The Induction Training Programme of the 79th Batch of Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) Officer Trainees was inaugurated today at the National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT), Nagpur.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Shri K. Sanjay Murthy, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, as the Chief Guest, and Smt. Malathi Sridharan, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai and Nagpur, as the Guest of Honour. Senior officers from the Income Tax Department and other departments were also present on the occasion.
The 79th Batch comprises 182 Officer Trainees, including 180 officers selected through the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 and two officers from the Royal Government of Bhutan. The batch has an average age of 28 years, with the youngest trainee being 23 years old. Women officers constitute a significant 37 per cent of the batch, with 67 female Officer Trainees. Sixteen trainees are married, accounting for around nine per cent of the batch.
The academic background of the batch reflects a wide range of disciplines. Nearly half of the trainees have studied engineering, while others come from humanities, sciences, medicine, commerce, management, and law. A total of 47 Officer Trainees hold postgraduate degrees and two have doctoral degrees. For over half of the trainees, this is their first employment, while the rest bring experience from government services, public sector undertakings, multinational corporations, and the private sector.
The Officer Trainees represent rich cultural and regional diversity, coming from 26 States and Union Territories. A significant proportion of the batch hails from rural areas, while the rest are from urban and semi-urban backgrounds. The trainees speak a wide range of Indian and foreign languages, reflecting the pluralistic character of the nation.
Addressing the Officer Trainees, Shri K. Sanjay Murthy congratulated them on joining public service and underscored the vital role of the Income Tax Department in nation-building, noting that a major share of the Government of India’s revenue is generated through direct taxes. He praised NADT for its contribution to capacity building and described the Academy as a benchmark among national training institutions. He urged the trainees to remain positive, committed, and mindful of their responsibilities in supporting inclusive and sustainable development.
In her address, Smt. Malathi Sridharan highlighted NADT’s long-standing role in instilling core public service values such as integrity, fairness, sensitivity, and promptness. She spoke about recent reforms in the Income Tax Department, including the transition to faceless assessment and appellate systems, aimed at enhancing transparency and promoting voluntary tax compliance. She emphasized the importance of rigorous training at NADT in preparing officers for leadership roles in public administration.
During the ceremony, Dr. Sibichen K. Mathew, Director General, NADT, administered the Oath of Allegiance to the Officer Trainees of the 79th Batch of Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax), marking the formal commencement of their training at the Academy.
