Chairperson, CBC, Ms S. Radha Chauhan, delivered the inaugural address for the 11th Cohort of the Advanced Management Programme in Public Policy (AMPPP) at the Indian School of Business (ISB), Mohali.

Dr. Aarushi Jain, Director, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, ISB, highlighted the diversity of experiences represented in the programme and the importance of building leadership capabilities for an increasingly complex public policy landscape.

In her inaugural address, Ms Chauhan reflected on the rapidly evolving nature of governance and the need for public institutions and public officials to continuously adapt to technological, institutional and societal change.

She highlighted the growing importance of an ecosystem approach to policymaking, where governments work alongside citizens, the private sector, civil society and technology platforms. She also emphasised continuous learning, reskilling and unlearning as essential capabilities for public officials navigating an increasingly complex policy environment.

Reflecting on the role of technology, data and Artificial Intelligence in governance, Ms Chauhan underscored that technology should enable institutional transformation rather than merely digitise existing processes. While AI can strengthen analysis and decision-making, human judgement, contextual understanding and accountability must remain at the centre of public policy.

The address was followed by an engaging interaction with the AMPPP participants on AI, technology, human judgement and the changing capabilities required of public leaders.

The session reinforced a central message for capacity building in government: future-ready governance requires capable people, adaptive institutions, responsible use of technology and a culture of continuous learning.