a full-time fellowship, not a government job, and it does not promise any temporary or permanent employment.

Apart from the Rajasthan Chief Minister Fellowship Program, the Government of Rajasthan also runs the Mukhyamantri Yuva Sambal Yojana, which provides a monthly unemployment allowance of ₹4,000 to eligible male graduates and ₹4,500 to female, transgender, and differently-abled graduates (for up to two years), subject to registration with the employment exchange, family income below ₹2 lakh, and other eligibility conditions. You can check the complete details here.

Benefits of Chief Minister Fellowship Program

Selected Fellows get the following benefits and facilities under the Rajasthan Chief Minister Fellowship Program (CMFP).

• Monthly stipend: ₹60,000 per month.
• Additional allowance: ₹5,000 per month for connectivity, mobility support, etc.
• Total monthly payment: ₹65,000, subject to the conditions of the guidelines.
• Payment timeline: The DES releases the payment within 15 days after the month ends, based on attendance and the MPR.
• Tax deduction: The DES deducts income tax at source as per rules and issues a TDS certificate.
• Duration: One year, extendable by another year in six-month blocks.
• Government exposure: Direct experience of policy work, program implementation, and public administration in the CMO or a state department.
• Orientation: One-week orientation at the state level after selection.
• Leave: 12 days of leave in a calendar year.
• Completion Certificate: Awarded by the Planning Department after successful completion and approval of the final report.
• Experience Certificate: Fellows become eligible for an Experience Certificate after completing at least 6 months of the fellowship.

What the Fellowship Does Not Cover

Candidates must also be fully aware of the following clear limits and boundaries of the fellowship:

• CMFP is not a government job and does not guarantee temporary or permanent employment.
• Fellows are not treated as employees of the CMO, DES, or any department, during or after the fellowship.
• No TA/DA for attending the interview or during the fellowship.
• No medical insurance, medical reimbursement or RGHS coverage, and no liability for costs from accidents or illness.
• No extra payment for work beyond office hours or on Saturdays, Sundays and government holidays.
• No stipend if the Fellow leaves within the first month.

Roles and Responsibilities of Fellows

Every Fellow has to carry out a set of duties during the fellowship period, such as:-

• Complete the work assigned by the CMO or the ACS/Principal Secretary/Secretary of the allotted department.
• Submit a Monthly Progress Report (MPR) to the CMO/DES.
• Arrange their own laptop and data card/internet facility.
• Take up any other objective decided by the CMO or the concerned department head.
• Submit the final project report during the last quarter after incorporating all suggestions and corrections.
• Follow the office attendance rules and regular office working hours.

Eligibility Requirements

A candidate must meet all the following conditions before applying for the Chief Minister Fellowship Program.

• Age should not be more than 28 years as on 1 January 2026 (not born before 1 January 1998).
• Must have a postgraduate degree with at least 65% marks / CGPA 7, or a bachelor’s degree in a professional course (Engineering, Medical, CA, CS, or Law).
• Good knowledge of English and Hindi (reading, speaking, writing, and understanding).
• Excellent communication, presentation, interpersonal, and soft skills.
• Good command over ICT, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and AI tools.
• Full-time commitment; no remuneration from any other agency during the fellowship.

Required Documents

Candidates are required to produce the following documents as proof at the time of Group Discussion and Personal Interview:

• Proof of age
• Proof of educational qualification
• Proof of experience, where applicable
• Signed Undertaking (Annexure-A) at the time of joining, for selected Fellows

Steps to Apply

The CMFP application process started online through the Rajasthan SSO portal. To apply, you can follow the steps below:

• Visit the Rajasthan SSO Portal.
• Log in with your SSO ID and password.
• Go to Citizen Apps (G2C) and select the Chief Minister Fellowship Program.
• Fill in the online application form with correct details.
• Check every detail carefully before final submission.
• Submit the form within the deadline.

Selection Through Campus Placement

• Fellows are selected from universities and academic institutions through Campus Placement.
• The Program Implementation Committee (PIC) selects the universities and academic institutions for campus placement.
• The PIC decides the modality and process of campus selection.
• The PIC decides the constitution of the interview board.
• The Guidelines provide for a Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) board.
• Candidates are assessed on their eligibility documents, Group Discussion, and Interview.

Selection Criteria and Merit List

The selection board judges candidates and prepares the final list as follows:

• Assessment of personality, attitude, communication skills, subject knowledge, and other strengths of character.
• Selection based on eligibility documents, GD, and interview.
• A composite merit list of 1.5 times the actual requirement is declared successful.
• 25 candidates are kept on the waiting list, which lapses automatically after 6 months.

Joining and Deployment

Selected candidates go through the following steps after selection:

• The CMO decides the deployment of each Fellow.
• The Fellow joins within one month of the grant of fellowship.
• The Fellow submits the Undertaking (Annexure-A) to the Planning Department/DES at joining.
• The Fellow attends a one-week state-level orientation.
• The CMO or concerned department finalises the Fellow's annual work plan, deliverables and timeline.

Duration, Extension and Leave Rules

The guidelines set clear rules for how long a Fellow serves and how leave works.

• Initial term: One year from the date of grant of fellowship.
• Extension: The CMO or department head can recommend a one-year extension, six months at a time.
• Maximum limit: Two years in total, with no exceptions.
• Leave: 12 days per calendar year, accrued one day per completed month on a pro-rata basis.
• Accrual condition: A month's leave accrues only if the Fellow completes at least the first 20 days of that month.
• No carry forward: Unused leave lapses at year-end.
• No half-day leave: Half-day leave is not allowed.
• Deduction: Leave taken without accrual leads to a deduction from the stipend.

Termination of Fellowship

The government can end a fellowship in the following situations listed in the guidelines:

• Unauthorised absence for 7 continuous days without information, after a 7-working-day notice.
• Misconduct, misbehaviour or unsatisfactory performance - at any time, without notice.
• Receiving remuneration from any other source - with immediate effect.
• Voluntary exit by the Fellow with one month's notice; the Fellow must submit a resignation and a detailed work report within one month.
• The government may also terminate the fellowship at any time without citing a reason.

Relevant Links

• Rajasthan Chief Minister Fellowship Program Login
• Rajasthan SSO Portal
• Guidelines of Rajasthan Chief Minister Fellowship Program (CMFP) 

Contact Information

• Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Rajasthan Helpline Number: 0141-2850241
• Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Rajasthan Helpdesk Email: [email protected]