The 40th Basic Administration Training (BAT), a flagship induction programme of the Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC), was formally inaugurated with a ceremonial program attended by senior government officials, trainers, and 203 newly appointed Gazetted class III Officers of Nepal Administrative Service, Nepal Revenue Service, Federal Parliament, and Office of the Auditor General.

The program commenced with a welcome address by Mr. Rajendra Adhikari, Centre Chief, Centre for Induction Training (CIT), NASC. He welcomed all participants and distinguished guests, highlighting that BAT is one of NASC’s most important programmes designed to serve the larger national interest by preparing competent, empathetic, and service-oriented civil servants. He emphasized NASC’s commitment to nurturing professionalism, values, and ethical conduct among new entrants to the civil service.

Mr. Tulasi Sharan Sigdel, Head of Department, Public Service Training Department (PSTD), addressed the participants, congratulating them on entering public service. Reflecting on the transition from personal life to professional responsibility, he underlined that civil service is not merely a job but a lifelong commitment to the nation. He described the participants as the new hope and imagination of a new generation of public servants. He urged them to prove their commitment through effective and integrated public service delivery. He emphasized the importance of values, ethos, service orientation, quality service delivery, and adherence to the code of conduct, while encouraging participants to remain motivated and guided by the system, even during challenging postings.

Mr. Mahesh Baral, Training Head of the Public Finance Management Training Centre (PFMTC), welcomed the participants and shared his personal journey as a former BAT participant of the 18th batch. He described the training period as a highly valuable phase that builds both professional competence and long-term professional networks through horizontal and vertical linkages. He encouraged participants to focus on learning and knowledge enhancement rather than immediate postings, noting that PMTC would later build upon the competencies developed during BAT.

Delivering the address, Dr. Rojnath Pandey, Secretary of the Federal Parliament, congratulated the participants and reminded them that their official signatures had already begun to carry institutional responsibility. He emphasized the need to understand Nepal’s social and administrative diversity and to remain grounded, transparent, and continuously open to learning. Highlighting the importance of the rule of law, collaboration among state institutions, and skill-based public service, he urged participants to use authority responsibly, uphold integrity (nistha) and ethical conduct (sadacharita), and serve as exemplary public servants committed to citizen-centric governance.

Ms. Bindu Bista, Deputy Auditor General, also addressed the ceremony, noting that institutions function through systems rather than individuals. She encouraged the new generation of civil servants to move away from blame-oriented practices and adopt a collaborative approach to governance. She stressed the importance of clarity in vision, strong implementation modalities, and ethical responsibility in public administration.

Ms. Chandra Kala Poudel, Secretary at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA), congratulated the participants and shared her experience as a former BAT trainee. She described BAT as the beginning of a lifelong journey in public service, emphasizing the integration of theoretical knowledge with practical application. She assured participants of MoFAGA’s continuous engagement and monitoring during the training period and encouraged peer learning, mutual feedback, and collaboration. She highlighted leadership, empathy, service delivery, and the emerging concept of “New Normal” leadership, focusing on resilience, adaptability, crisis management, and continuous capacity development for nation-building.

Chair of the event, Mr. Ramsharan Pudasaini, Executive Director, NASC, addressed the gathering by emphasizing the transformation from an ordinary citizen to a civil servant with public responsibility. He described BAT as analogous to learning to swim in an ocean, requiring skills, attentiveness, calculated risk-taking, and collaboration. He reiterated NASC’s commitment to innovation in training and preparing civil servants to face real-world governance challenges. He stressed the importance of local governance, anti-corruption measures, effective use of technology, responsible financial management with value for money, and awareness against misinformation and disinformation. Governance, development, and service delivery, he noted, must remain the core focus of all participants.

The participants and the guests joined for a networking lunch at the end of the formal opening ceremony.