ILS Centre for Training for Good Governance

About the Centre

The ILS Centre for Training for Good Governance was established on 7^th July 2022 at the Hands of Justice Abhay Oka, Judge, Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, as he then was, with a vision to facilitate Good Governance through effective and relevant training in law. The nature of laws and legal procedures is such that, there is more misinterpretation and misinformation spread in the world, than accurate information. The role of Government officials in public administration is so crucial that one small mistake can significantly affect the rights and liabilities of people. It is thus imperative that government officers are well acquainted with the operations of the law.

The ILS Centre for Training for Good Governance is committed to strengthening administrative excellence by equipping and sensitizing government officers, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders with law and legal procedures. Through structured training, capacity-building initiatives, and collaborative engagement with departments, we aim to bridge the information gaps between law and practice, enhance inter-departmental coordination, and promote a culture of continuous legal learning. Our mission is to facilitate good governance by empowering officers to implement laws effectively, consistently, and transparently, thereby contributing to a more accountable and robust system of governance

The Centre has till date trained more than 1600 officers of various departments including the Town Planning and Valuation Directorate, Government of Maharashtra, Pune, the Officers of the Office of Settlement Commissioner and Director of Land Records, Maharashtra State, Pune, and the Pollution Control Boards all over India.

Apart from the theoretical topics relevant to the department and the training, the Centre also conducts sessions on practical aspects such as:

Making Parawise Remarks to plaints and petitions
Method of writing Reasoned Orders
Reading and Analysing a judgment
Interpretation of Acts, Rules and other Statutes

The Team:

Smita Sabne, Director, ILS Centre for Training for Good Governance
Sukanya Joshirao, Researcher and Course Coordinator
Deepali Manjarekar, Admin Assistant
Ratna Sahasrabudhhe, Assistant to Coordinator- ILS Centre for Training for Good Governance

Services Provided:

Conduct Trainings: Conducting Holistic Trainings on Legal subjects necessary and relevant to concerned stakeholders
Design Syllabus for Trainings: Designing syllabus conducted by stakeholders for their trainings. Conducting detailed training need analysis for the department and design syllabus
Developing Course Material: Develop content as required including reading material, case study material, questions for evaluation and much more.

Projects Undertaken by the Centre:

Town Planning and Valuation Directorate, Government of Maharashtra, Pune:
Training in Administrative Law for Class I and Class II Officers (Phase 1)
Training in Administrative Law for New Recruits (Phase 2)
Training in Administrative Law for New Recruits (Phase 3)
Office of Settlement Commissioner and Director of Land Records, Maharashtra State, Pune
Training in Land and Allied Laws (Class I and Class II officers)
Training in Land and Allied Laws (Head Quarter Assistants, Shirastedars, and Maintenance Surveyors (Class III and IV officers)
Pollution Control Board Officers from Central Pollution Control Board, as well as State Pollution Control Boards
Online Certificate Program in Right to Information
Collaborations with Yashwantrao Chavan Academy for Development Administration (YASHADA): The Centre has collaborated with YASHADA in designing the syllabus, and conduction of several of their courses, including the Special Foundation Course, Combined Probationary Training Program ((2024-2026), (2025-2027)), Foundation Course in Administrative Law etc.

Testimonials:

The phobia of understanding legal language reduced greatly due to this training
Training gave good insight and deep understanding of all laws that are taught
Very good training program was designed. Training material is useful to officers of the land record departments. It will help to improve the daily quasi-judicial work and Good Governance
The resource persons explained the provisions of the RTI Act, practical examples, and recent developments very clearly. The interactive Q&A session was especially useful as it helped clarify real-life applications of RTI Thank you teacher and team
We got to hear from experts in the field who had real life experience of years with the Act. That was the most important part of the programme for me. Would love to attend similar workshops in future on other areas of importance in governance. Thank you, ILS, for the arrangement.
Feedback for Collaboration with YASHADA on Administrative Law:
The course is highly relevant for officers in judicial or quasi-legislative roles. The content clarifies complex legal notions that officers encounter in their daily professional lives.
The Foundation Course on Administrative Law stands as a highly successful collaborative initiative between YASHADA and ILS. It has demonstrated a clear capacity to enhance the legal acumen of state officers. While the current framework is robust, transitioning from a “foundation” level to a more “specialized procedural” level will be necessary to maintain long-term institutional impact.

Photo Gallery: