Marking Cooperative Week 2026 and the fifth anniversary of the Ministry of Cooperation, the Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), Lucknow, established by NABARD for the capacity building of rural financial institutions (RFIs), has launched a major initiative to modernise professional training for the cooperative sector.
A high-level committee, chaired by RBI Central Board Director Satish Marathe, held its first meeting in Lucknow to revamp the C-PEC certification courses in line with the rapidly evolving cooperative ecosystem.
The committee, comprising senior officials from NABARD, state cooperative departments, cooperative banks, Tribhuvan Sahkari University and training institutions, will update four flagship certification programmes to reflect reforms introduced since 2021.
A key focus of the overhaul is to modernise the syllabus of the unique PACS Secretary Certification Course and expand its availability to all Indian languages. The programme is currently offered in nine Indian languages.
The revised curriculum will also include modules on digital banking, cybersecurity, fintech, governance, audit discipline, credit appraisal and blended learning methodologies. It will establish a mechanism to review course content every two to three years.
BIRD’s Centre for Professional Excellence in Co-operatives (C-PEC) has built a network of more than 24,000 members and certified over 16,000 professionals.
The initiative aims to equip cooperative institutions with a digitally skilled, professionally trained and regulation-ready workforce, supporting the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ and Viksit Bharat 2047.
