The National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), under the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, conducted an Eleven-Day Training of Trainers (ToT) Programme for Master Trainers for the “Geriatric Care Provider” Job Role, at NISD at Dwarka in the National Capital here.

Organized by the Senior Citizen Division (Sr.CD), NISD of the Ministry from September 7 to 18, 2026, the programme aimed to strengthen quality, standardization and professional competency in geriatric care training and to create a national pool of trained and certified Master Trainers capable of delivering high-quality, competency-based training to geriatric caregivers across the country.

A Senior Official at NISD said the programme brought together participants from diverse professional backgrounds, including GNM, B.Sc. Nursing, Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing, M.Sc. Nursing and MBBS, thereby facilitating a multidisciplinary learning environment relevant to the care, health and well-being of senior citizens.

He informed that during the inaugural session, Dr. H.C. Sridhara Channakeshava Ranga Reddy, Deputy Director, Senior Citizen Division, NISD, outlined the objectives and significance of the Training of Trainers programme.

Dr Ranga Reddy elaborated on the roles, responsibilities, qualities and competencies expected of Master Trainers and emphasised the importance of integrating Domain Skills and Platform Skills for effective delivery of competency-based geriatric care training.

The NISD Official informed that the ToT programme was structured around two key components namely Domain Skills and Platform Skills. He said the Domain Skills component focused on professional competencies required for the Geriatric Care Provider job role, while Platform Skills strengthened participants’ capabilities in communication, facilitation, instructional delivery, learner engagement, training methodologies and assessment practices.

The Official further said the programme covered a comprehensive range of subjects relevant to geriatric care, including age-related changes in body systems and associated health concerns; healthy and active ageing; caregiving procedures; preventive healthcare; geriatric nutrition; communication and companionship; dementia care; mental health among older persons; prevention and management of non-communicable diseases; ageing with dignity; first aid and emergency care; yoga and meditation; caregiver self-care; and employability skills.

He further informed that the participants were also oriented to assessment requirements, documentation procedures, competency standards and certification processes, with emphasis on ensuring uniformity, consistency and quality in the delivery of geriatric care training programmes.

Talking about the Expert-led, Participatory Training Methodology, the Official said a distinguished panel of experts and resource persons from geriatric care and allied sectors conducted specialised and interactive sessions throughout the programme.

 

Ms. Jasmine Hussain facilitated sessions on Platform Skills, while Dr. Gahan S. Jois, Dr. K.S. Baghotia, Mr. Prem Poddar, Mr. Arvind Narayanan, Mr. R. Narendar, Mr. Vishnu Shankar, Ms. Deeika Sharma, Ms. Sudha Jhijaria and Ms. Tejasvini conducted sessions covering various Domain Skill areas, including dementia care and management, mental health, prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, ageing with dignity, yoga, meditation, and first aid and emergency care.

The NISD Official informed that the training followed a participatory, competency-based and practice-oriented approach, incorporating expert lectures, interactive discussions, role plays, hands-on exercises, practical demonstrations, group activities, case-based learning and experience sharing. He said the methodology was designed to strengthen not only participants’ technical knowledge but also their capacity to effectively impart knowledge and skills to future geriatric caregivers.

The Official said the programme concluded with the distribution of certificates among the participants adding that the participants expressed their satisfaction over the structured, interactive and practice-oriented methodology and highlighted its relevance in strengthening professional standards and improving the quality of geriatric care training.

He said the programme further reinforces NISD’s commitment to promoting dignified, compassionate and quality care for senior citizens and supporting the development of a robust and professional care ecosystem in India.

The Official said through initiatives such as the Training of Trainers Programme, the National Institute of Social Defence continues to promote capacity building, skill development and standardization in the elderly care sector. The initiative contributes towards developing a skilled, certified and quality-oriented geriatric care workforce capable of responding to the evolving care needs of India’s growing senior citizen population.

It is pertinent to mention that NISD has been recognized as an Awarding Body by the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), marking an important milestone in strengthening the vocational education and training ecosystem in the field of social defence, particularly in the area of geriatric care.

PR-136-TAR/KV/GA/RK

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