Those students who choose to formally dedicate their life in service of the Chinmaya Mission are initiated into the yellow cloth of brahmacharya (one who practises self-control or one who revels in Brahman). These new brahmacharins are celibate acharyas (teachers) of Chinmaya Mission's monastic order, and are posted to serve at any one of the Mission centres. The living expenses of all the brahmacharins are borne by the Mission.

For the brahmacharis (male only), their head is clean-shaven except for a tuft, symbolizing renunciation of worldly attachments and single-pointed spiritual living. All brahmacharins are initiated into the Gayatri Mantra and the sacred thread (janeyu). To formalize their first step into a new walk of life, the initiated acharyas are given a new first name and their last name is Chaitanya.