Karmyogi Fellowship

Fellowship Overview

The Karmyogi Fellowship is an 18-month leadership and social impact fellowship for recent graduates and young professionals who want to learn, contribute, and grow while working on meaningful initiatives.

The fellowship offers hands-on experience across education, healthcare, governance, sports, rural development, and institution building through the unique KIIT - KISS ecosystem.

Fellows work alongside experienced teams on real projects, gain exposure to large-scale social initiatives, and develop practical skills that prepare them for careers in the social, public, and development sector.

About Us

The Karmyogi Fellowship is housed within the globally recognised KIIT & KISS, founded by Dr. Achyuta Samanta, a pioneering model of education-led social transformation.

Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) have gained national and international recognition for their contributions to education, tribal empowerment, healthcare, social inclusion, sports, and sustainable development, including recognition linked to UN Sustainable Development Goals, holds Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize.

What's In It For You

The Karmyogi Fellowship offers a rare opportunity to combine intellectual growth, real-world exposure, and meaningful social impact within one transformative experience.

Fellows will:

• Work on meaningful projects across education, healthcare, governance, sports, and community development.
• Learn from experienced mentors and institutional leaders.
• Gain practical exposure to one of India's largest education and social development models.
• Build professional skills in project management, communication, documentation, and teamwork.
• Become part of a network of professionals committed to creating positive social impact.
• Outstanding fellows may be considered for long-term opportunities within KIIT & KISS.

The fellowship is designed for individuals who want to move beyond conventional classroom or corporate learning and engage with work that creates visible intellectual and social impact.

Structure

• Duration: 18 Months
• Location: Bhubaneswar, Odisha (full-time)
• Monthly Stipend: ₹50,000/month for the first 9 months, ₹60,000/month for the next 9 months
• Foundation mode (Months 9-18): Introduction to the KIIT & KISS and Odisha context, ground research & evidence synthesis, strategy and planning
• Impact mode (Months 10-18): Work on institutional and social impact pilots, impact assessment, reporting and documentation, designing scaling and socialisation

Core Focus Areas

Fellows will work across interdisciplinary themes such as:

• Education
• Social Innovation
• Sports & Youth Development
• Community Engagement
• Health & Wellbeing
• Leadership & Institution Building

Key Responsibilities

During the fellowship, you may:

• Develop strategic plan for ongoing or new projects and institutional initiatives.
• Design pilots and programmes around core focus areas.
• Visit programmes and interact with different teams and stakeholders.
• Collect, organise, and maintain project information.
• Contribute ideas to improve programmes and processes.
• Assist in preparing reports, presentations, and documentation.
• Work with mentors and cross-functional teams on assigned projects.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should preferably possess:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from a reputed institution, or equivalent professional expertise in media, design or development practice.
• Age: 22 - 32 years at the time of application
• Ability to relocate to and be based full-time in Bhubaneswar, Odisha for the 18-month duration.
• Strong research, analytical thinking and written communication skills demonstrated through previous work or writing samples.
• Demonstrated interest in social transformation, education, governance or development practice.

Desired Candidate Profile

The ideal Karmyogi Fellow should demonstrate:

• A genuine love for ideas, change and understanding complex systems as a way of engaging with the world.
• A sense of empathy for the cause of people, coupled with the commitment to understand their challenges and work towards solutions.
• A willingness to learn how large institutions and systems work, and the drive to take responsibility for building and running them.