Ranchi, Dec. 25: Those who have cleared the civil services examinations will now have to take lessons on ethics.

Officers in the state civil service, finance service and co-operative service will be trained on behaviour and ethics during the foundation course at Sri Krishna Sinha Institute of Public Administration (SKIPA), thanks to the initiative of A.K. Singh, the director of Administrative Training Institute (ATI).

The first seminar on ethics and propriety was held on December 22 where social activist Ashok Bhagat, retired chief secretary and chairperson of state women’s commission, Laxmi Singh and retired IAS officer I.C. Kumar took lessons on moral philosophy.

The next seminar on the same topic is expected to take place on January 17.

“Chief secretary of Jharkhand V.S. Dubey has given his consent to teach the officials. We are trying to get Pratyush Sinha, chief vigilance commissioner (India), chairman of Bihar Public Service Commission A.K. Choudhary and others on board,” said Singh.

The civil officers also interacted with representatives during a seminar on public administration and people’s expectations.

State BJP president P.N. Singh, state Congress chief Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu, deputy chief minister Sudhir Mahto and senior RJD leader Girinath Singh also answered “uncomfortable questions” put forward by the officers.

“They wanted to know why block development officers are being asked to give ‘donations’ every six months to secure their posts and why politicians take advantage of them,” said a senior official engaged in organising the meets.

In the past, the officers were taught basic laws of governance but now they know everything from the global financial crisis, climate change, crisis management during natural disasters, yoga and technology. For civil service officers, their one-and-a-half year training would ensure all-round development.