Post Graduate Certificate in Public Policy and Good Governance

Program Features

The CMFS offers a unique blend of academic rigor and real-world governance experience:

• The program integrates 40 days of campus immersion, including an initial three-week training at IIM Bodh Gaya, followed by two years of practical governance experience through postings in key administrative offices. Fellows will be attached to Municipal Corporations, District Collectorates, Divisional Commissioner’s Offices, Secretariat Departments, and the Offices of the Development Commissioner, Chief Secretary, Deputy Chief Minister, and Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

• The Government of Bihar, will provide each enrolled Fellow a fixed monthly honorarium ranging from ₹80,000 to ₹1,50,000 per month, commensurate with their attachment office level and experience.

• Upon successful completion of the two-year fellowship program, Fellows will be awarded a Post Graduate Certificate in Public Policy and Good Governance by IIM Bodh Gaya.

• All successful Fellows will also receive a Work Experience letter from the General Administration Department, Government of Bihar.

• IIM Bodh Gaya will provide Continuous Learning and Review support throughout the two years, including quarterly in-person learning-cum-review meets and online mentorship sessions.

Program Structure

The two-year fellowship is structured into following phases:

1. Selection Process: This phase involves the screening of applications based on basic eligibility criteria, and a personal interview with a panel of IIM Bodh Gaya faculty.

2. Initial Training (3 weeks): All selected fellows will undergo a structured induction training at the IIM Bodh Gaya Campus. The training will focus on public policy, governance systems, Bihar-specific challenges, and administrative functioning.

3. Attachment and Work (2 Years): Fellows will report to their assigned government offices to perform their roles and responsibilities. This period is supported by continuous remote mentorship and quarterly in-person review meets facilitated by IIM Bodh Gaya.

4. Completion: At the end of the two years, Fellows must submit a detailed work report. A joint appraisal will be conducted, leading to the award of the Post Graduate Certificate in Public Policy and Good Governance from IIM Bodh Gaya and Work Experience letter from General Administration Department of the Government of Bihar.

Admission (Eligibility and Selection Criteria)

The applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Applicants must be a domicile of Bihar.

2. Age limit: The maximum age limit is 45 years as of the application deadline

3. Applicant must hold a Post Graduate degree from a reputed institution in Management, Policy, Development, Regional Planning, Public Administration, Science and Technology, and allied fields* with a minimum of 55% marks.

   *Allied Fields -

   Subjects	Remarks
   Management (including Business Admn. Mgt./Marketing / Marketing Mgt. / Industrial Relations and Personnel Mgt. / Personnel Mgt. / Financial Mgt. /Cooperative Mgt.)	UGC-NET – 17
   Public Administration	UGC-NET – 14
   Economics / Rural Economics /Co-operation / Demography / Development Planning/ Development Studies / Econometrics/ Applied Economics / Development Economics / Business Economics	UGC-NET – 01
   Labour Welfare / Personnel Management / Industrial Relations/ Labour and Social Welfare / Human Resource Management	UGC-NET – 55
   Law	UGC-NET – 58
   Social Work	UGC-NET – 10
   Tourism Administration and Management.	UGC-NET – 93
   Disaster Management	UGC-NET – 104
   Human Rights and Duties	UGC-NET – 92
   Population Studies	UGC-NET – 15
   Technology – M. E. and M. Tech.	GATE – Engineering and Technology Subjects
   Science – M. Sc., MS, M. Tech.	GATE – Science Subjects and CSIR-NET – Science Subjects

4. Candidates must submit a valid test score card from any one of the following tests: CAT, GMAT, GRE, GATE, UGC-NET, or CSIR-NET.
   Exemption from Test Scores: Candidates who have Masters degrees from any Institutions of National Importance (INI), Central Universities, and National Law Universities (NLU) in Management / Policy / Development / Public Administration / Regional Planning / Science and Technology and allied fields are exempted from submitting CAT/GMAT/GRE/GATE/UGC-NET/CSIR-NET test scores.

5. The minimum required work experience varies according to the requirements of the government offices:

• 3+ years for District, Divisional, and Municipal Corporation.

• 6+ years for Secretariat Department.

• 8+ years for Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner Office.

• 10+ years for Hon’ble CM and Dy. CM Office.

Reservation Policy:

Reservation is applicable as per the Bihar State Reservation Policy.

Selection Process:

The admission to the program includes the following processes:

• Submitting applications for the program (Online).

• Shortlisting the applications.

• Conducting interviews.

• Releasing admission offers.

Application Process

How to Apply: Applications must be submitted through the online application portal linked with the IIM Bodh Gaya.

Important Dates:

Final results will be declared together in the second week of February 2026.

Apply Online

1. Register
• Requirements: An active email id
• Follow the following steps to register
  1. Click on the “Apply Online” button. This will open the registration page.
  2. Click on “Not a member yet? Click here to register” to proceed to the registration page
  3. Provide the necessary details, including an active email id to register.


2. Fill application form

Before filling up the form, please ensure the following documents in the right format are ready with you:

1. Bihar domicile documents (in pdf format)
2. CAT/GMAT/GRE/GATE/UGC-NET/CSIR-NET score card (in pdf format)
3. SC/ST/BC-I (NCL)/BC-II (NCL)/EWS/PWD certificates (in pdf format)
4. 10th marksheet/certificate (in pdf format)
5. 12th marksheet/certificate (in pdf format)
6. Graduation marksheet and degree (in pdf format)
7. Postgraduation marksheet and degree (in pdf format)
8. Experience letter(s) (in pdf format)
9. Your photo (in jpg format)
10. Your signature (in jpg formats)

After preparing the documents listed in points (a) to (i), log in using login ID and password used during the Registration step mentioned above. Then, follow the steps below to apply:

1. Fill in all the mandatory fields on the ‘Personal Details’ page  
2. Fill in all the mandatory fields on the ‘Academic’ page
3. Fill in all the mandatory fields on the ‘Eligibility’ page
4. Complete all the mandatory fields on the ‘Experience’ page
5. Upload all necessary documents on the “Documents” page.
6. Preview you application prior to final declaration and submission on “Declaration and Submit” page

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What is the Chief Minister’s Fellowship (CM Fellowship) program?
Ans. The CM Fellowship is a flagship initiative of the Government of Bihar, designed in partnership with IIM Bodh Gaya. It embeds high-quality, early and mid-career professionals within the state governance system for a fixed term of two years to improve policy implementation, catalyze new initiatives, and facilitate innovation in government.

Q. Who is the academic partner for this fellowship?
Ans. IIM Bodh Gaya is the academic and knowledge partner. They are responsible for the selection, training, and academic certification of the Fellows.

Q. What certificate will I receive upon completion?
Ans. Upon successful completion of the 2-year program, Fellows will be awarded a “Post Graduate Certificate in Public Policy and Good Governance” by IIM Bodh Gaya. You will also receive a Work Experience letter from the General Administration Department (GAD), Govt. of Bihar.

Q. Is the fellowship open to non-Bihar residents?
Ans. No. The CM Fellowship is exclusively for eligible professionals who are domiciles of Bihar.

Q. What is the age limit for applicants?
Ans. The maximum age limit is 45 years as of the date specified in the advertisement.

Q. What are the educational qualifications required?
Ans. Applicant must hold a Post Graduate degree from a reputed institution in Management, Policy, Development, Regional Planning, Public Administration, Science and Technology and allied fields* with a minimum of 55% marks.

Q. Do I need a CAT/GMAT/GRE score to apply?
Ans. Yes, candidates are shortlisted based on a valid score in any one of the following examinations (as specified in the eligibility criteria): CAT/ GMAT / GRE / GATE / UGC-NET/ CSIR-NET.

• Exception: Candidates who have Masters degrees from any Institutions of National Importance (INI), Central Universities, and National Law Universities (NLU) in Management / Policy / Development / Public Administration / Regional Planning / Science and Technology and allied fields are exempted from submitting CAT/GMAT/GRE/GATE/UGC-NET/CSIR-NET test scores.

Q. How much work experience is required?
Ans. The work experience requirement depends on the position/office you are applying for:

• District/Divisional/Municipal Offices: Minimum 3+ years
• Secretariat Departments: Minimum 6+ years
• Chief Secretary / Dev. Commissioner Office: Minimum 8+ years
• Hon’ble CM / Dy. CM Secretariat: Minimum 10+ years.

Q. Is there any reservation policy?
Ans. Yes, the State Government’s prevailing reservation rules will be applicable for the selection of Fellows.

Q. How can I apply?
Ans. Applications must be submitted online through the dedicated application portal managed by IIM Bodh Gaya.

Q. What is the selection process?
Ans. The selection is a multi-stage process:

1. Screening: Based on eligibility (Age, Domicile, Qualification).
2. Shortlisting: Based on a valid score in any one of the following tests: CAT / GMAT / GRE / GATE / UGC-NET / CSIR-NET and other terms and conditions listed in eligibility and selection criteria.
3. Evaluation: Shortlisted candidates will be called for a Personal Interview by IIM Bodh Gaya.

Q. When does the fellowship start?
Ans. The tentative timeline for the first cohort involves applications opening in December 2025, with the program commencing in March 2026.

Q. How much work experience is required for a position in a District Collectorate or Municipal Corporation?
Ans. A 3+ years of work experience is required for attachments in District Collectorates, Divisional Offices, and Municipal Corporations.

Q. How much work experience is required for Secretariat Departments?
Ans. For positions within Secretariat Departments, a 6+ years of work experience is required.

Q. What are the experience requirements for high-level offices like the Chief Minister's or Chief Secretary's office?
Ans. Chief Secretary / Development Commissioner Office: 8+ years.
Hon’ble CM / Dy. CM Secretariat: 10+ years.

Q. What is the monthly honorarium?
Ans.The honorarium varies by role:
• ₹1,50,000: CM & Dy. CM Secretariat.
• ₹1,25,000: Chief Secretary & Development Commissioner Office.
• ₹1,00,000: Secretariat Departments.
• ₹80,000: Divisional, District, and Municipal Offices.

Q. How long is the fellowship?
Ans. The fellowship is for a fixed term of 02 years

Q. Does the program include training?
Ans. Yes, fellows undergo a structured 3-week induction training at IIM Bodh Gaya before joining their assigned offices.

Q. Is there a financial penalty for resigning early?
Ans. Yes. If a Fellow quits before completing 12 months, they are liable to pay back the initial training cost of ₹1,50,000.

Q. What are the leave rules?
Ans. Fellows are entitled to:
• All public holidays in the Bihar Government calendar.
• 2 Casual Leaves (CL) per month, which can be carried forward up to a maximum of 14 days.