Rafi Ahmed Kidwai National Postal Academy, called as the Postal Staff College India (PSCI) till 31.10.2012, is the apex training institution of India Post set up in the year 1977. The Academy is located in Ghaziabad and has all required infrastructural facilities like training block, hostels, staff quarters, etc.,

The primary responsibility of the Academy is to give proper initiation to the young officers who get selected to the Indian Postal Service to the Department of Posts and to Government of India at large. The induction training for probationers is for a period of 104 weeks. It starts after 16 weeks of Foundational Course either at LBSNAA, Mussoorie, or at any other designated Training Institute selected by the Department of Personnel and Training.

The aim of the induction training programme is to groom young direct recruit officers of India Post into professionally competent managers with social commitment and sound ethical values.

In the National Postal Academy the training is imparted in three modules.

• The module I (13 weeks) is on understanding Postal Operations.
• The module II (14 weeks) is on Management functions related to Postal operations
• The module III (13 weeks) is on General Management Principles and Practices

Field trainings are arranged in between the institutional modules, during which the probationers are attached to various operative and administrative offices and are made to hold independent charges of important operative and administrative positions.

The probationers undergo an extensive training on software used in the department and other latest technologies. They are involved in mini projects, book reviews, film reviews etc throughout the 2-year training period. They are also assigned a topic on which they have to conduct extensive research for a year and submit a dissertation paper at the end of the training. They participate in various physical and adventure activities like sports, yoga, trekking, river rafting etc. Apart from the above, the training programme includes lectures and discussions on various topics of general interest, current affairs and etiquettes.

Some other important components of the Training Schedule are

• 1 week attachment with the Parliament for Parliamentary affairs training
• 2 weeks attachment with Army Postal Service
• 3 weeks Bharat Darshan to visit important Postal facilities in the country
• 1 week visit to a foreign postal administration to understand its best practices