J&K's first legislative fellowship, Sheikh-ul-Alam MLA, launched

JKSA, JKCPRS, and Samaira Policy Institute have launched J&K's first-ever legislative fellowship, the Sheikh-ul-Alam MLA Fellowship. It aims to bridge the gap between academics and public service, providing youth with exposure to governance.

In a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening democratic participation, public leadership, and policy engagement among youth, the Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) and the J&K Centre for Peace, Research & Sustainable Development (JKCPRS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Samaira Policy Institute, Dehradun, one of India's emerging policy and governance institutions, and launched the Sheikh-ul-Alam MLA Fellowship, the first-ever structured legislative fellowship programme in Jammu & Kashmir.

A Pioneering Initiative for J&K Youth

The fellowship is being jointly spearheaded by the JKSA and the JKCPRS, which work collectively as partner institutions on a range of initiatives related to youth empowerment, public policy, governance, education, leadership development, and social transformation. The fellowship is a pioneering initiative designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and public service by providing talented youth with first-hand exposure to governance, policymaking, legislative functioning, public administration, constituency management, and grassroots development. By placing motivated graduates and young professionals within the offices of Members of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly, it aims to nurture a new generation of policy professionals, public leaders, and changemakers from Jammu & Kashmir.

Named after the revered Kashmiri saint and spiritual leader Sheikh-ul-Alam (Nund Rishi), the Fellowship draws inspiration from his timeless values of service, compassion, ethical leadership, inclusivity, social harmony, and public welfare. The programme seeks to cultivate a generation of informed, ethical, and community-oriented leaders committed to public service and democratic values.

Programme Structure and Training

The inaugural cohort, expected to commence in July 2026, will consist of approximately 22 Fellows selected through a highly competitive process from diverse academic, professional, and social backgrounds. Each Fellow will be attached to a Member of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly and will work closely with the legislator for a period of 13 months. In addition, two selected Fellows will also be placed with the Office of the Chief Minister to gain exposure to executive governance and policymaking at the highest level.

Prior to their legislative placement, Fellows will undergo an intensive residential one-month training programme at SPI Campus in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, designed to equip them with both theoretical understanding and practical skills in governance and public affairs. Participants will also gain first-hand experience of real-world governance challenges and contemporary policy issues, enabling them to contribute effectively during their legislative placements.

Fellows' Responsibilities

Fellows will support legislators in policy research, legislative analysis, constituency outreach, public grievance redressal, communications, stakeholder engagement, development planning, data-driven decision-making, and evidence-based policy formulation.

Vision for Youth Empowerment

Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Paul, President of Samaira Policy Institute, said that Jammu & Kashmir possesses an immense pool of talented and aspiring young individuals who often lack structured opportunities to engage with governance, policymaking, and public institutions. He asserted that the Sheikh-ul-Alam MLA Fellowship seeks to address this gap by creating an institutional mechanism that enables young people to work directly with elected representatives and understand the functioning of democratic institutions from within.

Under the MoU, the Samaira Policy Institute will provide technical expertise, curriculum design, training support, mentorship, institutional partnerships, resource mobilisation, and strategic guidance for the Fellowship. JKSA and JKCPRS will facilitate outreach, stakeholder engagement, on-ground implementation, fellow mobilisation, institutional coordination, and engagement with legislators and local stakeholders across Jammu & Kashmir and more.

Speaking about the initiative, National Convenor of Jammu & Kashmir Students Association and Founder of JKCPRS, Nasir Khuehami, described the Fellowship as a transformative step for youth leadership development and democratic engagement in the region. He emphasised that the Fellowship has the potential to emerge as a model initiative for nurturing future leaders and policy professionals in Jammu & Kashmir.

Application and Placement Details

Applications for the inaugural cohort of the Sheikh-ul-Alam MLA Fellowship are expected to open on 12 June 2026, with the first batch of Fellows beginning their journey in the last week of July 2026. The programme will place Fellows with Members of the Legislative Assembly across party lines, ensuring exposure to diverse political perspectives, governance approaches, and policy challenges. (ANI)

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