Dr. Jitendra Singh on Wednesday called for a dynamic curriculum in view of changing governance landscape and continuous evolution in public administration training modules to meet the rapidly changing requirements driven by emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing.
Delivering the Convocation Address of the 50th "Advanced Professional Programme in Public Administration" (APPPA) at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Dr. Jitendra Singh, who is also the Chairman of the IIPA Executive Council, said, “What is relevant today may not be tomorrow. We need to learn every day to stay relevant.”
Highlighting the government’s focus on Mission Karmayogi and Viksit Bharat, the Minister said the APPPA programme has grown beyond its traditional curriculum to include exposure to aspirational districts, defence institutions, rural and urban development schemes, and India’s rich traditional knowledge systems. “I am happy that the course has evolved with time, integrating themes like Atmanirbhar Bharat and governance reforms,” he said.
In a candid and wide-ranging address, Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the need for continuous learning and adaptive policy making in the face of exponential technological advancements. “We could very well see participants of the 50th APPPA returning for refresher courses by the 55th,” he quipped, stressing the need to keep administrative knowledge up to date.
Lauding IIPA’s initiative to organize APPPA’s golden jubilee programme, Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored the importance of civil-military synergy. “Today’s army officers don’t just stay in isolation; they are expected to brief the media, interact with civilians and respond jointly in disaster-affected regions,” he noted, calling for greater focus on communication skills in future iterations of the course.