Dr. Jitendra Singh Launches first -ever “Administrative Capacity Building” Programme

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today launched the first-ever a dedicated programme on “Administrative Capacity Building for Scientists and Academicians”, marking a step towards equipping academia leader with governance skills and decision-making capabilities under the Mission Karmayogi framework.

Announcing the initiative at a Special Session of “SADHANA Saptah”, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the absence of structured administrative training for scientists and academicians had long been a gap, particularly as many transition into leadership roles. He noted that professionals from scientific and academic backgrounds are often required to take on institutional responsibilities without prior exposure to administrative processes, and said the new programme is intended to address this systematically.

Describing the initiative as evolving from discussions with scientific leadership, Dr. Jitendra Singh said such institutionalised learning would reduce reliance on “self-learning” that can be time-consuming and uneven. He added that the programme would need to remain dynamic and adapt to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, while retaining a balance between technological tools and human judgement.

Echoing this approach, S. Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission, said the next phase of Mission Karmayogi would hinge on making public institutions both “adaptive” and “humane”, particularly in the context of rapid technological change.

The session, held at Vigyan Bhawan, was attended by Padma Shri Prof. Ashutosh Sharma; Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology; Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology; Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences and Alka Mittal, Member (Administration), Capacity Building Commission.
(UPDATED ON 5TH APRIL 2026)