Key Points

The first-of-its-kind fellowship will pave the way for the selection of a batch of 16 Fellows through a competitive process and their placement with UN agencies at the national, state, and district levels, the official said in a statement.

The selected tribal youth will undertake a 12-month paid Fellowship, with a tailored learning plan that balances knowledge-building, on-the-job experience, and reflective practice, it said.

The Fellows will receive monthly allowances, comprehensive health and life insurance, and access to high-quality UN and commercial learning platforms.

The programme will link Fellows to national skilling and employability schemes such as PMKVY 4.0, NAPS, and PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, ensuring pathways to long-term careers.

They will also benefit from structured mentorship, peer-to-peer learning, and exposure to national and international platforms.

The statement said an Adi Karmayogi Volunteers Programme was also launched on Monday under the Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, 2025 as part of Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh (2024-2025).

The Adi Karmayogi Volunteers initiative, supported by UNFPA, will equip tribal youth to act as catalysts for grassroots change and strengthen last-mile service delivery in tribal regions.

As many as 82 UN Community Volunteers as Adi Karmayogi Volunteers supported by the UNFPA have been deployed across 82 blocks in 13 districts of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for an intensive two-month grassroots engagement, said the statement.

The Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan aims to directly engage 11 crore citizens across one lakh tribal-dominated villages in 550 districts of 30 States and Union Territories, said the Abhiyan in a statement.

Rooted in the principles of responsive, accountable, and citizen-centric governance, the Abhiyan seeks to transform governance into a people's movement and serve as a foundation for Viksit Bharat 2047.

As part of the initiative, the Adi SewaParv (September 17 - October 2, 2025) is underway, during which tribal communities and government officials will collaboratively prepare Tribal Village Vision 2030 Action Plans to chart local development pathways towards inclusive growth.

- IANS