EPFO, NID Ahmedabad Launch First-Ever Design Thinking Training for Young Officers

In a landmark move to integrate creativity and human-centred innovation into governance, the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS) of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), in collaboration with the National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad, organised a first-of-its-kind one-day training programme titled Introduction to Design Thinking.

The initiative marks a pioneering step in the Indian government training ecosystem, introducing a future-focused and citizen-centric design approach into the curriculum for young officers. The aim is to equip them with skills to rethink public service delivery through empathy, innovation, and systemic problem-solving.

A Ceremonial Beginning and High-Level Participation

The training programme commenced at 10:00 AM in Manthan Hall, PDUNASS with a traditional Deep Prajwalan (lamp-lighting ceremony).

• Shri Ramesh Krishnamurthy, CEO & Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC), EPFO,

• Dr. Ashok Mondal, Director, NID Ahmedabad, and

• Shri Kumar Rohit, Director, PDUNASS,

graced the event, with CPFC and Director NID joining virtually. The session saw 65 participants attend in person and around 100 participants connect online, underlining the keen interest among EPFO’s officer cadre.

Setting the Context: A Balance Between Empathy and Regulation

In his welcome address, Shri Kumar Rohit highlighted that EPFO’s diverse stakeholders — including pensioners, wage earners, and small enterprises — require context-sensitive service design. He emphasised that the collaboration with NID reflects EPFO’s broader vision of training officers not just to manage administrative processes, but to lead reforms that enhance citizen experiences.

Shri Ramesh Krishnamurthy, in his address, touched on a core challenge faced by regulatory bodies:

“On one hand, an organisation must be facilitative and empathy-driven towards its stakeholders; on the other, it must strictly enforce compliance with the law. Design Thinking should help resolve this dichotomy.”

He cautioned that while Design Thinking may appear abstract, its success in governance will depend on practical, outcome-driven applications. “Public institutions face complex challenges, but our solutions must remain simple, empathetic, and impactful,” he stressed.

NID’s Vision: Bringing Creativity to Governance

Addressing the participants, Dr. Ashok Mondal, Director of NID Ahmedabad, applauded EPFO’s bold initiative in embedding design-led problem-solving into governance training.

“At NID, we believe that design is not limited to products or aesthetics — it is a way of thinking that can transform service delivery and policy-making,” he said, adding that the institute looks forward to deepening collaborations in the future.

Hands-On Learning with Expert Faculty

The training was conducted by Prof. Jitendra Rajput and Prof. Amit Sinha of NID, both renowned for their work in empathy-led service design and social innovation. The sessions covered:

• Empathy mapping to understand stakeholder needs.

• Problem redefinition for better policy outcomes.

• Creative ideation for governance challenges.

• Case-based exercises to apply design tools in real-world public service contexts.

Interactive discussions encouraged officers to reimagine EPFO’s service processes, aiming to reduce complexity, enhance accessibility, and improve trust between citizens and the institution.

A Step Towards Citizen-Focused Governance

By the close of the day, participants left with fresh perspectives and actionable insights on integrating Design Thinking into their work. The programme is now set to become a recurring feature in PDUNASS’s training calendar, potentially inspiring similar initiatives across other government departments.

This collaboration not only strengthens EPFO’s commitment to continuous innovation but also reinforces the belief that design-led governance can significantly improve public service outcomes — making them more efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of the people.