Pujne: MIT School of Government (MIT-SOG) Pune is a school, first of its kind in Asia that offers postgraduate professional course in social and political leadership. The school was established on the lines of the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

MIT- SOG initiated the concept of Leadership and Training in the field of Politics & Government to bring professionalism at one hand and competency at the other in India. The fact that there is no such institute, not just in India but also in the whole of Asia, was itself very intriguing.

The former Chief Election Commissioner, T. N. Seshan is chairman of the institute that has a guest faculty ranging from senior BJP leader L.K. Advani to young Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

The institute is attracting politicians and other individuals from various parts of the country to pursue courses in social and political leadership. Rahul Vishwanath Karad, Dean of MITSOG, said "MIT-SOG admits any graduate below 35, including aspiring politicians, civil servants, NGOs and even sitting MPs and MLAs."

However, the aspiring candidates should know this fact that the institute has no university affiliation and it does not undertake any job placement.

The one-year, three-semester residential Master's Diploma in Government teaches core subjects such as the Constitution of India, the functioning of Parliament, relationships between various government organs, budget and finance, economy and communications (with special emphasis on public oratory) and management.

"There is no entrance examination for this course that will serve as a launch pad for budding politicians," Karad added.