"Crisis produces leaders. The youth of Kerala have led the state's response and recovery through multiple natural calamities and the pandemic. It is time Governments nurture their aspirations and shape a future leadership rooted in modernity, scientific temper, secularism and egalitarianism."— Shri. V. D Satheeshan, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Kerala
Kerala Youth Leadership Academy (KYLA) is a new institution of the Government of Kerala that aims to nurture leadership amongst the youth of the state. Chaired by the Hon'ble Chief Minister, it works under the General Administration Department (GAD) and is the first Government Leadership Institute of its kind in the country. It aims to build the capacities, perspectives and attitudes of Kerala's youth, giving them access to global resources in public policy, governance, administration, leadership, management, technology and the constitution — and to bring innovative ideas into state governance.
A key reason for Kerala's effective response to recent floods and the containment of COVID-19 was the voluntary participation of the community — especially the youth — in search, rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts. The presence of passionate volunteers and young elected leaders in Local Self Governments marked a real shift in governance quality. To strengthen the bond between the state and its youth, the idea of a Youth Leadership Academy emerged — both an organic response to that need and a reward to the youth for their pioneering support during difficult times.
To inspire, skill and nurture
socially committed youth leaders
| Sl No. | Name | Designation / Expertise | GB Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sri. V.D Satheeshan | Hon'ble Chief Minister | Chairperson |
| 2 | Sri. P Sainath | Senior Journalist and Founder of PARI | Vice-Chairperson |
| 3 | Dr. K Babu Joseph | Former Vice-Chancellor, CUSAT | Member |
| 4 | Sri. P K Biju | Ex-MP | Member |
| 5 | Sri. P Viswan | Ex-MLA | Member |
| 6 | Adv. Dinesh Mathew Murikan | Advocate, Kerala High Court; expert in Constitution and legal aspects | Member |
| 7 | Sri. Jamsheer E B | CTO, Simplogics Pvt. Ltd.; expert in technological innovations for society | Member |
| 8 | Sri. M B Rajesh | Hon'ble Speaker | Member |
| 9 | Sri. K V Sumesh | Hon'ble MLA, Azhikode Constituency | Member |
| 10 | Dr. Fasila Tharakath | Expert in youth affairs and development | Member |
| 11 | Sri. Rajesh Kumar Singh IAS | Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department | Member |
| 12 | Sri. K R Jyothilal IAS | Principal Secretary, General Administration Department | Member |
| 13 | Dr. Venu V IAS | Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department | Member |
| 14 | Sri. Jafar Malik IAS | Director | Member Secretary |
Each scheme below has its own full section on this page — click through for eligibility, structure and how to apply.
A 14-district fellowship placing graduates directly inside government administration, with a monthly stipend and a certificate course at IMG.
Practical courses in community intervention and disaster response, including a 5-day physical training programme and climate leadership workshops.
A programme to make every campus in Kerala an LGBT+ and Disability Freedom Zone, moving toward genuinely Happy Campuses.
One fellow selected from each of Kerala's 14 districts, placed to work directly with district collectors and administrations on live governance projects.
Fellows work alongside district collectors, development commissioners and sub-collectors on priority government projects, alongside a residential certificate course on Public Policy, Public Administration, Governance, Leadership and Management at IMG, Thiruvananthapuram. Applications opened 25 August 2025, with no registration fee.
Register online with a valid personal email and an active mobile number. Open to all Keralites, free of charge.
Complete your profile with personal, academic and professional details, and attempt the compulsory essay questions, evaluated after Stage 2.
A 35-minute, 40-question test covering general awareness, quantitative aptitude, verbal ability, data interpretation and logical reasoning, with a ⅓ negative mark for wrong answers.
Choose one of ten given questions and upload a video response of up to two minutes.
An offline round in Thiruvananthapuram assessing professional ability, motivation and knowledge.
14 fellows are admitted, one per district, with training at IMG commencing in the first week of October 2025.
Register at reg.kyla.kerala.gov.in — no fee, open to all Keralites.
Since leadership isn't confined to one domain, CRYSTAL builds practical courses that equip young people for community intervention, particularly around disasters and related services.
A specially designed 5-day intensive physical training programme for passionate youth, built by pairing leadership with disaster resilience. Trainees go through practical sessions in crisis management, team building and related skills.
Run with the Directorate of Environment and UNICEF, CLAP has delivered a one-day workshop on Youth for Climate Action, giving young people a platform to understand climate trends and equipping local-body representatives to promote carbon-neutral policies.
Government-sanctioned under KYLA, PRISM works to declare every campus in Kerala an LGBT+ and Disability Freedom Zone, with the long-term aim of transforming them into genuinely Happy Campuses.
Awareness and training sessions addressing sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, sex characteristics (SOGIESC), and disability inclusion — building understanding on campuses across the state.
UGC's anti-ragging regulations recognise bullying and exclusion — including on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity — as forms of institutionalised ragging. PRISM's Inclusion Cells give campuses a standing structure to respond to exactly that.
A virtual-only learning platform bringing short-term online courses and workshops on real-world governance challenges.
As project director of India's SLV-3 satellite launch programme in 1979, Dr. Kalam overrode a computer-flagged hold and authorised a manual launch — a decision that ended in the rocket crashing into the Bay of Bengal. At the press conference that followed, ISRO chairman Prof. Satish Dhawan took public responsibility for the failure himself. The next year, when the launch succeeded, Dhawan stepped aside and let Kalam face the press instead.
Kalam later called it the most important management lesson of his life: a leader owns failure, and gives success to the team.
Warned against wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, and power pursued without principle or ethics.
Urged single-minded devotion to one idea, letting it fill every part of one's thought and effort — the path to success.
Speaks of giving full effort on the field and measuring victory by commitment, not just the result.
We deliver high-quality courses with industry-vetted content, matched to everyday learner needs, so every participant can teach themselves to grow further.
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