PM Modi Urged Us To Deliver’: Adil Zainulbhai Steps Down After 4 Years as CBC Chairman
During his four-year tenure at the Capacity Building Commission, Adil Zainulbhai played a pivotal role in shaping and expanding Mission Karmayogi—an initiative to enhance the capacities of over 2.5 crore government employees.
After two terms spanning four years as Chairman of the Capacity Building Commission (CBC), Adil Zainulbhai is stepping down from a crucial position in one of India’s most significant public sector reform missions. Formerly the Chairman of the Quality Council of India (QCI), Zainulbhai brought with him a rich blend of experience in governance and institution-building.
At the CBC, he was instrumental in shaping Mission Karmayogi, aimed at reforming and strengthening the skills of over 25 million government servants. From setting up the Commission from scratch to scaling up the iGOT platform and rolling out AI-powered learning paths, he worked closely with ministries, states, and institutions to make capacity building an integral part of governance. In an exclusive conversation with News18, he reflected on his journey, the insights gained, and what lies ahead. Excerpts:
You were one of PM Modi’s earliest picks from the corporate world for a major government reform role. How did that experience influence your approach to reforming the bureaucracy? Did you face resistance?
Initially, I worked in an autonomous body—the Quality Council of India—which is neither fully government nor fully private. That gave me a useful preparatory phase before taking on a fully governmental role with the CBC, set up under the Prime Minister’s direction.
Every company has its own working style and culture. Likewise, I learnt that the government isn’t a monolith—there are many ministries, departments, and individuals, each with their own processes. Once you understand that, you start building rapport and can bring about meaningful changes. It’s not that reform is impossible; you just have to understand how to navigate the system.
You’ve introduced KPIs, dashboards, and performance-based evaluations—hallmarks of corporate governance. Have civil servants welcomed this shift?
Governance has many models, but the objective is to deliver outcomes. Initially, there was scepticism. But once we built a strong digital learning system, things took off.
Two-and-a-half years ago, we had just two lakh users and 200 courses on the iGOT platform. Today, there are over 1.2 crore users and 300 courses. Earlier, we had to push people to take courses. Now, officers from various departments are reaching out themselves, wanting access to the platform. That shift tells us everything. If people find value in learning, they will embrace it.
What’s the biggest myth about Indian civil services that you’ve seen busted?
Firstly, the myth that government employees lack motivation. There are many individuals genuinely trying to do good work. Some lack tools and skills, but their intent is strong.
Secondly, that government processes are slow. In just two years, we built the world’s largest training system. That wouldn’t have been possible without the Prime Minister’s constant encouragement. He doesn’t care for theory—he wants tangible outcomes. His drive to get things done pushed us to move faster than even private firms.
From yoga and AI to Excel and cybersecurity—how did you design such an expansive platform?
We didn’t start by assuming—we asked civil servants what they needed to perform better. Stress management and fitness were top requests. Hence, “Yoga at the Workplace” and “Stress Management” became our most popular courses—even among senior officers.
Over 13 lakh officials have taken our AI course. We partnered with Indian institutions like the Morarji Desai Institute of Yoga and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s team. Officers also requested basic IT training—Excel, PowerPoint, Word—skills they were never formally taught. Now, more than a million have taken such courses.
When laws change, we react fast. For instance, within weeks of the new cybersecurity laws, we had a new course up—over 7 lakh have completed it. We’re also translating content into 10 regional languages and piloting AI-generated custom courses where an officer can just type a query, and the AI builds a 30-minute module in real time.
How did you include subjects like Indic knowledge and citizen-centric governance in course content?
The PM was very clear: Indic knowledge must be part of the curriculum. We approached professors and subject experts across the country. These are not mass-produced modules—each course is meticulously designed.
You’ve bridged the corporate and government sectors quite effectively. How can more leaders from private industry be encouraged to contribute?
That trend is already growing. Pawan Goenka now heads IN-SPACe; Malika Srinivasan is Chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board.
Many in the private sector want to give back to the country. The key is creating structured entry points. At CBC, we brought in industry veterans as Distinguished Fellows. These partnerships add immense value to both sides.
With AI evolving rapidly, how is India’s bureaucracy preparing to adapt?
We want every government officer to understand how AI can help in their specific job, not just technically, but practically. Over 13 lakh officers have already taken the AI course. Countries like Singapore are just now announcing such plans—we’re ahead.
No one can prescribe one-size-fits-all use cases, but the exposure helps officers experiment with application in their own departments. The response has been overwhelming.
With global trade shifting and tariffs rising, does this signal that India must depend more on internal capacity than global partnerships?
Absolutely. If we master technology and execution, we can leapfrog development. Like Aadhaar and UPI, India can lead the world in digital governance and service delivery—not by catching up, but by setting benchmarks. And for that, our civil services must be empowered with tools and training to drive innovation at scale.
Finally, how do you see Indian civil servants adopting a more citizen-first approach?
It’s not just about upskilling; it’s about a mindset shift—from ruler to sevak. We are focusing on behavioural change, not just content delivery. We’ve already trained over 10 lakh officers through 1–2 day workshops that reconnect their personal purpose with public service.
We trained Delhi Police before the G20 and are now working with UP Police. The idea is to make civil servants realise their core duty is to serve citizens—not regulate them. That shift, if scaled, will significantly improve public experience and governance quality.
