Kanpur: IIT Kanpur, through a joint initiative of the Department of Economic Sciences and the Wadhwani Centre for AI Policy and Outreach, has launched a five-day executive training program titled “Technology, Economics and Public Policy: A Training on Data-Driven Governance.” The program is sponsored by the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG).
Held from 19th to 23rd May 2025, the training is tailored for senior government officers, including Directors and Deputy Secretaries from various ministries and departments of the Government of India.
Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT Kanpur, welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of the initiative. He stated, “This training program designed for officers involved in public policy is an apt step toward enabling data-driven governance. While this is the first event under the aegis of Wadhwani School of AI and Intelligent Systems, we hope this marks the beginning of many such joint initiatives and continuous interactions that will lead to impactful outcomes”. He also encouraged participants to explore the IIT Kanpur campus and engage with faculty members during their stay.
Surendra Bagde, Director General of NCGG, emphasized the growing role of technology in governance and policy-making. “Collaborative training initiatives like this are essential to prepare officers for the demands of a data-centric governance environment. This program marks the beginning of an ongoing partnership, and we hope it sets a benchmark for future training efforts,” he noted.
Prof. Nitin Saxena, Dean of the newly established Wadhwani School of Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems, pointed out that this event marks the school’s first major initiative. “Over the next five days, we aim to demystify AI and equip officers with the tools to assess and apply emerging technologies in governance,” he said.
Prof. Sohini Sahu, Head of the Department of Economic Sciences, stressed the interdisciplinary nature of the program. “This training brings together insights from economics, technology, and public policy, helping senior officers understand not just the tools, but the broader implications of data-driven decision-making,” she said.
The program is being led by Prof. Vimal Kumar, who is affiliated with both the Department of Economic Sciences and the Wadhwani Center for AI Policy and Outreach. In his inaugural remarks, he thanked NCGG for their collaboration. “We are delighted to host this initiative. As society undergoes rapid technological transformation, programs like this help bridge the understanding between governance and emerging technologies. Often, we rely on these technologies without fully grasping their foundations—this training aims to change that,” he emphasized.
This initiative promises a week of intensive learning, interdisciplinary dialogue, and meaningful engagement—preparing India’s senior government officers to become informed leaders in the evolving landscape of digital governance.
