The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday, November 18, ordered to put on hold the salaries of those officials who have not received certificates for completing the mandatory courses under Government of India’s ‘Mission Karmayogi’. 

Also known as the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB), Mission Karmayogi is a program launched by the Narendra Modi-led Government in September 2020. At its core is the iGOT Karmayogi Bharat platform, a digital learning system, through which the officials enroll in various courses such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, big data analyses and so on. 

In an office memorandum, signed by Rakesh Sharma, senior accounts officer, with the approval from the Secretary of I and B Ministry, all Pay and Accounts offices (PAO) were directed to clear salaries of only those officials who completed the mandatory iGOT courses. 

“In this connection, all PAOs of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting are directed to take reference of above-mentioned OMs to clear the salary bills of only those officials who have been certified by the DDO/HoO regarding their completion of mandatory iGOT courses. In other cases, where the certificates are not provided, salary bills may be kept on hold till further orders,” read the memorandum. 

Speaking to TNM, a central government employee, on the condition of anonymity, called this an ‘absurd’ and ‘shocking’ order. “Even officials who are suspended or facing disciplinary enquiry or those facing criminal charges get 50% of their salaries every month. How can they take off an entire month’s salary for not attending a course?” asks the official. 

He said that most of the central government officers are packed with work and won’t have time to take these courses. So many eventually take it up at a time convenient for them.