**Policy Summary:**
On September 11, 2025, the Ministry of Labour & Employment's Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS), the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)'s apex training academy, in collaboration with the IC Centre for Governance (ICCfG), conducted a special training session on ethics and core values for over 30 newly promoted Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners (APFCs). The initiative aimed to reinforce ethical governance and cultivate ethical leadership within the EPFO.
The training, led by senior members of ICCfG, emphasized the distinction between societal norms and ethical action and encouraged officers to embrace integrity and a spirit of selfless service ("Seva Bhav") in their duties. PDUNASS Director Shri Kumar Rohit highlighted EPFO's commitment to institutional values, ethical conduct, and its focus on transparency, efficiency, and accountability through digital transformation initiatives like the eOffice platform. Senior members of ICCfG, Shri Rajiv Sachdeva, Brigadier Rajendra Kumar and Prof. Sunil Kumar addressed the officers. Shri Vinod K. Maurya of ICCfG also contributed to the sessions, which were coordinated by Mr. Ram Anand, Regional PF Commissioner-I, and his team.
PDUNASS, established in 1990, is dedicated to training, research, and consultancy in social security. ICCfG is an independent, non-governmental think tank promoting good governance through training programs, workshops, and policy dialogues. The collaboration between PDUNASS and ICCfG seeks to nurture technically skilled and ethically conscious leadership within the EPFO, promoting a transparent, accountable, and citizen-first governance framework. More information about ICCfG can be found at www.centreforgovernance.com. The press release was issued by Rini Choudhury, with Release ID: 2165769.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Labour Employment: The Indian government ministry responsible for labor and employment policies and programs. It oversees organizations like EPFO and PDUNASS.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS): The apex training academy of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), focused on social security training, research, and consultancy.
Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO): An organization under the Ministry of Labour Employment responsible for managing provident fund and pension schemes for employees in India.
IC Centre for Governance (ICCfG): An independent, non-governmental think tank focused on promoting good governance in India through training programs and policy dialogues.
Shri Kumar Rohit: Director of PDUNASS, emphasized EPFO's commitment to institutional values and ethical conduct.
Shri Rajiv Sachdeva: A core group member of ICCfG, who articulated the distinction between societal norms and ethical action.
Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners (APFCs): Newly promoted officers of EPFO who participated in the ethics and core values training session.
eOffice: A platform used by EPFO for digital transformation to create paperless environment reflecting transparency and accountability
Ministry of Labour & Employment
PDUNASS and IC Centre for Governance Promote
Ethical Leadership Among New EPFO Officers
Posted On: 11 SEP 2025 6:37PM by PIB Delhi
In a landmark initiative to reinforce ethical governance in public services, the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya
National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS) — the apex training academy of the Employees’ Provident
Fund Organisation (EPFO) — hosted a special session on ethics and core values for over 30 newly promoted
Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners (APFCs).
Organized in collaboration with the IC Centre for Governance (ICCfG), the training aimed to cultivate a deep
understanding of ethical leadership among the officers, each of whom brings over two decades of service
experience to their new roles.
In his address, Shri Kumar Rohit, Director of PDUNASS, emphasized EPFO’s steadfast commitment to
institutional values and ethical conduct. He highlighted the organization’s ongoing digital transformation —
particularly the shift to a paperless environment through the e-Office platform — as a direct reflection of its
focus on transparency, efficiency, and accountability in service delivery.
The sessions were led by senior members of ICCfG, who offered thoughtful perspectives on the principles and
practical applications of ethics in governance. Shri Rajiv Sachdeva, a core group member of ICCfG, clearly
articulated the distinction between societal norms and ethical action, stating: “Morals are the standards society
expects from us, but ethics are the actions we exhibit.”
Adding a motivational perspective, Brigadier Rajendra Kumar inspired the officers to stay grounded in
integrity, quoting a powerful Hindi proverb:
“ - , (“The boat of ethics may sway and rock, but it never sinks.”)
Prof. Sunil Kumar invited the officers to reflect deeply on their individual contributions to nation-building andthe role of ethical service in the success of the organization. He urged them to carry out their duties with ‘Seva
Bhav’ — the spirit of selfless service that lies at the heart of public administration.
The interactive sessions also featured insights from Shri Vinod K. Maurya of ICCfG, and were coordinated by
Mr. Ram Anand, Regional PF Commissioner-I, along with his committed team, who played a key role in
facilitating this impactful engagement.
This collaboration between PDUNASS and ICCfG underscores a strategic effort to nurture leadership within
EPFO that is not only technically skilled but also ethically conscious. The sessions concluded with a renewed
sense of purpose among the participants, reinforcing the message that ethical leadership is foundational to
building a transparent, accountable, and citizen-first governance framework.
About PDUNASS:
The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS) is the apex training
institute of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), under the Ministry of Labour &
Employment, Government of India. Established in 1990, PDUNASS is dedicated to advancing training,
research, and consultancy in the field of social security, with the goal of becoming an international centre of
excellence.
About IC Centre for Governance:
The IC Centre for Governance (ICCfG) is an independent, non-governmental think tank focused on promoting
the principles of good governance in India. Through training programs, workshops, and policy dialogues,
ICCfG engages with civil servants and public sector leaders to foster ethical decision-making, integrity, and
citizen-centric service delivery.
www.centreforgovernance.com
***
Rini Choudhury
(Release ID: 2165769)