IAS training period may be reduced by 6 months

The Centre might shorten the training period for IAS probationers by reducing lectures and changing the syllabus as recommended by a committee earlier this year and have asked for the views of the state governments.

If the government moves as per the panel recommendations, it would see changes in the present structure of training based on a two-year induction programme operational since 1969. The plan to reduce training from 103 weeks (two years) to 75 weeks (one-and-a-half years) is articulated in the recommendations of the “Committee to Review the Content and Duration of Induction Training of IAS Officers” headed by retired IAS officer Kiran Aggarwal.

Deccan Herald had reported about the recommendations of the panel in February.
“It has been proposed to amend the training duration for the IAS officers on the basis of the recommendations of Kiran Aggarwal Committee," the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has said in a recent letter to states.

It asked states to submit comments and views on the proposed amendment by November 30. “If no reply is received by the stipulated date, it will be presumed that the state governments have no objections to the proposed amendment,” the letter stated. The committee said there was a need to "reduce classroom teaching and focus on more on actual learning", facilitated by the use of information technology".

The recommendation has come despite opposition from Padamvir Singh, a member of the committee and Director of Mussorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, which conducts the training.

This is also against recommendations of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission and the R V V Ayyar Committee on syllabus.

At present, the induction training includes a foundation course (15 weeks), Professional Course-I (26 weeks), district training (54 weeks) and Professional Course-II (8 weeks).