Dhaka: The National Training Council (NTC) has announced a significant reduction in the duration of the foundation training course for BCS cadre officers, now shortened from six months to four months. This revised schedule includes three months at training institutions and an additional month dedicated to field-level orientation and village attachment.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the decision was taken during the NTC's 9th meeting, presided over by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. The meeting was attended by notable figures including Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Law Adviser Professor Dr. Asif Nazrul, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum, Public Administration Ministry Secretary Dr. Md Mokhles Ur Rahman, and Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan.
The council also decided to extend the maximum age limit for enrollment in Master's and PhD courses from 45 to 47 years. For PhD candidates, an annual progress report approved by their supervisors must be submitted to the respective ministry, failing which their salaries will be withheld.
During the meeting, the Chief Adviser emphasized the need for evaluating government training centers, suggesting that each should be ranked and monitored regularly. Professor Yunus also proposed forming an independent unit to evaluate research institutions, stressing the importance of understanding their philosophies and ensuring they are properly managed. Data on government officials who receive training abroad should be maintained within these institutions.
Additionally, the meeting resolved to rename the 'Sanjiboni Training Programme' as 'Skill Renewal Training', which will be implemented at the field level in both government and non-governmental institutions. It was also decided that officials receiving partial scholarships for higher studies would still be granted deputation.
To foster integrity and ethical values among officials, the council decided to incorporate topics such as Virtue, Morality, Behavioral Science, and Code of Ethics into the training modules. Furthermore, the meeting outlined plans to conduct research, monitoring, and evaluation activities to assess training programs, institutions, and decision-making processes related to training.
The formation of the Executive Committee of the National Training Council (ECNTC) was also announced, with Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed appointed as its chairman.