EPFO’s PDUNASS partners with NID Ahmedabad to introduce design thinking in governance training

New Delhi, Aug 11: The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS), Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), in association with the National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad, organised a pioneering one-day training programme on Introduction to Design Thinking — a novel initiative in the government training ecosystem.As per a statement, this is a first-of-its-kind approach to integrate design into the curriculum of young officers’ training programmes, with an emphasis on future-focused and human-centred approaches for bringing design into governance. The programme commenced at 10:00 AM in Manthan Hall, PDUNASS, with a ceremonial Deep Prajwalan, in the presence of Shri Ramesh Krishnamurthy, CEO & CPFC, EPFO; Dr Ashok Mondal, Director, NID and Shri Kumar Rohit, Director, PDUNASS. The CPFC and Director NID joined the event virtually, while 65 participants attended in person and around 100 participated online.In his welcome address, Kumar Rohit underscored that EPFO’s stakeholders — pensioners, wage workers, and small businesses — require context-sensitive service design. “This collaboration with NID mirrors our vision to train officers not just to manage processes, but to lead reforms that improve citizens’ experiences,” he said. CPFC Shri Ramesh Krishnamurthy set the tone for the sessions and discussions by highlighting the dichotomy faced by the organisation, wherein on one hand it must be facilitative and empathy-driven towards stakeholders, yet on the other it must strictly enforce compliance with the Act. He expressed his hope that Design Thinking would help resolve such challenges. He further noted that while Design Thinking may appear abstract at first, its success would be determined by the practical outcomes it produces in decision-making approaches. “Public institutions face complex challenges, but our solutions must remain simple, empathetic, and impactful,” he said.Director NID, Dr Ashok Mondal, emphasised the institute’s commitment to fostering creativity and problem-solving skills across diverse sectors, including governance. He commended EPFO’s initiative to embed design-led innovation into its training modules and expressed hope for further such collaborations. The sessions were led by eminent NID faculty members, Prof Jitendra Rajput and Prof Amit Sinha, covering themes such as empathy-led service design, problem redefinition, and social innovation in governance. Through interactive discussions and case-based exercises, participants explored ways to reimagine public service delivery using creative and user-centred approaches.The programme concluded successfully, leaving participants enriched with fresh perspectives and actionable insights. This initiative marks a significant step in PDUNASS’s training calendar, reinforcing EPFO’s commitment to continuous innovation and citizen-focused governance.