IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, NITs, other colleges launch Adi Karmayogi Student Chapters; IIT Delhi to serve as nodal hub

The programme is 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 (November 2024–2025).

Speaking at the launch event at IIT Delhi, Tribal Affairs Secretary Vibhu Nayar said the chapters would create a bridge between top institutes and 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 said.

IIT Delhi Director Prof. Rangan Banerjee called the platform “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 set up across a wide network of top colleges and universities. These include IITs and IIMs such as IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Dharwad, IIT Hyderabad, IIM Sirmaur and IIM Nagpur.

Among medical institutions, AIIMS Nagpur, AIIMS Gorakhpur, AIIMS Bhatinda, and VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital are part of the initiative.

The programme also extends to science and research institutes, including IISER Mohali, SVNIRTAR, and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) Trivandrum.

Participation further spans other top institutions like DTU Delhi, NIT Delhi, NIT Patna, NIT Raipur, NIT Puducherry, NIT Meghalaya, IIITDM Kurnool, BIT Mesra, NERIST Arunachal Pradesh, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute, and RGNUL Patiala. In addition, a cluster of Institutes of Hotel Management – IHM Kufri (Shimla), IHM Tharamani (Chennai), IHM Pusa (Delhi), IHM Bhopal, and IHM Bhubaneswar – are also on board in this first phase.

The chapters will focus on a wide range of activities, including:

– Mentorship and Education: Linking IIT/IIM/AIIMS students with EMRS and Ashram schools to improve learning outcomes.
– Entrepreneurship: Facilitating access to a Rs 50 crore venture capital fund for tribal-led startups.
– Innovation: Hosting hackathons and workshops to build 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.

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

Leaders from IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, NITs and IIST Trivandrum have extended strong support for the initiative, which aims to create a cadre of empowered tribal youth contributing to Viksit Bharat @2047.