As one walks down the Hill along the Rajpath, now renamed Kartavya Path, come other edifices — Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Shashtri Bhavan, and Kartavya Bhavan on one side and Sena Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, and Vanijya Bhavan on the other. The bureaucrats who adorn the offices in these buildings decide on India's economic, social, and industrial policies. There are many tales to be told from the corridors of these grandiose buildings. We let you in on some of them here in this week's edition of "Inside Raisina Hill".

Civil Service Academy At Kevadia?

The Centre is actively considering setting up a National Academy of Civil Service (NACS) at Kevadia (Ekta Nagar), Gujarat. Sources in the government said the project has been “under active inter-ministerial consultations” with several Central ministries and departments reviewing the proposal before it is moved to the Cabinet for approval.

Conceptualised as a state-of-the-art, integrated training institution, the proposed academy is envisioned near the iconic Statue of Unity, dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, widely regarded as the architect of India’s civil services framework.

Under the proposed blueprint, the campus would have a distinctive twin-bank layout, with infrastructure spread across both sides of the Narmada River. The institution is expected to bring officer trainees from different civil services under one integrated training framework.

The proposed NACS would focus on common administrative orientation, leadership development, and behavioural competencies, while specialised and professional training would continue to be imparted by the respective service- and cadre-specific academies.

However, the proposal has reportedly triggered apprehensions in sections of the bureaucracy, even as its proponents view the initiative as part of a broader, long-term effort to reform civil service training.

Those advocating institutional consolidation could draw lessons from the establishment of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie. Formed in 1959 through the merger of the IAS Training School at Delhi's Metcalfe House and the IAS Staff College in Shimla, the academy initially faced scepticism over the relocation.

Over time, however, LBSNAA emerged as the country's premier civil services training institution, setting a benchmark for administrative learning.

Whether the proposed Kevadia academy can replicate that success will depend on the government's final decision, institutional design, and the extent to which the new framework complements existing training establishments.

Defending IPS Deputation In CAPFs

In a joint affidavit in the Supreme Court, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have defended the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) (General Administration) Act, 2026, and argued in favour of the need for IPS officers’ deputation in the paramilitary forces. They also asserted that the new legislation neither overrides its May 23, 2025 judgment nor questions the validity of the ruling.

In the affidavit, the government maintained that Parliament had exercised its legislative powers to alter the legal framework underlying the court’s earlier directions. Seeking dismissal of petitions challenging the Act, the Centre argued that the legislation constitutes a permissible legislative exercise and does not amount to a declaration that the Supreme Court’s previous judgment was erroneous or invalid.

The affidavit, filed on 14 October, comes ahead of a scheduled hearing by a special bench of the apex court on the challenges to the new law.

At the heart of the dispute is the continued deputation of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to senior leadership positions in the CAPFs. The government has defended the arrangement, arguing that IPS officers bring experience and coordination capabilities considered vital to the country’s internal security architecture.

The legal battle dates back nearly 16 years, with CAPF cadre officers raising concerns over promotional stagnation and the appointment of IPS officers to senior command posts through deputation.

The Supreme Court’s May 23, 2025 judgment addressed issues relating to career progression and leadership opportunities for CAPF cadre officers.

The Centre’s defence now places the validity and implications of the 2026 legislation at the centre of the continuing dispute, with the Supreme Court set to examine the petitions challenging the law.

14 From Bihar Promoted To IPS

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has promoted 14 senior Bihar Police Service (BPS) officers to the Indian Police Service (IPS) against the 2025 selection list, formalising their induction into the country’s premier police service.

According to the MHA notification issued recently, the appointments have been made under the applicable recruitment and promotion regulations. All 14 officers will undergo a one-year probation period and the prescribed training under the Indian Police Service probation rules.

The officers promoted to the IPS include Kailash Prasad, Santosh Kumar, Raj Kumar Sah, Kumari Mamta Kalyani, Mohd. Muttafiq Ahmed, Rajan Sinha, and Imtiaz Ahmed.

The other seven officers are Ajay Narayan Yadav, Satish Kumar, Mohd. Shibli Nomani, Kundan Kumar, Smita Suman, Rakesh Kumar, and Rajesh Kumar Singh Prabhakar.

Their promotion marks a significant career milestone, bringing them into the IPS through the promotion channel available to eligible state police service officers.

During probation, the officers will undergo training designed to familiarise them with the responsibilities, professional standards, and administrative requirements of the All India Service.

The induction process will be governed by the applicable IPS rules, with the prescribed training and probation forming part of their formal transition from the state police service to the national cadre.

Demographic Portal For Public Inputs

Justice (Retd.) Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar, chairman of the High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes (HLCDC), has launched a dedicated web portal to gather public inputs and scientific data on changing demographic patterns across the country, including those potentially linked to illegal immigration.

The portal, available at https://demography.mha.gov.in, will allow Central ministries and departments, state and Union Territory governments, NGOs, institutions, and individuals to submit information on unusual demographic shifts, their possible causes and abnormal settlement patterns.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the submissions will help the committee assess emerging demographic trends, identify their underlying drivers, and develop recommendations for addressing associated challenges.

The panel will examine possible policy interventions, strengthen coordination among institutions and suggest systems to deal with issues arising from illegal immigration.

Constituted by the MHA on May 26, 2026, the committee has been mandated to study demographic changes in India and the social, economic, and environmental factors influencing population patterns.

Its remit includes analysing population trends, investigating the causes behind significant demographic shifts and recommending appropriate policy and institutional responses.

The portal is expected to widen the committee’s information base by creating a common platform for inputs from government agencies, institutions and the public. The exercise is aimed at supporting a structured, evidence-based assessment of demographic

NMDC To Upgrade Bastar ITIs

NMDC Ltd., the public sector mining major, has partnered with the Chhattisgarh government to upgrade Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the Bastar Cluster, once affected by Naxal violence, under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme, in a bid to improve job prospects for local youth.

Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU), NMDC will serve as the Anchor Industry Partner (AIP), supporting the modernisation of ITIs in Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Jagdalpur, and Geedam. The initiative is expected to benefit 1,512 students annually through industry-aligned vocational training.

The partnership aims to bridge the gap between technical education and industry requirements by strengthening training infrastructure and equipping students with practical, job-oriented skills. It is also expected to enhance employability, promote sustainable livelihoods, and expand opportunities for young people in the region.

The collaboration marks an effort to deepen industry participation in skill development, with NMDC’s involvement expected to help align vocational training with evolving workforce needs.

The initiative also underscores the role of public sector enterprises in partnering with state governments to strengthen technical education and create employment opportunities, particularly in local communities across the Bastar region.