Need to Sensitise Young Civil Servants to Develop Soft Skills

The training of a young, fresh mind is of great importance.

- Nisha Singh

Particularly, when that person is envisaged to take on administrative responsibilities. As a premier institution for training of newly recruited civil servants, the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) emphasises that the Foundation Course is designed to orient offices to the administrative, social, economic and political environment of the country; promote overall awareness of challenges; and development of personality traits of officer trainees. It includes village visits to train the officers in problems of rural areas, including issues of equity and development.

Now, for the critical question. What is important for administrative personnel in our milieu? Is being exposed to management skills from faculty of best business schools enough? Does a visit to a rural area suffice? One can argue that this exposure to administration at the grassroots level is enhanced in the district training. But the focus needs to be on developing soft skills and the awareness of the needs of the people.