Strengthening Adaptive Development and Humane Aptitude for National Advancement (Sādhana) Saptah 2026 is being held from 2 to 8 April 2026 as one of the largest collaborative capacity building initiatives in India. The week-long initiative was launched yesterday with a National Conclave on Mission Karmayogi at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, attended by over 700 representatives in person and 3000 plus online viewers from 100+ Central Ministries/Departments/Organisations, 30+ States/UTs, and 250+ training institutions.
Organised by the Department of Personnel and Training, Capacity Building Commission and Karmayogi Bharat, Sādhana Saptah brings together Central Ministries, States and Union Territories, and training institutions on a common platform to promote responsive and citizen centric governance. The initiative, with the tagline "Ham Bane Karmayogi", also marks the Foundation Day of the Capacity Building Commission and five years of Mission Karmayogi.
Mission Karmayogi: Creating Capacity for People-Centric Governance
Sādhana Saptah is an initiative under Mission Karmayogi, also known as the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building. Mission Karmayogi that aims to build a future-ready, transparent and citizen-centric civil service by moving away from a rule-based approach to one that is role-based and driven by competencies. The mission reflects the vision of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi to transform governance by strengthening the human resource foundations of the government. It focuses on capacity building and competency-based learning so that officials can be equipped with the right skills, mindset and accountability to deliver better outcomes and service delivery for citizens.
The Mission is being implemented across all Ministries and Departments and now States/UTs of the Government of India through existing Civil Service Training Institutions and the iGOT Karmayogi platform. Capacity building efforts are mainly delivered through this digital platform, while the capacity building plans are developed by individual Ministries and Departments, according to their specific capacity requirements.
Capacity Building Commission (CBC) is the custodian of the Mission Karmayogi framework, to drive civil service reforms through capacity building and competency-based learning. It works to strengthen the human resource foundations of the government by focusing on developing individual and institutional capacities, promoting citizen-centric governance, future readiness, and fostering a culture of lifelong learning across all levels of public administration. The Commission designs frameworks, sets standards, and encourages collaboration to make governance more transparent, accountable, citizen-centric, and future-ready.
Five Years of Mission Karmayogi: Transforming Capacity Building at Scale
Over the past five years, Mission Karmayogi has brought a fundamental transformation in capacity building across civil services by moving beyond rule-based approach towards a role-based framework. Learning is now aligned with competencies required for specific functions and responsibilities.
Mission Karmayogi has onboarded more than 1.5 crore learners on the iGOT platform, with over 8 crore course completions and access to more than 4,600 courses available in multiple languages. In addition, over 130 capacity building plans have been developed, and learning outcomes have been integrated with performance appraisal systems.
This shift recognises that effective governance depends not only on administrative knowledge, but also on behavioural capabilities such as problem solving, collaboration, innovation and empathy. It enables Ministries, Departments and Organisations, along with training institutions, to align capacity building with organisational priorities and service delivery needs.
Sādhana Saptah builds on this foundation by reinforcing competency led capacity building at scale. At its core, the initiative aims to ensure that improved skills and capabilities within the civil services translate into better service delivery on the ground. It reinforces the idea that strong governance is built on capable individuals and institutions working together towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
National Conclave on Mission Karmayogi: Launch Day Programme
The inaugural day of Sādhana Saptah featured a National Conclave on Mission Karmayogi at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, attended by by over 700 representatives in person and 3000 plus online viewers from 100+ Ministries/Departments/Organisations, 30+ States/UTs, and 250+ training institutions.
The programme commenced with a Welcome Address by S. Radha Chauhan, Chairperson, Capacity Building Commission, followed by context-setting addresses by:
- Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, Member HR, Capacity Building Commission
- Dr. Alka Mittal, Member Admin, Capacity Building Commission
- Shri Subramanian Ramadorai, Chairperson, Karmayogi Bharat
- Rachna Shah, Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training
Some Major Launches
The inaugural session witnessed the launch of six key initiatives, some of them are:
- Karmayogi Geet: A song evoking the spirit of selfless service and nation-building across India's civil services, produced by the Capacity Building Commission to inspire public officials to act with integrity, resilience, and commitment.
- Karmayogi Kshamata Connect: Foundational capacity building initiative to strengthen citizen centric service delivery by empowering frontline functionaries across sectors, delivered through the iGOT Karmayogi platform in multiple regional languages.
- Karmayogi Kartavya Karyakram: National behavioural training initiative anchored in Seva Bhav at the heart of Viksit Bharat 2047, aimed at transforming public service ethos across India by scaling to approximately 1.3 crore officials.
- Trust-Based Peer Assessment Framework: Workplace validation framework on iGOT Karmayogi that bridges the gap between learning and its real world application, enabling officials to demonstrate how acquired knowledge is applied in their roles.
- AI-Powered Case Study Suite for Amrit Gyaan Kosh: Tools developed in collaboration with Civic Innovation Foundation (Civis) to strengthen the development, review, and use of governance case studies, including the AGK Case Study Analyzer and Case Connect.
Prime Minister's Video Message
Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Karmayogi Sādhana Saptah through a video message on the foundation day of the Capacity Building Commission. He said that the guiding principle of the administration is "Nagrik Devo Bhava" – putting citizens first. He emphasised that public service is being made more capable and sensitive towards citizens, making governance truly citizen centric. He noted that the Capacity Building Commission was set up to improve the skills and capabilities of every government employee and expressed confidence that these efforts will build a team of modern, capable and dedicated Karmayogis.
The Prime Minister stressed that public institutions and public servants have an important role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat. He called for a shift in mindset from being an 'officer' to focusing on duty, stating: "Before every decision, when you think about what your duty demands, the impact of your decisions will automatically multiply many times over." He emphasised that administrators must have a strong understanding of technology and data for better decision-making. He also highlighted the need to break silos and work together with better coordination across all levels of government.
Inaugural Address
Dr. P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, delivered the inaugural address, highlighting the shift from rule-based to role-based governance and the importance of continuous learning for effective public service delivery. He emphasised the transition from Karmachari to Karmayogi and noted that the ability to learn is now more important than the learning itself.
Masterclass on Entrepreneurial State
Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India, delivered a masterclass on the capacity building imperative for an entrepreneurial state. He emphasised that state capacity is the foundation upon which all strategic ambitions rest, and that building institutional capability to adapt, learn and deliver is essential for navigating rapid change and uncertainty. He highlighted that continuous learning and the transfer of knowledge across the civil services are critical for strengthening governance outcomes.
Thematic Session I - National Conclave of Civil Services Training Institutions
Over 600 representatives from Central and State Training Institutions, PSUs, and Ministries, Departments, and Organisations participated in a National Workshop on Future Ready Training Institutions for Viksit Bharat. Four Taskforces presented actionable recommendations developed through consultations with over 150 senior officials and engagement with 62 training institutions, covering:
- Collaborative Capacity Building and Resource Sharing
- Post-Excellence Institutional Leadership and Mentorship Pathways
- Technology, iGOT and AI-Enabled Training Quality Enhancement
- Sustainable Funding, Governance and Resource Mobilisation
The session featured an inaugural address by Smt. Chandralekha Mukherjee, Principal Advisor, Capacity Building Commission, and a closing address by Smt. S. Radha Chauhan, Chairperson, CBC.
Thematic Session II - Karmayogi Quality Framework
A dedicated session showcased the Karmayogi Quality Framework (KQF), an evolved approach to ensuring that learning on the iGOT platform translates into improved decision-making and service delivery. The framework was developed through a multi-disciplinary consultative process involving experts from industry, academia, and government. It provides a unified lifecycle approach to quality across six stages: Discover, Design, Develop, Deliver, Evaluate, and Improve. A panel discussion featured Task Force members who were felicitated for their contributions. As highlighted during the session, "Quality is not a destination. It is a discipline. And it begins with the willingness to keep asking—is the learning we are offering making our people better placed to serve the public?"
Special Address by Cabinet Secretary
Dr. T. V. Somanathan, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, delivered a special address emphasising that Mission Karmayogi is a national initiative requiring ownership at all levels. He called upon State Governments to actively adopt and expand the Mission, particularly at district and sub-district levels, and highlighted that competence and the ability to deliver become increasingly important factors towards building Viksit Bharat.
The day concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Jagdeep Gupta, Secretary, Capacity Building Commission.
A Movement at National Scale
Sādhana Saptah brings together over 100 Central Ministries and Departments, 36 States and Union Territories, and more than 250 Civil Services Training Institutions under a unified national framework. For the first time, capacity building efforts across different levels of governance are aligned within a common structure, transforming learning into a shared national movement. This approach enables participation from officers at all levels and promotes exchange of ideas, best practices and collaborative problem solving across the country.
Three Themes of Sādhana Saptah
Sādhana Saptah is structured around three Sutras – Technology, Tradition and Tangible Outcomes – with a focus on building skills required for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
- Technology: This will be the focus theme for 3rd and 4th April, during which the stress will be on exploring how the latest and emerging technology can be leveraged to make governance more efficient and citizen centric. Applications of Artificial Intelligence in governance, Digital Public Infrastructure, data informed decision making, and emerging tools such as prompt engineering and automation platforms are some of the aspects that will be explored.
- Tradition: The focus for 5th and 6th April is Tradition. The emphasis will be on Indian Knowledge Systems, ethical frameworks from Indian philosophy, and historical examples of community-based governance relevant to contemporary public administration. The idea is to explore how these can be mainstreamed in present day governance to make it more attuned to the needs of the citizens.
- Tangible Outcomes: This will be the focus theme for 7th and 8th April. Emphasis will be on the importance of measuring public value, strengthening monitoring frameworks, and ensuring that policies translate into visible improvements in citizens' lives. Citizen impact tracking, clear articulation of priority sectoral outcomes for citizens and dashboard-based monitoring will be some of the focus areas for discussion.
Learning Pathways for Continuous Capacity Development
Sādhana Saptah provides multiple learning opportunities through curated courses on the iGOT Karmayogi platform, Samuhik Charcha sessions, thematic webinars and hands on workshops conducted by training institutions. These activities focus on competencies such as leadership, communication, data analysis, project management and digital governance.
Sādhana Saptah 2026 represents a significant step towards building a future ready civil services system in India. By promoting continuous learning, collaboration and innovation, it strengthens the foundation of effective governance.
As India moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the initiative will continue to play a key role in equipping civil servants with the skills and competencies required to meet emerging challenges and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
References:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2248331®=3&lang=2
Sādhana Saptah 2026
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PIB Research
(Release ID :287467)