Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL) in Gujarat on February 21.
On Friday, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel performed the ‘Bhoomi Poojan’ for the institute, marking the start of construction for a ₹150 crore state-of-the-art campus near Gujarat Biotechnology University in GIFT City. The 22-acre campus is expected to be completed within 24 months.
“The institution aims to achieve Prime Minister Modi’s vision of bringing 100,000 young people with no political experience into politics. “SOUL will operate as an independent, nonpartisan institution with no government or university affiliations,” according to a government release.
When fully operational in March 2027, SOUL will provide a wide range of programmes, from one-week short-term courses to long-term programmes lasting 9 to 12 months. The curriculum will prepare candidates for positions in public health, education, rural development, and sanitation.
The admissions process will be merit-based, with candidates submitting a letter of intent and going through panel interviews.
Other candidates will pay a nominal fee for training, whereas elected representatives and public officials will receive it for free.
SOUL has already demonstrated its impact through several pre-launch initiatives, including a two-day leadership workshop with the Ministry of Education focusing on the implementation of the National Education Policy, a brainstorming session for Chief Minister’s Office staff, and a workshop for MLAs on understanding the state budget, according to a government release.
Until the campus is operational, SOUL will hold short-term programmes and specialised seminars in temporary facilities.
The project’s leadership consists of a distinguished group of private sector professionals who will oversee the creation of specialised, non-degree programmes aimed at cultivating transformative leadership and values-driven governance.
