The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, today addressed over 360 Officer Trainees of the 92nd Foundation Course at LBSNAA, Mussoorie, on the 2nd day of his visit. The Officer Trainees belong to 17 Civil Services, and 3 Services from the Royal Bhutan Civil Service. The address was preceded by presentations made by the Officer Trainees on essays written by them on the subject "Why I joined the Civil Services"; and on themes such as housing, education, integrated transport systems, malnutrition, solid waste management, skill development, digital transactions, Ek Bharat - Shreshtha Bharat, and New India - 2022. Officer Trainees also presented the best of their ideation on the Swachh Bharat Mission. Addressing the Officer Trainees (OTs), the Prime Minister began by complimenting them on the presentations. He said that he has given instructions that these presentations be studied in depth by senior officers of the Government of India. He said their observations and feedback should be shared with the OTs before the end of the Foundation Course.
Giving tips to the OTs on how to prepare for their life immediately after the end of the training, the Prime Minister said that they must always be alert and attentive to the people around them. He said that the learning from books would surely prevent them from straying down the wrong path; but it is the connect and rapport they can establish with their teams and the people, that will help them to become successful. The Prime Minister stressed on the importance of jan-bhagidaari, or public participation, for policy initiatives to be successfully implemented. The Prime Minister said that before independence, the Civil Services were tasked with the objective of preserving the British Raj. Now, he said, the objective of the Civil Services is the prosperity and well-being of the people. He said if civil servants imbibe these objectives, the gap between Government machinery and the people can be bridged. The Prime Minister said that the problem of silos, and lack of team spirit among civil servants, can be effectively tackled during the initial training at Mussoorie. Referring to the trek performed by OTs during the Foundation Course, the Prime Minister asked them to imbibe the learnings of the trek, such as team spirit and leadership, and apply them throughout their careers.
The Prime Minister said that social movements can drive change in a democracy, and the civil services should be catalysts for the same. Referring to the devotional song "Vaishnav Jan", performed by OTs during the cultural programme yesterday, the Prime Minister said that the OTs should contemplate on the lyrics of this song, after replacing the words "Vaishnav Jan" with "Civil Servant." The Prime Minister said that anonymity is the biggest strength of the civil servant. He compared the civil services to the fourth lion of the Ashoka Emblem, which remains invisible, yet makes its presence felt at all times. The Prime Minister said travel is a great Indian tradition, and travelling and interacting with people is a great learning experience. He urged OTs to tour the field areas, during their postings. Exhorting the OTs, the Prime Minister said that the "sense of career," which had successfully brought them to LBSNAA, should now be replaced by a "sense of mission" - to serve the people of India. He said that in future, when they serve in the field, this should be their "purpose of life." Earlier this morning, the Prime Minister participated in the Yoga session of the Officer Trainees, held in the lawns of the Academy, in the backdrop of the Himalayas. The Prime Minister unveiled plaques to mark the laying of Foundation Stone of the New Hostel Building, and a 200 metre multifunctional synthetic athletic track. The Prime Minister visited the Balwadi at the Academy and interacted with the children. He also visited the gymnasium and other facilities at the Academy.