Posted On:
06 NOV 2026 5:20PM by PIB Delhi
On the occasion of the 74th Foundation Day of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), celebrated on 1 November 2026 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Labour and Employment and Youth Affairs and Sports, released three publications brought out by the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS), in the presence of Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, and Sh. Ramesh Krishnamurthi, Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC). The publications were The Indian Journal of Social Security, Volume 1, 2026; Reimagining Governance: Discourse for Excellence (RGDE); and Shasan Vidhi Mein Karuna (Compassion in Governance). Together, they represent three dimensions of the Academy’s work: research, intellectual engagement and compassion in governance.
The Indian Journal of Social Security: Bridging Field Experience and Research
The inaugural volume of The Indian Journal of Social Security marks an important step towards strengthening research within EPFO. It is an outcome of the Programme for Field Research Excellence (PFRE), conceptualised and institutionalised by Shri Kumar Rohit, Director, PDUNASS, to enable EPFO officers to translate their field experience and professional insights into meaningful research.
Recognising the field as a rich source of institutional knowledge, PFRE encourages officers to examine practical challenges in social-security administration through systematic research and academic engagement. The inaugural volume features papers on labour-market surveys, comparative social-security systems, digital infrastructure, access to EPFO services, provident fund withdrawals, contract labour, grievance redressal, pension contributions, investment strategies, migrant labour and fraud detection.
Beyond academic publication, PFRE seeks to generate evidence-based knowledge to inform policy, improve administrative processes and strengthen service delivery. It also aims to promote wider academic engagement and establish PDUNASS as a knowledge hub in social security. The journal will provide a continuing platform for research and professional dialogue on contemporary issues in social security and labour welfare.
The volume was brought out through a collaborative editorial and publishing effort, with Shri Prashant Sharma, RPFC-I, PDUNASS, leading its editorial and publication work with others. It marks the beginning of a sustained research culture within EPFO, connecting field experience with policy and better outcomes for members and pensioners.
Reimagining Governance: Discourse for Excellence — A Journey of Ideas
The second publication, Reimagining Governance: Discourse for Excellence (RGDE), is a coffee-table book chronicling PDUNASS’s flagship lecture and dialogue series, launched in December 2023. The initiative brings distinguished personalities from diverse fields into conversation with public servants on governance, leadership, ethics, public policy and institutional excellence.
The book documents 26 sessions held over nearly three years, featuring eminent personalities from public life, academia, literature, economics, social development and science. Speakers include Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, economist Sanjeev Sanyal, social activist Rajendra Singh, Dr. Devi Shetty and Dr. Shashi Tharoor. The concluding engagement documented in the series featured Shri Arif Mohammed Khan, former Governor of Kerala and Bihar.
Through photographs and key insights, the publication captures PDUNASS’s effort to move beyond conventional training methods and foster dialogue, reflective leadership, ethical public service and continuous learning within EPFO.
Shasan Vidhi Mein Karuna: Compassion in Governance in Practice
The third publication, Shasan Vidhi Mein Karuna (Compassion in Governance), compiles 83 real-life case studies from 62 Regional Offices of EPFO. The accounts showcase instances in which officers and employees went beyond routine official responsibilities to assist members and pensioners facing difficult circumstances.
The cases illustrate how compassionate intervention and personal initiative helped resolve long-pending matters and restore social-security benefits. They cover experiences involving elderly pensioners, vulnerable beneficiaries, families in financial distress and members facing difficulties in accessing their rightful entitlements.
The volume was compiled through the dedicated efforts of Shri Ram Anand, RPFC-I, PDUNASS, who coordinated the collection of case studies from EPFO’s field offices. It brings out the human stories behind administrative processes and demonstrates how timely intervention and sensitivity can make a meaningful difference.
The publication underscores that compassion is not merely an individual virtue but can be embedded in institutional practices and service delivery. Behind every claim, pension and grievance is a person whose dignity and well-being must remain central to public service.
Together, the three publications reflect PDUNASS’s institutional vision: research that generates knowledge, dialogue that broadens perspectives, and compassion that gives governance its human dimension. Their release on EPFO’s 74th Foundation Day reaffirms the Organisation’s commitment to institutional excellence, evidence-based administration, continuous learning and sensitivity towards the people it serves.
*****
Rini Choudhury / Aishwarya Asthana