The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has organised a Specialised Training Programme on the Companies Act, Competition Law, and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) for officers of the Indian Economic Service (IES) and Indian Trade Service (ITS). The programme is being held from 02 to 06 February 2026 at the IICA campus in IMT Manesar, with the participation of 21 officer trainees.
The initiative aims to strengthen officers’ understanding of corporate regulatory frameworks, governance practices, and economic laws, aligning the training with their professional roles and responsibilities in policy formulation and regulation.
Objective: Strengthening Regulatory and Governance Capacity
The programme is designed to sensitise officer trainees to key areas such as the Companies Act, Competition Law, Corporate Finance, and Insolvency Law, while providing practical exposure to the governance of corporate affairs. It seeks to enhance participants’ regulatory, policy, and institutional perspectives, enabling them to better navigate complex corporate and economic frameworks in their official roles.
Through this structured curriculum, officers are expected to gain deeper insights into:
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Management of company affairs
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Powers, functions, and investigation procedures of the Competition Commission of India (CCI)
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Economics and law-making
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The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) as an evolving economic law
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Regulatory governance and corporate finance
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Anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominance
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Debt and default, data-based decision-making, and legislative drafting
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The Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP)
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Roles of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT)
Distinguished Panel of Experts
The training programme features a distinguished panel of experts and practitioners from the fields of corporate law, insolvency, competition law, and regulation. The faculty includes:
Shri Sudhaker Shukla (Former Member, IBBI and Head, Centre for Insolvency and Bankruptcy, IICA),
Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh (Director General and CEO, IICA),
Shri Dhanendra Kumar (Former Chairperson, CCI),
Shri G. P. Madaan (Founder, Madaan Law Offices),
Shri Samir Gandhi (Partner, Axiom5 Law Chambers),
Dr. M. S. Sahoo (Former Chairperson, IBBI),
Dr. Augustine Peter (Former Member, CCI),
Dr. Pyla Narayana Rao (Associate Professor, School of Corporate Law and Competition Law, IICA),
Shri G. R. Bhatia (Partner, Luthra & Luthra),
Dr. Naveen Sirohi (Associate Professor, School of Finance and Management, IICA),
Dr. Debajyoti Ray Chaudhuri (Managing Director, NeSL),
Dr. Mukulita Vijayavargiya (Former Whole-Time Member, IBBI),
Ms. Pooja Bhary (Insolvency Professional),
Shri Vikram Kumar (Senior Partner, Incorp Advisory), and
Shri Alok Srivastava (Former Law Secretary and Former Member, NCLAT).
Inaugural Session: Focus on Trust-Based Regulation
The programme was formally inaugurated by Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Director General and CEO, IICA. In his address, he highlighted that the Ministry of Corporate Affairs oversees one of the largest regulatory architectures in the country, including institutions such as IBBI, CCI, NFRA, ICAI, ICSI, and CMA. Emphasising the concept of trust-based regulation, he encouraged officers to explore specialised areas within corporate affairs as project topics during the course.
At the commencement of the programme, Shri Sudhaker Shukla underlined the three critical pillars of Ease of Doing Business in India—freedom of entry, freedom to operate, and freedom to exit. He linked these pillars to the Companies Act, 2013, the Competition Act, 2002, and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, stressing their importance for corporate sustainability.
Insights on Competition Law and Corporate Governance
The inaugural session was further enriched by an address from Shri Dhanendra Kumar, former Secretary to the Government of India and the first Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). He traced the evolution of India’s competition law framework from the MRTP Act to the present-day regulatory regime, sharing valuable insights on institution-building based on his extensive administrative experience. His interaction with participants made the session both engaging and thought-provoking.
In the technical sessions, Shri G. P. Madaan elaborated on corporate law fundamentals, governance structures, and directors’ responsibilities, linking statutory provisions with real-world corporate practices. This was followed by an insightful session by Shri Samir Gandhi, a leading competition law expert, who provided a nuanced understanding of the development of competition law in India, drawing from over two decades of experience and his involvement in landmark antitrust cases.
Conclusion
The training programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Pyla Narayana Rao, Associate Professor, School of Corporate Law and Competition Law, IICA. The initiative stands as a significant step towards capacity building of IES and ITS officers, equipping them with deeper knowledge of corporate laws, regulatory governance, and insolvency frameworks, and reinforcing the government’s commitment to strengthening India’s corporate regulatory ecosystem.
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Source: PIB
