The Indian Administrative Fellowship is an 18-month full-time commitment that brings together exceptional technology leaders from the private sector and visionary civil servants to accelerate innovation in public systems through the framing and execution of strategic government interventions.

A prospective Fellow is a high performer from the private sector (CXO/VP/GM) with 15+ years of experience in leading large-scale tech-driven transformations. They must have a relentless drive to bring innovation, persistence, and leadership skills to provide sustainable and scalable solutions for India's wicked problems.

- The candidate should be an Indian resident. (OCI cardholders who are regular taxpayers can consider applying.)

- 15+ years of demonstrated experience leading large-scale transformational initiatives anchored in technology.

- Comfortable with working 6-day work weeks with travel and field visit as per requirement during the 18-month engagement.

- A high sense of ownership and accountability to deliver on assigned goals.

- The role will involve correspondence in the local language, therefore proficiency in the local language would be a distinct advantage.

Interested candidates are required to fill the application detailing their interest and experience.

Shortlisted applicants will receive an assignment to complete. Prospective Fellows will interview with The/Nudge team and our partners including serving or retired senior IAS officers to determine their fit for the Fellowship. The final cohort will be selected through an interview by the Secretaries, Additional Chief Secretaries, and Principal Secretaries with whom the Fellows will work during the 18 months.

The Fellows will be entrusted with the responsibility to:
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- Understand the departmental/ divisional priorities, interventions and challenges through research and stakeholder deliberation.
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- Propose and formulate the framework & strategy for an effective intervention design and delivery.
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- Enable consensus & collaboration for the engagement with various stakeholders, within the government institution and externally.
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- Document regular updates as part of the review and reporting frameworks.
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- Deliver on aligned goals in coordination with the government body and establish evidence on the intervention effectiveness.

- Engage in cohort interaction and academic accreditation designed to build capacity and camaraderie for effective engagements.

The Fellows shall have access to:
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- A platform to impact millions: An unparalleled opportunity to collaborate with the leadership across government institutions to enhance the reach and efficiency of Central/ State priorities.

- Leadership Development Bootcamps: The Fellows will undergo an extensive curriculum curated by India’s leading public policy institutions including Indian School of Business, NITI Aayog and State or Central institutions to build capacity for efficient comprehension, formulation, and execution of programs/ policies/ projects.

- Expert Advice and Mentoring: The Fellows will be mentored and supported by leading public policy institutes, a pool of subject matter experts, industry leaders, and mentors.

- Stipend: Each Fellow will receive a stipend of Rs. 12 lacs p.a. for the duration of the Fellowship.
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- Impact Showcase and Accreditation: Fellow contributions will be highlighted across media & case studies at different instances during the Fellowship. Formal accreditation will also be bestowed on the Fellow in the presence of senior administrators and notable leaders from the development & private sector.

In the Government ecosystem, the Fellows will be addressed as ‘Indian Administrative Fellows’ while the formal engagement is that of ‘Consultant’ with The/Nudge Institute. 

Fellows will be stationed at the secretariat/ relevant departmental/divisional office and work closely with the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/ Secretary of the government institution on strategic initiatives. 

The Civil Servant and the Fellow shall work as a team ensuring exceptional progress is made on the project mandate over the course of the program, while the Civil Servant will step up to solve for stakeholder access, alignment & administrative support.

The Fellows will be based out of the city their secretariat/ department/ ministry offices are located. In order to understand deeper aspects of the project and engage with the relevant stakeholders to facilitate implementation, Fellows may need to travel on field visits. The frequency of travel would depend on the nature of the department/division & focus of the projects.

The Fellow is linked to the division/ department. Even if the division/ department head gets transferred, the Fellow shall remain on the project assigned and will subsequently work with the incumbent official. 

While all selected projects are approved, in cases where a project is terminated, the Fellow will start engagement on a different project for the remaining duration of the program after deliberation with the Project Advisor.

The Fellow will be signing a contract to serve for a period of 18 months. However, if unavoidable circumstances require an early termination, they will be required to serve a notice period of 2 months, or reimburse for the stipend in lieu of the notice period.

The Fellows will receive soft support to transition into suitable roles within the development sector. Read more about how our alumni from Karnataka ‘23 cohort have transitioned here.