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".

PM Modi to meet Union Secretaries Ahead Of Monsoon session

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to chair a high-level meeting with Union government secretaries ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, scheduled to be held from July 20 to August 13. The meeting is likely to focus on reviewing the government's legislative agenda, key policy priorities, and ensuring effective coordination among various ministries before the session begins.

According to sources, the interaction is intended to provide final directions to senior bureaucrats on pending legislative business and the implementation of major policy initiatives. The Prime Minister is also expected to emphasise the need for seamless inter-ministerial coordination to facilitate the smooth functioning of Parliament and timely execution of government programmes.

The review assumes significance as the government prepares to introduce and take up several important bills during the Monsoon Session. Secretaries are expected to brief the Prime Minister on the preparedness of their respective ministries, the status of legislative proposals, and issues requiring inter-departmental coordination.

The meeting is also aimed at ensuring administrative readiness and aligning the bureaucracy with the government's priorities for the upcoming parliamentary session. It is expected to help streamline decision-making, improve coordination across ministries, and ensure that legislative and policy objectives are pursued efficiently during the session.

UPSC Cleared, But Training Tests Prove Tough For IAS Probationers

Cracking the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination may secure entry into the prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS), but it does not guarantee a smooth passage through the mandatory training programme.

Reportedly in one of the RTI responses the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie has revealed that 24 IAS probationers failed one or more subject examinations during training between 2021 and 2026. Of these, 14 cases were recorded in 2025 and 2026, indicating a recent rise in examination backlogs, it said.

The academy, however, clarified that none of the probationers was removed from service or discharged from training. Officials said the failures were confined to individual subjects, not the overall training programme and all officers subsequently cleared the examinations within the prescribed timeframe.

Each year, nearly five lakh candidates appear for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, but only around 182 to 184 candidates make it to the IAS. Those selected undergo a compulsory two-year training programme at LBSNAA before being assigned to the field.

The training includes classroom instruction, district attachments, field exposure, physical fitness, and periodic assessments across a range of subjects. Probationers are allowed to reappear for papers they fail and most clear their backlog examinations without affecting their induction into the service, the officials said.

The RTI findings highlight that even after clearing one of the country’s toughest competitive examinations, IAS trainees continue to face rigorous academic evaluation during their professional training.

IAS Vipul Ujwal’s Role In Developing PAI Earns Him Top E-Governance Award

Punjab cadre IAS officer Vipul Ujwal has earned national recognition after playing a key role in developing the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI), which won the Gold Award at the National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2026 for excellence in digital governance and data-driven public service delivery.

The award was presented during the 29th National Conference on e-Governance, held in Jaipur on July 1–2. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj’s flagship initiative secured the top honour in the category of Digital Transformation through the Use of Data Analytics in Digital Platforms.

A 2009-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, Ujwal is currently serving as Director, Capacity Building Division, in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on deputation. He has been closely involved with the PAI since its inception, contributing to its design, implementation and nationwide expansion.

According to the Ministry, Ujwal helped develop the assessment framework, strengthen the digital platform, coordinate with States and Union Territories, integrate data from multiple ministries, and lead capacity-building efforts to support nationwide implementation.

The latest edition, PAI 2.0, assessed 2,59,867 Gram Panchayats, covering 97.3 per cent of India's total Gram Panchayats, up from 80.79 per cent in the first edition. The index evaluates rural governance using 150 indicators and 230 data points across nine thematic pillars aligned with the Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals. It also integrates data from 11 government schemes across six Union Ministries, enabling a more robust, evidence-based assessment of grassroots governance.

Centre Eyes PSU Stake Sales To Ease Fiscal Pressure 

The Centre is planning to accelerate stake sales in several public sector enterprises, including Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), Hindustan Zinc and select public sector banks, as it seeks to bolster revenues and shield government finances from the impact of volatile global crude oil prices.

According to reports, the government has identified eight state-owned companies for partial disinvestment in the coming months to generate additional resources while keeping the fiscal deficit under control. The move follows the recent spike in international oil prices triggered by the Iran-West Asia conflict, which increased pressure on the government's fiscal position.

Although crude prices have eased after regional tensions subsided and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz normalised, the government is looking to create a fiscal buffer against any future surge in energy costs.

Officials overseeing the disinvestment programme are reportedly holding regular meetings with investment bankers to assess market conditions, gauge investor appetite, finalise pricing and prepare timelines for the proposed share sales. The Centre is also said to be appointing additional bankers to facilitate future offerings of other public sector companies.

Separately, the government is considering inviting fresh bids for the strategic sale of a majority stake in IDBI Bank after an earlier disinvestment process failed to attract adequate investor interest. Reports suggest the reserve price may be lowered, with the fresh bidding process likely to be limited to existing participants.

SC Questions Ban On Training For Pregnant IPS Probationers

The Supreme Court has recently raised significant questions on gender equality and legal education, seeking the Centre’s response on a decades-old policy barring pregnant Indian Police Service (IPS) probationers from training while also backing the creation of a National Legal Academy for continuous training of lawyers.

Hearing a petition filed by Urvashi Sengar (IPS:2023), the apex court questioned the validity of a 1993 Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) policy that requires pregnant IPS probationers to discontinue training and resume only one year after childbirth. The Bench observed that a provision framed to protect women should not become a barrier to their professional advancement if they are medically fit.

The Court asked the Centre to clarify whether Sengar could be allowed to join the ongoing Phase-II training at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy. It noted that women’s health conditions vary and participation in training should be determined on individual medical assessment rather than a blanket prohibition.

In a separate matter, the Supreme Court strongly endorsed the establishment of a National Legal Academy (NLA) to provide continuous professional training for advocates. The Court observed that while judges receive structured training through the National Judicial Academy, lawyers also require a dedicated institution to strengthen professional competence, ethics and technological skills.

The Court directed the Bar Council of India to constitute a committee comprising senior advocates, junior lawyers and academic experts to prepare a roadmap for setting up the academy. The proposal is expected to focus on continuing legal education, skill development and adapting the legal profession to evolving technologies and complex legal challenges. The matter will again come up for hearing on August 31, 2026.