Karmashree, the Chief Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration, is a state-level award of Assam that rewards the extraordinary, good and new work done by government officers. Assam government presented the Karmashree Awards 2026 on Lok Kalyan Diwas in August 2026 to officers and teams for their outstanding contribution to public service and administration.
This award honours individual officers or small groups who show very good performance in public administration, service delivery and the successful rollout of government schemes. The award was first introduced in 2016-17 and has been given every year since then.
Karmashree - The Chief Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration - Introduction
Karmashree stands as proof of the hard work and dedication of government officials in Assam. The award celebrates the extraordinary, good and new work performed by officers across districts and state organizations.
The award rewards excellence in public administration and the outstanding execution of government schemes and programs. An officer can apply either alone or as part of a group. For group applications, a maximum of 4 officials can be included. The scheme presents 10 awards every year, and each winner receives a formal citation along with a trophy and a cash reward of rupees 1 lakh.
Awards are presented across these categories:
- e-Governance schemes that make government services easier and faster for people.
- Replication of the best policy within the government, where a good model from one district is copied in other places.
- New schemes or new steps toward clear and fast execution of state or central programs.
A careful selection process keeps the award fair through three main committees. The Screening Committee checks candidate applications and sends them to the expert team. The Expert Committee studies the presented schemes and may carry out spot studies if needed. The State Level Committee finalizes the recommendations for the Chief Minister of Assam to pick the final winners.
Key Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Karmashree - The Chief Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration |
| Level | State |
| Beneficiary State | Assam |
| Category | Award and Recognition |
| Target Beneficiaries | Individual Officers and Groups |
| Nodal Department | Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension and Public Grievances Department |
| Implementing Agency | Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension and Public Grievances Department, Government of Assam |
| Reward | Citation, trophy and rupees 1 lakh |
| Official Portal | karmashree.assam.gov.in |
Benefits
Karmashree aims to encourage government officers by rewarding excellence and new work. Each year, 10 deserving winners are selected to receive a prestigious citation, a trophy and a cash reward of rupees 1 lakh for their contribution to public service.
The award also brings recognition to the officer and their department, which helps spread good practices across the state. A winning scheme often becomes a model that other districts copy to improve their own service delivery.
Eligibility
Selection happens on the basis of clear benchmarks of excellence. The scheme of an officer is checked on the following points:
- Level of newness in the idea and the way it is carried out.
- Long-term sustainability of the results after the scheme is over.
- Possibility of scaling up the scheme to a bigger area or more people.
- Positive effect on service delivery and the people who use the service.
- Improvement in administrative speed and effectiveness.
- Social and economic benefits for the community.
- More clarity and fairness in the way processes are run.
An officer may apply alone or as a group. For group applications, a maximum of 4 officers is allowed. For example, if Anjali and three of her colleagues developed a good drainage system in their district, they qualify to apply as one group.
Note: Nominations for Priority Program awards must come from a District or Implementing Unit, while nominations for Innovation awards must come from a Department or Organization.
Application Process
Applications for the award are submitted online through the official portal at Karmashree official portal. The application must be recommended by a competent authority before the final submission.
STEP 1 - Go to the official portal at karmashree.assam.gov.in and register using a valid email address as the user ID. An activation link is sent to the email after registration.
STEP 2 - Fill in all the application columns carefully and provide clear definitions for all abbreviations or acronyms used in the documentation.
STEP 3 - Attach all the required supporting documents, such as PDFs, images or video clips, along with the write-up about the scheme.
STEP 4 - Get the recommendation of the competent authority. For district officers, obtain an endorsement from the Deputy Commissioner. For those in a Directorate, Commissionerate or Secretariat, secure a recommendation from the Director, Commissioner or the senior-most Secretary of the department.
STEP 5 - Click Final Submit to complete the entry. Without this step, the application remains incomplete and is not considered.
Documents
The following documents must be prepared and attached to the application:
- A concise 5-page write-up (A4 size) detailing the scheme, the strategies used, the timeframe and the sustainability of the results.
- Supporting materials such as an executive summary, a maximum of 10 field photographs, flow charts explaining the uniqueness of the project and a success story capturing the impact.
- A 3 to 5 minute short film on a CD highlighting the new work done.
References
Apply for CM Award - Karmashree (Assam)
Karmashree Award Guidelines 2025-26 (PDF)
Karmashree Award Application Form (PDF)
FAQ's
What is the scope of this award?
Karmashree, the Chief Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration, recognizes and rewards the extraordinary and new work performed by officers within District or State Government organizations in Assam.
Which categories are eligible for the award?
The award covers new work in public administration and the outstanding execution of government schemes, policies and programs, including e-Governance and replication of best practices.
How many awards are granted annually?
There are 10 awards available each year, and each winner receives a citation, a trophy and a cash reward of rupees 1 lakh.
What are the selection criteria?
Evaluators look at newness, sustainability, scalability, effect on service delivery, speed, clarity and social and economic benefits.
How do I apply for the award?
An officer should apply online through the official portal at karmashree.assam.gov.in and attach the required recommendation from the competent authority.
Who qualifies as a competent authority to recommend my application?
For district officers, the Deputy Commissioner is the authority. For those in the Secretariat, Directorate or Commissionerate, the Director, Commissioner or senior-most Secretary of the department must provide the recommendation.
Are group applications allowed?
Yes, an officer may apply as a group of up to 4 officers.