EPFO Academy Hosts Ethics Training to Build Integrity in Public Service

In a landmark step to strengthen ethical governance in public administration, the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS)—the premier training academy of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)—organized a special ethics and values session for newly promoted Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners (APFCs).

The initiative, conducted in collaboration with the IC Centre for Governance (ICCfG), brought together over 30 senior officers with more than two decades of service experience each, marking an important milestone in their leadership journey.

A Call for Ethical Leadership in Governance

Addressing the participants, Shri Kumar Rohit, Director of PDUNASS, underscored EPFO’s unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and citizen-first service delivery. He highlighted the organization’s ongoing digital transformation, particularly the shift to a paperless e-Office platform, as evidence of EPFO’s drive to strengthen efficiency and ethical conduct.

“Ethics are not just ideals but a daily practice that must reflect in our systems and our service to citizens,” Rohit remarked.

Distinguishing Ethics from Morality

The training sessions, led by senior ICCfG members, delved into practical applications of ethics in governance. Shri Rajiv Sachdeva, core group member of ICCfG, explained the crucial difference between social morality and ethical action:

“Morals are the standards society expects from us, but ethics are the actions we exhibit.”

This distinction, he noted, is vital for public officers who must often take decisions that go beyond compliance to embody true accountability and fairness.

Inspirational Guidance for Officers

The sessions also carried strong motivational messages. Brigadier Rajendra Kumar used a Hindi proverb to inspire resilience in ethical leadership:

“नैतिकता की नाव तिलिी-डुलिी है मगर, डूबिी नहीं है।” (The boat of ethics may sway and rock, but it never sinks.)

Meanwhile, Prof. Sunil Kumar invited participants to reflect on their role in nation-building through ethical service. He encouraged officers to embody ‘Seva Bhav’—the spirit of selfless service that lies at the heart of public administration.

Interactive and Reflective Learning

The programme encouraged active dialogue, with contributions from Shri Vinod K. Maurya of ICCfG and facilitation by Mr. Ram Anand, Regional PF Commissioner-I, along with his team. Officers were urged to examine their individual responsibilities in shaping EPFO into a transparent, accountable, and citizen-driven institution.

Nurturing a Culture of Ethical Governance

This collaboration between PDUNASS and ICCfG represents a strategic push to develop leadership that is both technically proficient and ethically grounded. For EPFO—one of the largest social security organisations in the world—the reinforcement of core values is seen as critical to ensuring trust and credibility in its services.

The training concluded with officers expressing a renewed sense of purpose, committing to carry forward ethical principles into their daily administrative roles. The event reinforced the message that ethical leadership is not optional but foundational to sustainable governance and to building a responsive, citizen-first public service framework.