New Delhi: A group of Officer Trainees of the Indian Information Service (IIS) and Indian Statistical Service (ISS) called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
Addressing the trainees, President Murmu emphasised the critical role that both services play in strengthening governance and serving citizens. While the two services have different areas of responsibility, she said they share a common purpose — improving the quality of governance and serving the people of India.
The President highlighted effective communication and credible information as essential pillars of a vibrant and responsive democracy, and urged the young officers to approach their careers with integrity, adaptability and a strong sense of public service.
‘Civil Service Is a Commitment to Nation and People’
President Murmu told the officer trainees that civil service is not merely a profession but a commitment to the nation and its people.
She said that as officers of the Government of India, they would have the opportunity to contribute to the country’s development and to the realisation of the vision of Viksit Bharat.
As they begin their careers, the President advised the trainees to continue learning and adapting to a rapidly changing environment. Technology, media, economics and public policy are evolving at a fast pace, requiring government officers to continuously develop new skills and competencies.
She urged the trainees to remain curious, learn from their experiences and approach their responsibilities with sound judgment.
At the same time, she stressed the importance of being judicious in decision-making, compassionate in conduct and unwavering in integrity.
The authority entrusted to civil servants, she said, carries with it a profound responsibility to serve people with fairness, humility and dedication.
IIS Officers Urged to Use Social Media to Listen to Citizens
Highlighting the role of the Indian Information Service, President Murmu said the service has played an important role in strengthening the Government’s connect with citizens.
She pointed out that social media has fundamentally transformed the way people receive, share and respond to information.
However, she said the responsibility of government communicators goes beyond simply disseminating information.
President Murmu urged IIS officers to use social media platforms not only to inform and engage citizens, but also to listen, understand and respond to their concerns.
She said officers should make efforts to understand the concerns, aspirations and feedback of people and ensure that public communication remains responsive and citizen-centric.
In an increasingly complex information environment, IIS officers will also have to distinguish facts from misinformation and respond responsibly, particularly during situations involving public concern or rapidly developing events.
Accuracy, Credibility and Public Interest Must Guide Communication
The President stressed that the speed at which information travels today makes accuracy and credibility even more important.
She advised IIS officers to ensure that accuracy, credibility and public interest remain the guiding principles of their communication.
The President said that government communication must be clear, accurate and timely so that citizens can properly understand policies, programmes and initiatives.
At the same time, she underlined that communication should not be one-way. Listening to citizens, understanding their expectations and responding to their feedback are equally important aspects of the responsibility of information officers.
As India moves towards 2047, President Murmu said the role of IIS officers would become even more significant because a well-informed citizen is better placed to participate actively in the country’s development and democratic processes.
ISS Officers Told to Make Statistics More Accessible
Turning to the Indian Statistical Service, President Murmu highlighted the growing importance of reliable data in a data-driven world.
She said the quality of public policy depends greatly on the availability of accurate, timely and credible data.
ISS officers play an important role in generating, analysing and interpreting official statistics that form the basis of decisions affecting the lives of millions of citizens.
The President said their work would support evidence-based policymaking across diverse sectors of the economy and society.
She also reminded the trainees that statistics are ultimately about people.
“Behind every dataset, there are real people and their lives,” was the central message of her advice to the ISS officers.
President Murmu urged them to make statistics more accessible to citizens, researchers and policymakers, so that official data can be better understood and used by different sections of society.
Building a Trusted, Technology-Enabled Statistical Ecosystem
The President also highlighted the importance of developing a modern, trusted and technology-enabled statistical ecosystem.
She said the contribution of ISS officers in strengthening the country’s statistical systems would form an important part of India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat.
Reliable official statistics, she noted, provide the foundation for informed decision-making and help policymakers understand social and economic realities.
For the young statistical service officers, this responsibility extends beyond the technical generation and analysis of data. The President’s message underscored the need to ensure that data ultimately contributes to better policies and improved outcomes for citizens.
Common Purpose: Better Governance and Public Service
Although IIS officers are primarily associated with government communication and ISS officers with official statistics, President Murmu emphasised the common thread connecting the two services.
Both services contribute to the functioning of a responsive government — one by ensuring that citizens receive clear, accurate and credible information, and the other by providing the reliable data and evidence needed for sound policymaking.
The President’s interaction with the officer trainees therefore focused on a broader message of public service: government officers must combine professional competence with integrity, empathy, accountability and a citizen-centric approach.
As the IIS and ISS trainees embark on their careers, President Murmu urged them to remain committed to learning and adapting while keeping public interest at the centre of their responsibilities.
