POSTAL TRAINING POLICY, 2012

POSTAL TRAINING POLICY, 2012

Section 1: Preamble

1.1 Department of Posts is committed to provide basic postal facilities throughout the country at an affordable price. A network of over 1, 55,000 Post Offices, the largest in the world, of which more than 139,000 are in the rural areas, is indicative of this commitment. In terms of the workforce too Department of Posts is the largest amongst all the Postal Administrations of the world, having a workforce of 206,000 departmental employees and 269,000 Gramin Dak Sevaks, as on March end 2010.

1.2 Rapid introduction of information technology has not only changed the way post offices do business the world over, but also the kind of business that the post offices do. In this era of fast developing information and communications technology, large scale induction and assimilation of modern means of communication has become vital for the sustenance and growth of the Department of Posts.


1.3 The National Training Policy of the Govt. of India was issued in April 1996 through a set of operational guidelines for the development of human resources of the Government. Subsequent to that, Human Resource Management function in the Government has undergone a significant change. The Postmaster today is expected to not only handle traditional functions but act as Business Manager as well. An Inspector is not only responsible for managing operations and administration, but is also expected to train the officials under his control and to motivate them to play an important role in marketing and management of new products and services. Similar changes occurred in other Departments also. This was noticed in the National Training Policy (2012) of the Government of India that the organizations today are “attaching tremendous importance to the management and development of their people. There is increasing recognition that the individual in an organization is a key resource and should not be simply looked upon as a cost”.

1.4 Department of Posts is essentially an operational organization which interacts daily with millions of people of different strata. Training of its huge manpower is, therefore, a pre-requisite for maintaining the quality of service. The nature of work of a large majority of operative workers of the Department is such that they have to have full knowledge of the departmental rules applicable in their area of operation, skill for multi tasking and the temperamental fitness to deal with the demanding customers and create an atmosphere of trust in the work spot so that there is good team work. Managing the human resource in Postal Department in line with its changed role has, therefore, become a challenging task. The need to have a formal Training Policy through a set of operational guidelines was felt in this context. The objective of this Postal Training Policy is to lay down such guidelines with the objective of “Training for all”.

Section 2: Vision and Mission of the Postal Training Policy

Vision:

2.1 Making the employees of the Department of Posts technologically sound and professionally competent.

Mission:

2.2    To ensure:

(a)    that the employees are the main strength of the department which they are proud of and they serve its customers with a human touch,

(b)    that they demonstrate the highest order of integrity, honesty, transparency and professionalism

(c)    that we adopt global best practices of Human Resource Management for developing a skilled, committed and motivated workforce
 

Section 3: Objectives and Strategies

Objectives

3.1 According to the National Training Policy (2012) of the Govt. of India, the objective of training will be “to develop a professional, impartial and efficient civil service that is responsive to the needs of the citizens … The success of training will lie in actual improvement in the performance of civil servants.” The objective of this Postal Training Policy is to provide comprehensive guidelines on various aspects of training including, change in methodology of training to keep pace with the changing external environment, guidelines on the categories of staff to be brought under the umbrella of training, the training that is needed to develop the trainers in the department, the strengthening and up scaling of capability of training institutes of the department and all such issues which in turn will help the employees of the department to grow and become true professionals to render good quality services to customers.

Strategies

3.2 The content and methodology of training being imparted currently does not fully respond to the needs of all the employees. Until recently, the department had been focusing largely on its urban network, business and corporate sector to increase revenue and reduce budgetary deficit. We have not been focusing on our outreach in the rural area, which is our strength. This approach tended to ignore the business opportunities associated with the utilization of its vast network in rural areas where other agencies also needed it to deliver their social protection and developmental programmes. Our strength and unique network could be used not only to deliver Postal products but also for various welfare activities. Postal employees need to be sensitized on objectives and policies of such schemes and about financial inclusion schemes of the Government in particular. This can bring more transparency in the governance and ensure better delivery of the welfare schemes through single window. This will be an important step towards fulfilling corporate responsibility by India Post, as services will reach to largely unreachable masses of people and unbanked citizens of rural areas particularly, will get empowered through financial inclusion.

3.3 In view of above, the contents and methodology of training will be reviewed, aligned and evolved to enable employees to meet governmental and social sector expectations from India Post satisfactorily. Training is not a onetime affair and therefore continuous Training Support System would be developed. To take advantage of new technologies, as there is IT Modernization Project `India Post 2012’, and as further developments will happen in future, a frame-work will be put in place for integrating new technology for imparting training. To keep pace with the changing needs, it would be crucial to contextualize and decentralize training. To achieve this, each training programme of the Department would be based on proper Training Need Analysis (TNA) and to maintain uniformity over vast spread of employees, Standard Training Packages (STPs) will be developed for imparting training through decentralized structure.

3.4 There is a felt need to segregate domain specific training and generic programmes. To keep employees abreast of the changes within the Department, including introduction of new service/product/technology changes, etc., PTCs and RAKNPA will concentrate more and more on domain specific training of the sector. These centres will develop curriculum and STPs for all Induction and Mid-career trainings. Each STP will be reviewed and upgraded once in two years. All STPs will be uploaded on websites of PTCs and RAKNPA. However, generic trainings, particularly pertaining to soft skills of employees in general and developmental training of the senior managerial cadres in particular need to be outsourced by partnering with the existing institutions of repute, both public and private. However, training needs to be outcome based and impact of each training needs to be assessed by the department.

3.5 Centres of excellence will be created for training, research and development of postal ICT products so as to support the development of customized Information Technology (IT) applications for the department. These Centres will be the Engine of Change Management. To facilitate faster adoption of changes by employees, particularly in the wake of IT Modernization Project ‘India Post 2012’, the ideas and concepts of Change Management shall be made an integral part of all trainings, organized in Postal Training Centres/RAKNPA, by incorporating a Standardized Module on the subject.

3.6 The department will be partnering with educational institutions having long standing capabilities on Information Technology (IT), for developing Vocational Training programmes and specialized training programmes for its employees in areas of functional relevance.

3.7 The employees are required to be sensitized to minimum expected standards of service in the sector and focusing on the needs of the customers.

3.8 Awareness of the Postal employees needs to be raised on issues like importance of saving energy, environmental challenges and sustainable development so that they can appreciate the effort of the Organisation to create infrastructure with increased reliance on natural resources. The Standard Training Packages (STP) need to address such socially relevant issues.

3.9 The Training Centres should promote a positive culture of diversity and socio-economic inclusivity by actively addressing all forms of discrimination, including gender discrimination and promoting gender equality in the work place. The training programmes should strive to develop awareness of postal personnel on contagious diseases, pandemics and prevention of communicable diseases. They should sensitize employees on issues of differently challenged people so as to enable them to participate in government information campaigns.

3.10    The    Postal    Training Centres should    participate    in    national    discussions    and promote interaction and dialogue with economic and social players at national level and particularly with those who have some link with Postal network.

Section 4: Training Targets

4.1 The National Training Policy (2012) says that “all civil servants shall be provided with training to equip them with competencies for their current or future jobs. Such trainings will be imparted:

(a)    At the time of their entry into service and

(b)    At appropriate intervals in the course of their career”

Department needs to develop a data base for competency framework of its employees. Training at each stage needs to be linked with one’s competency and with subsequent career progression.

4.2 Besides structured trainings, the employees of the Organization will be encouraged to participate in such courses under distance learning programmes of the reputed Academic and Training Institutes that will upgrade their skills required for discharging their duties and will broaden their outlook required for working more effectively.

4.3 The existing training infrastructure in the department is grossly inadequate to meet the huge training needs. It can’t meet the needs of all employees even for mandated trainings. Whereas, opportunities for trainings should not and will not be restricted only at mandated points in a career. To overcome this limitation as well as to meet future training needs, as they arise, comprehensive strategy involving all the modes of training delivery, namely, institutional/conventional courses, distance/e-Learning, ‘on the job’/ ‘in-house’ trainings, etc, will have to be adopted. Standard Training Packages of Induction and other courses will be uploaded on the website of Training Centres/RAKNPA. This will provide opportunity of training to large number of employees working across the country, ranging from metro cities to small villages. Employees will be encouraged to register in the on-line courses, as per their choice, with flexibility in learning and without dislodging them from their workplace. All efforts will have to be made to have tie-ups with other institutes, providing such on-line courses to extend the benefits of e-Learning to various sections of employees. Virtual class-rooms at all PTCs/RAKNPA and at WTCs would upscale the delivery of training through the best trainers on the subject. Courses should be analyzed and categorized to decide the appropriate mode of delivery of training in each case, without significantly compromising effectiveness.

4.4 The Postal Training Centres will develop the data base of the best practices prevailing in different Postal Circles of the country and should collect information on best practices as reported by other Postal Administrations. They should develop the data base of success stories of the Postal world. These experiences should be shared with the participants of different training programmes and should be integrated in the Standard Training Packages. The Training centres may also put such information in their Website and in their Journals.

4.5 Keeping the above target in mind, training plans for different cadres of the Department are outlined in subsequent Sections.

Section 5: Cadre Training Plan for Indian Postal Service (Group A) Officers

5.1 Induction training of the Indian Postal Service Officers is imparted at Rafi Ahmed Kidwai National Postal Academy, Ghaziabad, after they have been exposed to Foundation Course with officers of other Group A Central Civil Services and All India Services, recruited through common Civil Services Examination, either at Lal Bahadur Shastry National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) or in any other institute as approved by the Department of Personnel and Training. The span of induction training of the Direct Recruit Group A officers is two years, and this is in line with the training of the Probationary officers of the other organized services. In addition, each direct recruit officer of the Indian Postal Service is expected to attend at least three comprehensive mid-career training programmes in entire service career as described below:

(a)    Executive Development Programme (EDP) (with a minimum of 7 years of experience).

(b)    Management Development Programme (MDP) (with a minimum of 15 years of experience).

(c)    Advanced Development Programme (ADP) ( with a minimum of 25 years of experience).

5.2 In all the Mid-career Development Programmes, the officers are exposed to the best practices in postal operations and management in foreign postal administrations. There should be judicious mix of domain specific issues and generic issues in such Mid-career programmes. Indian Postal Service officers also attend various other in-service programmes on operative matters from time to time. Ideally, each Indian Postal Service officer will attend one training programme in every three years on Strategic Planning, Technology Management and Public Service Management.

5.3 Thus the target for systematic training of civil servants as pointed out in the National Training Policy (2012) of the Government of India is largely being followed for the higher civil services of the Department.

Section 6: Training plan for Group B officers of Postal Service

6.1 Induction Training for 4 to 5 weeks is imparted at RAK National Postal Academy, Ghaziabad, for the officers of Postal Service (PS), Group B, provided one is having a residual service of more than two years. Many projects introduced recently for transformation of India Post required updated knowledge of the departmental software, knowledge of technology management etc for field officers who are responsible for implementation of these projects. The requirement of residual service will, therefore, be reduced to six months.

6.2 With the introduction of competitive examination to the extent of 25%, many young officers are now inducted into PS Group B. Presuming that the average age of an entrant who is coming through departmental competitive examination in PS Group B is 40 years, one is required to be sent at least twice in comprehensive mid service training of the sort of EDP/MDP/ADP at RAK National Postal Academy. The first training may be imparted to the officers after completing 6-7 years of service and second one after completing 11-12 years of service in PS Gr. B/JTS/STS. Mid-career training is aimed at developing a comprehensive perspective of an officer. The officers in the field units are normally hard pressed and they hardly get the time and opportunity to think in broader perspective. The idea of mandatory mid service training is to update officer about changes, to broaden perspective, to envision future journey of the organization, etc. Technology changes, soft skills and customer orientation are to be kept in focus in all mid-service trainings.

6.3 The Group B officers of Postal Service will also attend various other in-service programmes on operative matters from time to time. Each officer of PS Group B, will preferably attend one training programme in every three years.

Section 7: Training Plan for Assistant Superintendents Posts / Inspectors Posts

7.1 Inspectors Posts (both Departmental and Direct Recruit candidates) are imparted Induction Training at Postal Training Centres. The duration of Induction training is 13 weeks for Departmental candidates and 15 weeks for Direct Recruits. There will be no pre-induction field attachment. However, two weeks post-induction field attachment will be made which will include attachment as Manager, Speed Post Centre and Postmaster, Project Arrow Post Office.

7.2 Inspectors/ Assistant Superintendents need to be imparted institutional training, at least twice, before they get promoted to Postal Services Group B in due course. These trainings will be of two weeks duration and the training curriculum needs to be comprehensive in nature. The training after 7-8 years may be termed as ‘Officer Development Programme’ (ODP) and training after 14-15 years may be termed as ‘Manager Development Programme’ (MDP). These trainings will have field visits in different cities in India to expose the participants to the best practices in various Circles.

Section 8: Training Plan for Postal Assistants (PAs)/ Sorting Assistants (SAs)

8.1 Induction Training will be imparted at Postal Training Centres for 48 working days (8 weeks). In the situation of large scale recruitment and likelihood of delay in allotment of    seats    at  PTCs,  Circle  level  Induction  Training    may  be    imparted through locally    reputed  training  institutes  based  on  the    Standard    Training Package (STP)    hosted in the Website. But such trainings at circles should be more a
matter of exception than rule.
       
8.2    Subsequent    to  Induction  Training,  Postal  Assistants/    Sorting    Assistants (PA/SA) need to be trained at least thrice in one’s entire service career. One can be brought under ‘Assistant Development Programme (ADP)’ at a time when one is eligible for first Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP). When 2nd MACP is due for a PA / SA, he/she can be brought under the Supervisor Development Programme (SDP)’. When one is due for 3rd MACP, he / she may be brought under the ‘Senior Supervisor Development Programme’ (SSDP).

8.3 The PAs of Postal Store Depot (PSD) / Circle Stamp Depot (CSD) will be subject to same training as the Postal Assistants in Postal Divisions.

8.4 There is no arrangement of imparting institutional training for the Postal Assistants recruited in Returned Letter Offices (RLO) and those recruited in Foreign Posts. The Assistants recruited in these cadres will be exposed to three weeks’ Induction Training Programme through one of the identified Postal Training Centres.


8.5 PAs of RLO and Foreign Post will also be subject to ‘Assistant Development Programme’, ‘Supervisor Development Programme’ and ‘Senior Supervisor Development Programme’ in PTCs like their counterparts in Post Offices.

Section 9: Training Plan for Circle Office Staff and employees of other operative cadres

9.1 In the present scenario, there is no arrangement for imparting institutional training for the PAs recruited in Circle Offices/ Regional Offices. PA (CO / RO) will also be imparted Induction Training at Postal Training Centres for a duration of three weeks. This training shall include an exposure to the postal operations and also to the Railway Mail Service (RMS) operations which will enable the PAs in their file work relating to operations in the field.

9.2 The PACO / RO will also undergo ‘Assistant Development Programme’, ‘Supervisor Development Programme’ and ‘Senior Supervisor Development Programme’ in PTCs like their counterparts in Post Offices.

9.3 The Induction Training of the Postal assistants in Savings Bank Control Organisation (SBCO) will be imparted at Postal Training Centres for four weeks.

9.4 The PAs (SBCO) will also undergo ‘Assistant Development Programme’, ‘Supervisor Development Programme’ and ‘Senior Supervisor Development Programme’ in PTCs like their counterparts in Post Offices.

Section 10: Training Plan for the Postmasters and other Supervisory Cadres

10.1 In respect of Postmasters’ cadre, Induction Training will be imparted at Postal Training Centres for five weeks.

10.2 The Postmasters in Grade II and III will be imparted training in ‘Supervisor Development Programme’ and ‘Senior Supervisor Development Programme’ exclusively designed for them.

10.3 Same principle will be followed in respect of Supervisory Cadres of other wings.

Section 11: Training Plan for Accountants/ Assistant Accounts Officers/ Accounts Officers

11.1 The accountants and other junior Group C officials in Accounts wing should also be brought under the purview of institutional training, both at the time of induction as well as before they are entitled to 1st, 2nd and 3rd MACP. If PTCs are not in a position to impart training to the employees of Accounts wing, these trainings may be conducted at Zonal Training Centres and/or circle level tie up may be done with outside professional agencies for imparting such trainings based on STPs developed by the Department..

11.2 The principle of mid-career training, as has been elaborated in respect of Inspectors/Assistant Superintendents of Post Offices and Postal Services Group B officers should be followed on the similar lines for Assistant Accounts Officers , Accounts Officers and Sr. Accounts Officers also. Whereas the induction training of the AAOs will primarily focus on Postal Accounts, such training will also expose them to rudimentary understanding of the Postal operations. Technology focus needs to be imbibed in this training, besides development of Soft skills and customer orientation. Development Programmes of AAOs/AOs and Sr. AOs will concentrate on Financial Management, nuances of Finance Advise and new developments in the area of Accounts and Finance.

Section 12: Training Plan for those working in Civil/Electrical/Architecture wing, P&T Dispensaries and other wings of the Department

12.1 The principles of induction training and three mid-career Developmental trainings as elaborated for the officers and other Postal employees, should be equally applicable to those who are in Civil /Electrical/ Architecture wing of the Department and also to those who are posted at P&T Dispensaries. Whereas it will be the responsibility of the RAK National Postal academy to arrange training of the Engineers, Architects and the Doctors, Circles have to arrange it for non-gazetted employees by Tie-up with professional agencies.

12.2 The Director (Mail Vehicles), Sr. Managers, Managers, Deputy Managers, Asst. Managers and the OAs in Mail Motor Service units will be trained in the RAK National Postal Academy and in Postal Training Centres, depending on their grade along with their counter-parts in Postal/RMS wing at the time of induction as well as in mid- service trainings.

12.3 The Technicians of the Mail Motor Service, other artisans and the Drivers will be imparted institutional induction training and in-service training at least thrice in one’s entire service career. As PTCs are not equipped for imparting this sort of technical training, tie-ups will be made with such organizations which have the experience of imparting training to the employees of the automobile sector.

12.4 Stenographer Cadre will be brought under institutional training both at the time of induction and subsequently. Circles will have tie up with other Governmental training institutes for imparting training to the Stenographers of different grades, Personal Assistants and Private Secretaries.

12.5 Department of Posts owns and operates a printing Press in Bhubaneswar, employing around 200 skilled and unskilled workers. The three in-service training programmes in line with that of Postal Assistants of Circle Offices (PACOs) will be designed and imparted coinciding with three Mandatory Assured Career Progressions (MACPs). As the PTCs are not equipped for training of these categories of staff, similar tie up with organizations which have the necessary skills to impart the specialized in-service training required for their technological up gradation will have to be made.

Section 13: Training Plan for Postmen / Mail Guards / Mail Overseers/Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) and Gramin Dak Sevaks

13.1 Postmen/Mail Guards/Mail overseers and Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) employees of different wings of the Department will be imparted Institutional Induction Training for two weeks. Till such time the PTCs augment their infrastructure, Circles will organize such training programmes based on STPs developed by the Department.


13.2 Lower grade officials in different wings of the Circle should also be imparted three mid-service trainings in their entire career before 1st, 2nd and 3rd MACP. One of the officers in the Circle, not below the rank of JAG will be identified as the Nodal Training Officer to organize training of Postmen, Mail Guard and MTS employees of different wings.

13.3 The skills of Gramin Dak Sevaks are required to be upgraded through training to enable them to handle different hand held devises and in integrating them with the overall technological initiatives of the Department.

13.4 All newly recruited GDS employees will undergo two weeks training before they join service. This training will be organized locally at Divisional level following a Standard Training Package (STP).

13.5 The existing GDS employees will be imparted two weeks refresher training at the Sub Divisional level in a phased manner through Standard Training Package (STP). Suitable mid-service training programmes should also be developed for the Gramin Dak Sevaks.

Section 14: Specialized Training Programmes

14.1    Circles  will  have  tie-ups  with  Professional  bodies  for  training of  System Administrators, Sales Promotion Executives, Agents of PLI / RPLI and training on secretarial practices. Association with reputed institutes will facilitate outsourcing of specific training and institutionalization of induction training of such cadres who are not subject to training by the Postal Training Centres.

14.2 System Administrators need training on regular intervals, to upgrade their knowledge and skills. Their training needs will be met at Circle level through specialized Training Institutes.

14.3 Manager in charge of Sales Promotion and the Marketing Executives need to be imparted training at regular intervals to update them on the happenings in Express Industry worldwide with special reference to India. These trainings also need to be organized at Circle level through specialized institutes under the direct supervision of the Nodal training officer of the Circle.

14.4 Project Arrow, is in the process of getting extended to all Single and Double handed Post Offices of the country. Mail Network Optimization Programme (MNOP) is also getting extended. These two flagship programmes of the Department along with India Post 2012 Project, which includes Core Banking, will need training of operative staff in large number. As the infrastructure at PTCs is not adequate to take care of this requirement, Circles/Regions will take this responsibility of organizing such trainings in WTCs based on the Standard Training Packages developed by the PTCs.

Section 15: Foreign Training

15.1    The National Training Policy (2012) of the Government of India    observed to the latest thinking on different subjects in some of the leading institutions in the world” and thereby it fills a crucial gap in the training system.

15.2 The probationers of many organized Central Civil Services are being sent in the training abroad. The probationers of the Indian Postal Service should also be exposed to the functioning of the Postal Administrations elsewhere to enrich their knowledge and to develop them as professionals before they assume charge of the field units. The field visits abroad would add value to the induction programme of the probationers and will facilitate them to develop as high caliber executives, capable of steering the organization through future challenges.

15.3 In the Eleventh Five Year Plan, a component of foreign training was included in three in-service comprehensive training programmes for the higher management of Indian Postal service. This has given a very good exposure to the officers of higher grades. As no Postal Administration can develop in isolation and exposure to the functioning of other Postal Administrations is an essential pre-requisite for an officer to discharge his duties effectively, this practice will, therefore, be strengthened.

15.4 A foreign component will also be developed in the mid career training programme of the officers of the Postal Service, Group B, many of whom join quite young in the cadre through Departmental examination. The bright Inspectors, Postmasters, Business Managers, System Administrators will be exposed more and more to foreign training.

Section 16: Role of the Postal Directorate

16.1 In line with the role of the Ministries / Departments as envisaged in the National Training Policy (2012) of the Government of India, Training Division of the Postal Directorate shall be the nodal agency of Department of Posts for matters related to training and adopt a systematic approach to training. It will identify a training manager in each Postal Circle for implementation of the training function of the Department.

16.2 Postal Directorate will incorporate an appropriate provision in any new scheme to ensure that suitable training is imparted for its proper implementation and sustainability.

16.3 Training Division of the Postal Directorate will prepare an annual training plan for all the cadres under its control, will implement the annual training plan, by using the institutions under it or outside, so that limitations under internal training capacity do not constrain the implementation of the training plan.

16.4 Postal Directorate will allocate appropriate funds to enable the training to be carried out by institutions under its control or outside.

16.5 Training Division of the Postal Directorate will review the implementation of the annual training plan and the functioning of the training institutions under the Department (including the Circles) and in particular will look at the utilization of training capacity and quality of training imparted.
 
16.6 In pursuance of the National Training Policy of the Government of India, Postal Directorate will try to ensure adequacy of physical infrastructure of the training institutes, faculty, finances, and delegation of power to institutes to carry out their mandate.

16.7 Training Division of the Postal directorate will oversee training of the Group B and C staff, particularly those at the cutting edge level and will ensure proper selection and development of faculty, incentive for them and stability of their tenure. It will evaluate the programmes organized by the Training Institutions and their impact on the trainees.

Section 17: Role of the Training Institutions

17.1 According to the National Training Policy (2012), the training institutions, “are the repositories of the expertise distilled from the real world. They will continue to be the mainstay for training of civil servants.” In pursuance of the guidelines given by the National Training Policy identifying the role of training institutions, RAK National Postal Academy / Postal Training Centres / Workplace Training Centres (WTCs) and Zonal Training Centres (ZTCs) are all required to work in close interaction and will move to becoming models of excellence in the quality of training they impart through a process of self-assessment and bench-marking.

17.2 RAK National Postal Academy as the apex training centre of the Department in the country will have a structured meeting with all the postal training centres once in every six months for sharing the best practices in training and also for sharing the feed-back of the circles on training needs, courses etc.

17.3 Each PTC will provide technical assistance to the WTCs and the Zonal Training Centres (of the Accounts wing) of the circles, coming under its jurisdiction and will advise the WTCs and ZTCs in preparation of the Annual Training Plans and in outsourcing of training (if so required).

17.4 RAK National Postal Academy will play a key role in assisting the Postal Directorate in the process of shifting to a competency- based framework for training, wherever applicable.

17.5 The National Postal Academy and Postal Training Centres will assimilate technologies with a view to enabling learning anywhere, any time for the employees of the Department and will supplement their current programmes with distant and e-learning courses. They will have network with other training institutes of central and State Governments to share learning resources, experience and expertise.
 
17.6 The Training Institutes of the Department will conduct field studies and research as part of the process of becoming repositories of knowledge in the postal world and will provide advisory and/or consultancy services wherever possible.

17.7 The training institutes of the Department will constantly review and modify their curricula, content and training methodologies to take account of training feedback and the needs of the Department.

17.8 The Training Institutes will put in place a rigorous system of evaluation of the training programmes and assessment of their impact on individual performance over time. For Workplace Training Centres (WTCs) and Zonal Training Centres (ZTCs), such evaluation and impact assessment will be done by the corresponding Postal Training Centres (PTCs) and will be reported to Training Division of the Directorate.

17.9 The Training Institutes will ensure that the trainers who join the institutes are deputed at the earliest possible opportunity to undergo programmes for ‘Training of the Trainers’.

Section 18: Role of the Circles

18.1 Primary Role of the Circles will be supporting the creation of decentralized training infrastructure at the Divisional level concomitant with the development of trainers at those levels. It will be responsibility of the circles to develop the WTCs and the ZTCs of the Accounts Wing ensuring posting of suitable personnel in WTCs, proper utilization of the capacity of the WTCs in imparting training, designing the training schedules of the WTCs and monitoring of the training programmes.

18.2 Till the time suitable infrastructure is created in the Postal Training Centres, Circles will be responsible for arranging training of Postmen/Mail Guards/Mail overseers, Multi Tasking Staff and Gramin Dak Sevaks, based on the STPs approved by the Postal Directorate.

18.3 Arranging specialized training programmes on Mail Operations, Postal Technologies, Business Development, PLI/RPLI, Philately, Vigilance and Investigation etc. will be the responsibility of the Circles.

18.4 Circles will arrange training of the System Administrators, Business Managers and Marketing Executives, if required, through tie-up with professional bodies.

18.5 Circles will arrange training of the officials in the smaller cadres such as those working as Stenographers or those working in MMS Units through appropriate tie-ups with professional bodies.
 

Section 19: Trainer Development

19.1 National Training Policy (2012) observed that “certification of trainers under the trainer development programme has to be on renewable basis related to their actually conducting a required number of training programmes and also attending courses meant for upgrading their skills”. Those who are posted as faculty members in the RAK National Postal Academy, Postal Training Centres, Workplace Training Centres and Zonal Training Centres need to undergo training for the trainers. The training for the trainers needs to have two components. Whereas the art of training and soft skill training may be imparted by professional organizations, training on departmental issues will be imparted by one of the identified PTCs.

19.2 In order to acquire training skills, the trainers and the officers in PTCs and in Workplace Training Centres and all Sub Divisional Inspectors/Asst. Superintendent Posts should undergo Direct Trainers’ Skill (DTS) Course. This will help in gradually developing a Trainers’ pool and will thus help in selection of right trainer for various courses

19.3 Each Postal Training Centre and each Circle will have at least one ‘Recognized Trainer’ for imparting training on DTS. Besides this, few ‘Master

Trainers’ will also have to be developed who in turn will impart training to Recognized Trainers.

19.4 The Training Division of Directorate will coordinate with the resource persons from all PTCs and undertake Training Need Analysis, development of training materials and evaluation of impact of training. The identified officials will be imparted necessary specialized training to equip them to handle these responsibilities. They will also interact with each other in development of materials.

Section 20: Funding

20.1 The National Training Policy (1996) had recommended that 1.5% of the salary budget be set aside by each Department to be used solely for the purpose of training. Given the likely increase in the need for training by moving to a competency-based system, the National Training Policy ( 2012) recommended that each Department should set aside at least 2.5% of its salary budget for training.

20.2 Postal Directorate will provide adequate funding to meet the training requirement within the overall guidelines of the National Training Policy (2012) of the Government of India.
 

Section 21: Capacity Building

21.1 The strategy of this Postal Training Policy (para 3.2 to para 3.10) aims to bring about paradigm shift from “Training” to “capacity building”, with stress on rural network in particular, where there is a greater need to effectively deliver various National Rural Development Projects. Hitherto, Gramin Dak Sevaks managing postal services in rural areas remained limited to traditional postal work but would now be enabled to handle social sector projects under technology environment. This necessitates adopting radical approach towards capacity building in rural areas particularly on social sector training, till now unknown to Gramin Dak Sevaks. Appropriate agencies will be involved and proper methods will be adopted for capacity building in rural areas. At the same time the existing in-house/institutional capacity/infrastructure within the Department is required to be up scaled to meet the objective of “Training for All.”

21.2    The following training    institutes    take    care    of    the    training    needs    of    the Department:

•    Rafi Ahmed Kidwai National Postal Academy, Ghaziabad – the Apex training institute for meeting the training needs of the managerial cadres of India Post and is one of the Central Training Institutions recognized by the DOPT.

•    Postal Training Centres at Darbhanga, Guwahati, Madurai, Mysore, Saharanpur and Vadodara.

•    Two hundred twenty Five (225) Workplace Training Centres at Headquarters of Circles/Regions/Divisions.

•    Five (5) Zonal Training Centres at Postal Accounts Offices at Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow and Nagpur and Workplace Training Centres at other Postal Accounts Offices.

21.3 The existing infrastructure for training is inadequate as RAK National Postal Academy will be responsible for training of nearly 4,000 gazetted officers and the six Postal Training Centres are responsible to impart training to nearly 170,000 Group C employees. RAK National Postal Academy has the capacity of imparting training to approximately 800 officers on an average in a year, whereas all the PTCs taken together have capacity to train about 12,000 employees in a year. It is, therefore, necessary to have at least one Postal Training Centre in each major Circle.

21.4 At present 225 Workplace Training Centres (WTCs) are functioning under the control of the Circles/Regions/Divisions. Each WTC will have at least ten (10) nodes, Projector, Scanner, Printer, White Board, internet connection and all requisite infrastructures for training. The WTCs will be responsible for imparting all specialized trainings discussed in section. Besides that, Circles / Regions will be responsible for imparting training to the cadres of Postmen / Mail Guards /Mail Overseers and to employees till the time, required infrastructure is developed for institutional training in the Postal Training Centres. Keeping this requirement in mind, each Postal/RMS Division needs to have at least one WTC with proper infrastructure.

21.5 Each WTC needs to be headed by a Supervisor level officer and at least one dedicated trainer in PA Grade is required. Action will be initiated for creation of posts against these positions. Similarly, each Zonal Training Centre needs to be headed by an officer of the Grade of Accounts Officer or at least of the grade of Asstt. Accounts Officer.

21.6 e-Leaning platform is an effective tool for training of large number of officials without dislocating them from their workplace. To start with, video conferencing facilities in all PTCs/RAK National Postal Academy and related infrastructure will be created and gradually concept of Virtual Class Room needs to be implemented so as to ensure that maximum number of employees are imparted training in higher frequency.

21.7 For best utilization of existing infrastructure, the PTCs should try to run training in two batches, one in the morning / forenoon session and one in the afternoon/evening session provided hostel facility is there to support almost double the number of participants.

21.8 In order to track the training need of an official, Department of Posts will develop a data base of each official, cadre-wise, giving details of what all trainings one has attended, where and of what duration. This data base will be accessible at Circle/ Regional/ Divisional level besides Directorate. This data base will include all such trainings that one has attended in and outside organizations (including those abroad) but will not include short duration workshops of half day to three days. Once the data base is prepared, subsequent updating will be done through a process of on-line Registration as and when one turns up at RAK NPA/PTC/ZTC/WTC. This will facilitate the work of Training Administration.

21.9 Generation of reports on monitoring of training activities at Divisional / Regional/ Circle/ RAK NPA/ PTCs and Directorate level needs to be done on-line. The system of analyzing the reports and two way feedbacks will also be done on-line.

21.10 The details of candidates awaiting training, allotment of seats to Circles by the training Centres and nomination of officials by the Circles/Regions/Divisions will also be done on-line.

21.11. The data base will also give details of the officials in the Training Pool, those who have undergone DTS courses and other Train the Trainer Programmes, their present place of posting etc so that their services can be effectively utilized as and when required.

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