The National Statistical Systems Training Academy (NSSTA) organized a review meeting for officers of the Indian Statistical Service (ISS) 2024 batch, who have completed their probationary training, including six months of field posting in Sub-Regional Offices (SROs) under the Field Operations Division (FOD) of the National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

The meeting also included officers of the ISS 2025 batch, who have completed one year of institutional training and are set to be posted to the SROs under the FOD, as well as officers of the ISS 2026 batch, who recently joined the service on 06.04.2026.

Shri R. Rajesh, Additional Director General, Capacity Development Division, MoSPI, welcomed Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI, and Ms. Puja Singh Mondal, Additional Secretary, MoSPI, and thanked them for taking time out of their busy schedules to address the probationers.

Stating that organizational reforms, capacity building, and outreach to stakeholders are major components of the transformational reforms of the Indian statistical system being undertaken by the senior leadership of the Ministry, he also delineated that the training programme has been transformed into a more field-oriented, project-based, and competency-driven curriculum, with an emphasis on advanced technologies.

 

The proceedings featured a detailed feedback session by the 2025 batch, where Mr. Mridul Maheshwari and Ms. Tulika Garg presented a detailed account of the current training framework. They mentioned that the training programme has equipped the officer trainees with the essential skill set to strengthen the Indian Statistical System right from the district level.

Officer Trainees of the 2024 batch of the Indian Statistical Service, Ms. Saumya Mishra and Ms. Agrima Rastogi, highlighted the critical role of the Field Operations Division in strengthening India’s primary data collection framework. They brought out key learnings from field visits, administrative functioning, and survey implementation, reflecting the integration of theoretical training with ground realities. Notably, the officers showcased proactive initiatives in strengthening coordination with local administration, streamlining record management, and enhancing operational efficiency at the field level.

This event served as the first occasion for the ISS 2026 batch to engage with the senior officers before the commencement of their training journey.

Ms. Puja Singh Mondal, Additional Secretary, MoSPI welcomed the probationers of the 2026 batch into the service and motivated the officers of 2024 and 2025 batch for imparting crucial role in strengthening the Indian Statistical System. She also complimented NSSTA for taking new initiatives to strengthen capacity building.

In his keynote address, the Secretary re-emphasized the strategic vision of deploying ISS officers to field positions during the initial phase of their careers, a policy initiated with the 2023 batch. He noted that, with the induction of the 2025 batch, approximately 90 out of 120 SROs nationwide will now be headed by young officers—a move intended to usher in a new era of leadership while improving data quality and institutional infrastructure. He also appreciated the proactiveness of the ISS 2024 batch for their effective coordination with district authorities.

In the afternoon session, Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, Member (Human Resource), Capacity Building Commission (CBC), addressed the 93 Officer Trainees of the Indian Statistical Service (ISS) 2024, 2025, and 2026 batches on “Ethical Leadership and Values in Public Service,” focusing on integrity, accountability, and citizen-centric governance.

In his talk, Dr. Balasubramaniam, drawing from Indic wisdom, emphasized the importance of ethical decision-making, empathetic and servant leadership in the spirit of Sewabhav towards citizens, detachment and Drishtibhav (observer perspective), and public service in the spirit of Karma Yoga and Samatva. The session aimed to strengthen the ethical foundation of officer trainees by fostering Sewabhav and the spirit of Karmyogi, equipping them with the mindset and values needed to navigate complex administrative challenges with integrity, professionalism, and a deep sense of public duty.

The event at NSSTA successfully provided a collaborative platform for all the batches to interact with one another and engage in meaningful discussions with senior officials from the Ministry and the Field Operations Division, thereby fostering a spirit of learning and mentorship.

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Samrat/pranab

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