The Centre has made it mandatory for bureaucrats to execute a bond to pay back all expenses incurred by the Government before taking up an advanced training programme, in case they leave the course or service mid-way.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has written to all the States and Union Territories about inclusion of the new clause related to the bond for recommending officers for the Advanced Professional Programme in Public Administration (APPPA).
“The officer selected for the APPPA programme will be required to execute a bond prior to his/her joining the programme and submit the same to his/her Cadre Controlling Authority that he/she will serve the Government for a period of five years, or to repay the total expenses incurred on the training in the event of his/her resignation, voluntary retirement or on quitting the programme without completing it,” Joint Secretary (Training), DoPT, Ms Upma Srivastava said.
She said that the Government’s directive will come into effect from the 38th APPPA programme scheduled to begin in July.
The programme is aimed at imparting specialised training in courses related to disaster management, public expenditure management, the economics of regulation, management systems and rural development, among others.
The estimated cost of the course, which includes a short-term foreign study visit, is about Rs 3.38 lakh.
According to a DoPT official, the move was taken after instances of officers leaving the training programme or courses for better options was noticed.