For those who choose to care for the most vulnerable.
Thank you for your interest. Applications are now closed.
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A unique opportunity to earn hands-on experience at hospitals located in some of the most remote, resource-scarce parts of India.
A key issue in Health is the poor availability of health professionals working with vulnerable communities in rural and remote areas as well as in underserved urban communities. The Azim Premji Health Equity Fellowship offers young MBBS doctors the opportunity to learn the complexities of practising medicine while working for the most vulnerable in remote and resource-scarce geographies.
The Fellowship will provide doctors with diverse opportunities and experiences, including:
- Work in reputed hospitals under the guidance of experienced mentors
- A fraternity of like-minded Fellows and doctors
- Travel to some of the most remote parts of the country
- An honorarium (apart from relocation and travel costs). More details here.
- Certification of completion
- A certificate programme in Foundations in Family Medicine, offered by CMC Vellore
- Possibility of joining CMC Vellore’s Post Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (PGDFM) programme after completion of the Fellowship
- Participation in a placement process
Timeline
Participating institutions
The Fellowship is a collaborative effort of Azim Premji Foundation and 19 prestigious institutions across India.
Through this partnership, we hope to offer Fellows a unique opportunity to work with some of the most distinguished institutions in the country. The 19 participating institutions are:
- Aarohi, Nainital District, Uttarakhand
- ASHWINI (Association for Health Welfare in the Nilgiris) Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu
- Basic Healthcare Services, Udaipur District, Rajasthan
- Christian Hospital Bisamcuttack, Rayagada District, Odisha
- Chinchpada Christian Hospital, Nandurbar District, Maharashtra
- DFY (Doctors For You), multiple locations (including Bihar and Maharashtra)
- Herbertpur Christian Hospital, Dehradun District, Uttarakhand
- Jan Swasthya Sahayog, Bilaspur District, Chhattisgarh
- Karuna Trust, multiple locations (including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Odisha)
- Madhipura Christian Hospital, Madhepura District, Bihar
- Makunda Christian Leprosy & General Hospital, Karimganj District, Assam
- SEARCH (Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health), Gadchiroli District, Maharashtra.
- Sewa Rural, Bharuch District, Gujarat
- Shaheed Hospital, Durg District, Chhattisgarh
- Savitribai Phule Mahila Ekatma Samaj Mandal, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar District, Maharashtra
- Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission, Palakkad District, Kerala
- Swami Vivekanand Youth Movement, Mysuru District, Karnataka
- Swasthya Swaraj, Kalahandi District, Odisha
- Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra, Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka
Key elements of the programme
This will be a 12-month-long, site-centred programme.
- The sites will be primary/ secondary healthcare facilities in rural, remote, resource-scarce geographies or underserved urban communities with significant caseloads and a focus on community health.
- Fellows must be MBBS graduates who have completed their internship and any service obligation; preferably with state registration in place.
- Fellows must be MBBS graduates, up to 6 years post-qualification (from batches graduating between 2020 and 2025).
- The programme will feature an anchor location where the Fellow will be posted for most of the year along with a short exposure visit to another location.
- In addition, there will be online sessions for the certificate programme in Foundations in Family Medicine from CMC Vellore, in-person sessions at CMC Vellore, and experience-sharing and perspective-building sessions.
- A designated mentor will work with each Fellow. The Fellow and the mentor will identify areas for the Fellow to focus on and prepare a learning plan accordingly.
Language: Proficiency in Hindi, English, regional language as per location
For a more detailed understanding, please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
FAQs
Will the Fellows get an honorarium during the programme?
Yes, the Azim Premji Foundation will provide the Fellows an honorarium. It will be in two parts — a monthly payout of INR 40,000 and a payment of INR 1.2 lakh on successful completion of the full 12-month Fellowship. Additionally, relocation and travel costs across locations of participating institutions will be covered. Please note that the honorarium is intended to only cover expenses and is not a salary.
What is the timeline for the Fellowship?
- Last date for application: 15 March 2026
- Selection process: February-March 2026
- Selection announcement: 10 April 2026
- Programme commencement: 25 May 2026
What is the duration of the programme?
It has been designed as a 12-month programme.
What is the structure of the programme?
The programme will involve a 12-month posting at an anchor location, interspersed with capacity-building sessions on community and social contexts as well as in-person sessions for the CMC Vellore certificate programme in Foundations in Family Medicine. Some of the capacity-building sessions may take place at a predetermined location or online.
Who can apply?
Applicants must be MBBS graduates who have completed their internship and any service obligation, preferably with their state registration in place. Applicants should be within six years of qualification (from batches graduating between 2020 and 2025). Candidates whose MBBS degree was obtained outside India must have cleared the requisite National Medical Commission examinations. Applications from candidates holding postgraduate medical degrees will not be considered.
How will the programme benefit the Fellows?
With a diverse patient load, the hospitals will provide the Fellows with the opportunity to practise and learn clinical skills firsthand. The Fellows will also be a part of the certificate programme offered by CMC Vellore. The Fellows will also learn from highly experienced mentors at established medical centres in different parts of India, which will help them develop an understanding of community health and also acquire work experience.
Which institutions are a part of the programme?
The following 19 institutions with extensive health work in the community and established primary/ secondary health facilities are part of the programme:
- Aarohi, Nainital District, Uttarakhand
- ASHWINI (Association for Health Welfare in the Nilgiris) Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu
- Basic Healthcare Services, Udaipur District, Rajasthan
- Christian Hospital Bisamcuttack, Rayagada District, Odisha
- Chinchpada Christian Hospital, Nandurbar District, Maharashtra
- DFY (Doctors For You), multiple locations (including Bihar and Maharashtra))
- Herbertpur Christian Hospital, Dehradun District, Uttarakhand
- Jan Swasthya Sahayog, Bilaspur District, Chhattisgarh
- Karuna Trust multiple locations (including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Odisha)
- Madhipura Christian Hospital, Madhepura District, Bihar
- Makunda Christian Leprosy & General Hospital, Karimganj District, Assam
- SEARCH (Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health), Gadchiroli District, Maharashtra.
- Sewa Rural, Bharuch District, Gujarat
- Shaheed Hospital, Durg District, Chhattisgarh
- Savitribai Phule Mahila Ekatma Samaj Mandal, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar District, Maharashtra
- Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission, Palakkad District, Kerala
- Swami Vivekanand Youth Movement, Mysuru District, Karnataka
- Swasthya Swaraj, Kalahandi District, Odisha
- Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra, Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka
Will the programme provide a certificate recognised by a relevant medical authority?
Upon completion of the programme, participants will receive a certificate of completion issued by the Azim Premji Foundation in conjunction with the participating institutions. In addition, a certificate in Foundations in Family Medicine will be awarded by CMC Vellore, subject to the successful fulfilment of all course requirements.
Since the programme involves staying in rural locations, what are the living arrangements for Fellows?
The institutions where the Fellows are posted will either provide adequate living arrangements (single or family, as the case may be) or facilitate the same. However, this cannot be guaranteed in all locations.
How many locations will the Fellow be posted at during the programme?
Each Fellow will get posted to one location along with a short exposure visit to another location.
Since the locations seem remote and rural, will that also mean a lack of appropriate medical facilities for Fellows to practise their skills?
Each of these locations provides quality medical care. These institutions have developed their facilities over the years. Their websites give a sense of the medical facilities and extent of their work.
Can the Fellow take leave during the programme?
Yes, there is provision of leave. The exact duration and details will be shared later in discussion with the location of the posting.
Can a site have only one Fellow?
Fellows will be working as part of the medical team on location. Depending on the requirement and the number of applicants selected, a location might have 1-2 Fellows.
Will there be placements after the programme conclusion?
Based on requirements and mutual fit, placement-related discussions can be a part of programme conclusion.
What happens in case a Fellow wishes to move out of the programme midway?
We have a limited number of seats and are seeking candidates who can commit to the full 12-month duration of the Fellowship. However, in the unlikely event that a Fellow needs to withdraw from the programme, they may do so after serving the required notice period. Any deferred benefits will be paid to the Fellow on a pro-rata basis. Please note that, upon withdrawal, the Fellow cannot continue in the CMC Vellore programme.
Is this programme like a specialised fellowship or residency?
This programme is different from a specialised fellowship or residency. We seek to offer rich experience in clinical and community work at the 19 participating institutions. This will help you understand the causes of ill-health as also its presentation, and how medical knowledge needs to be contextualised and applied for the benefit of not just patients, but also their families and the wider community, with a focus on the use of appropriate technology and medicines.
