Mission Karmayogi: National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building

Syllabus: GS2/Government Policy and Intervention

Context

• Recently, Indian Institute of Public Administration assessed the impact by seeking inputs on trained staff and reported increased proficiency in data analytics and e-governance tools under Mission Karmayogi.

Mission Karmayogi

• India’s ambitious vision of becoming a global manufacturing hub, a critical exporter of value-added services, and a mass supplier of human skills to an ageing developed world by 2047 hinges on efficient governance and competent civil services.
• Recognising this, the Prime Minister of India launched Mission Karmayogi, the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building to transform India’s three million civil servants into citizen-centric, future-ready, and result-oriented ‘Karmayogis’.

Need for Transformation

• Historically, delayed infrastructure projects plagued India. Mega initiatives like Rail Freight Corridors and National Highways often faced setbacks due to inter-ministerial permissions and siloed approaches.
  • To address this, the PM Gati Shakti platform emerged as a game-changer.
• By integrating legal, geographic, and planning layers, it facilitated a holistic approach to infrastructure development.
• However, for the platform to succeed, civil servants needed expertise in emerging technologies and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
• India aims to become a global manufacturing hub, a critical exporter of value-added services, and a mass supplier of human skills to developed countries.
  • It covers 46 lakh Central government employees at all levels, and it needs to evolve to meet the demands of a $30 trillion economy by 2047.

Approach For Mission Karmayogi

• Capacity Building Commission (CBC): It provides policy guidance and tools to enhance civil servants’ capabilities at all levels.
  • Collaborating with institutions like Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya and the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes, and Narcotics, the CBC curated digital training courses.
  • These courses equipped civil servants with skills to apply to PM Gati Shakti for project planning and coordination across departments.
• Competence Rooted in Indian Ethos: Mission Karmayogi aims to create a competent civil service rooted in Indian values.
  • It fosters a shared understanding of the country’s priorities, emphasising effective and efficient public service delivery.
• Technology-Enabled Karmayogis: The program focuses on making civil servants more creative, constructive, imaginative, and proactive.
  • It encourages transparency and leverages technology for better governance.
  • It can be done either in-house or through knowledge partners. Carefully crafted and vetted content from top-notch institutions, universities, private content providers and individual resources will be made available as training modules.

Six Key Pillars Under Mission Karmayogi

• Policy Framework: Provides strategic direction for capacity-building initiatives.
• Institutional Framework: Establishes the organisational structure to support the program.
• Competency Framework: Defines skills and knowledge required for effective civil service.
• Digital Learning Framework (iGOT-Karmayogi): Comprehensive online learning platform.
• Electronic Human Resource Management System (e-HRMS): Streamlines personnel management processes.
• Monitoring and Evaluation Framework: Ensures continuous improvement and impact assessment.

Potential of Mission Karmyogi

• Enhanced Proficiency: The Indian Institute of Public Administration assessed recently trained staff and reported increased proficiency in data analytics and e-governance tools.
• Continuous Capacity Building: Mission Karmayogi provides a mechanism for continuous capacity building, ensuring civil servants stay updated and skilled.
• Equal Opportunities: The program aims to provide equal opportunities for personal and professional growth for government officials at all levels.
• Ideal Civil Servants: By upgrading post-recruitment training mechanisms, Mission Karmayogi aims to create ideal civil servants who are citizen-centric, future-ready, and result-oriented.

Key Outcome Under Mission Karmayogi

• PM Gati Shakti Platform for Infrastructure Development: It integrates legal, geographic, and planning layers for mega infrastructure projects.
  • Over 24,000 officials completed PM Gati Shakti learning modules, and 3,88,000 personnel were certified in emerging technologies.
  • New rail lines increased from 4 km/day to 12 km/day by 2024.
  • 15 highway projects under Bharatmala-2 were prepared using PM Gati Shakti.
  • Sensitive wildlife habitats were avoided during rail and highway alignments.
• Mission Karmayogi for Citizen-Centric Policing: Over 50,000 police personnel underwent a two-day training on self-reflection and proactive problem-solving.
  • Field research addressed flashpoints, including biassed behaviour complaints.
  • Impact assessment showed increased citizen satisfaction in Puducherry after training.
  • Citizen satisfaction increased 1.5 to 1.9 times in Mumbai, Asansol, Bengaluru, and Lucknow divisions.
  • Gramin Dak Sevaks and village-level CSCs also received enhanced training.

Challenges Ahead

• Skill Gap: Despite training efforts, bridging the skill gap across diverse ministries and field-level officials remains a challenge.
  • Proficiency in emerging technologies and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is critical for successful implementation of initiatives like PM Gati Shakti.
• Inter-Ministerial Coordination: Achieving a ‘whole of government’ approach requires seamless coordination among ministries.
  • Overcoming silos and ensuring collaboration remains an ongoing challenge.
• Adaptation to Change: Transforming civil services necessitates a cultural shift. Encouraging civil servants to embrace technology, innovation, and citizen-centric approaches may face resistance.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Effective monitoring mechanisms are essential to track progress and address bottlenecks. Establishing robust evaluation processes is crucial.

Conclusion

• Mission Karmayogi seeks to transform India’s civil services, making them better prepared and citizen-oriented, ultimately contributing to the nation’s ambitious goals.
• It is a transformative initiative that empowers civil servants to drive India’s progress. By nurturing citizen-centric, tech-savvy Karmayogis, we pave the way for a Viksit Bharat by 2047.