Academy days(2)

It was decided earlier that the two-hundred plus fresh recruits of Odisha Finance Service would go through institutional training in two batches.

 We arranged a Welcome ceremony for the Probationers (newly recruited Finance Service Officers) to get a feel of the Academy and they were addressed by the Honourable Minister and the Principal Secretary. It is needles to mention that it is not easy to handle a crowd of hundred adults unless discipline is instilled and I gave a piece of my mind to ensure that. Fortunately at that time we had a team of energetic, able and efficient colleagues who took my task as their own making things easier. My past experience as a Principal of a college also helped me to manage young sentiments.

I remember when I joined Finance Service, way back in 1980 the training was mechanical without any substance and to be honest we learnt nothing during the entire training period. The course curriculum was lack-lustre and the faculties did not have any involvement. We certainly did not want such horrendous experience to re-enact. Our in-house faculties were very competent and five of them had not only successfully completed management course but also good teachers. Besides we tried to contact the best faculties available in the subject to impart effective training.

At that time, we had a very over-burdened training calendar in the Academy owing to the mandatory three months Accounts Training of the ministerial officers of the state government, government undertakings and private institutions in four batches round the year. This schedule consumed much of our time and energy. That needed pruning and we modified the schedule and made it one-month training programme accommodating necessary requirements. Besides we had already received requests from various departments to design Accounts Training for their subordinate officers and accordingly we had designed and committed to impart training in different spells. In view of the scheduled training and committed training the additional workload of institutional training of newly recruited hundred plus officers was rather heavy but I am really grateful that my colleagues took the extra burden in their stride rather gracefully.

We had taken steps to develop necessary infrastructure for model class rooms, computer laboratory, library etc. All class rooms were equipped with modern teaching tools with Wi-Fi connectivity. The in-house faculties as well as the Guest faculties cooperated wonderfully to carry forward the programmes without any hiccups.  Minor problems in the hostel accommodation and messing etc. were sorted out by the faculties in charge. ‘You must enjoy your training, so that everything would be very pleasant without mugging up. We want to see you all as professionals not as parrots remembering everything by rote’ that was my advice to them.

There are many interesting incidents. I propose to tell all those in the next part.