Govt aims to build professionals for India's evolving labour governance: EPFO's Krishnamurthi
New Delhi, May 30
India is witnessing a transformative phase in labour governance and social security administration, Ramesh Krishnamurthi, Central Provident Fund Commissioner, EPFO, said on Saturday, as the government aims to build future-ready professionals for India's evolving labour governance and social security ecosystem.
He observed that the Labour Codes, particularly the Code on Social Security, 2020, together with rapid digitisation, have increased the need for professionals who can combine legal understanding with practical implementation capabilities.
He was speaking at an event organised by the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS) and Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), in collaboration with Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar, which saw the launch of the inaugural batch of the Executive Development Programme on "Labour Laws and Social Security Compliance (EPFO at Core)".
The programme marks an important milestone in professional legal education and industry-oriented capacity building at a time when India's labour and social security landscape is undergoing significant transformation.
Designed as a practice-oriented executive learning initiative, it seeks to bridge the gap between legal understanding, regulatory compliance, and real-world implementation, equipping professionals to navigate the increasingly complex compliance environment emerging in the post-Labour Codes era, according to Labour Ministry.
Krishnamurthi emphasised that compliance today extends beyond statutory obligations and has become a cornerstone of responsible governance, ethical employment practices, institutional credibility, and sustainable organisational growth.
Organisations that invest in robust compliance frameworks, he said, contribute not only to worker welfare and social protection but also to trust, transparency, productivity, and industrial harmony.
Highlighting EPFO's transformation, he referred to initiatives such as Aadhaar-enabled services, Universal Account Number (UAN) integration, digital compliance platforms, online service delivery mechanisms, and technology-driven governance reforms.
He expressed confidence that the Programme would serve as an important platform for professional learning by bringing together government, academia, and industry to address emerging compliance challenges and opportunities.
Kumar Rohit, Director, PDUNASS, described the launch as a defining milestone for the National Academy of Social Security and the culmination of a shared vision developed through sustained collaboration between PDUNASS and GNLU.
Prof (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar, Director, GNLU, described the programme as a pioneering example of meaningful academia-industry collaboration. He observed that contemporary labour governance requires professionals who can integrate legal knowledge with practical understanding and implementation skills.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a lawyer who deals with labour matters daily, I can tell you that the transition to the new codes has been chaotic. Companies are still struggling to understand the compliance requirements. This Executive Development Programme sounds promising, but I hope it's not just another certificate course. Practical, hands-on training with real case studies is what we need. Let's see how GNLU and EPFO execute this.
Interesting to see the Indian government investing in specialized training for labour governance. In the US, such compliance roles are often learned on the job. An academic-industry collaboration like this could set a good precedent. The mention of 'ethical employment practices' and 'institutional credibility' is particularly relevant in today's business environment. Hope the curriculum includes digital skills given the push for Aadhaar and UAN.
Finally! We need more professionals who understand both the letter of the law and how it works on the ground. Too many compliance officers are just paper-pushers. The fact that this programme involves PDUNASS, EPFO, and GNLU together gives me hope it'll be rigorous. Krishnamurthi's point about compliance being about 'trust, transparency, and industrial harmony' is spot on – hope the industry takes note.
Good intentions, but the proof will be in implementation. India has many such programmes that sound great on paper but fail to deliver because of bureaucratic hurdles or outdated teaching methods. However, the involvement of GNLU (a respected law school) and EPFO's practical experience could make this different. The focus on 'practice-oriented executive learning' is the right approach. Let's hope it's not just a photo op.
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