ADDRESS BY THE HON’BLE PRESIDENT OF INDIA SMT. DROUPADI MURMU ON THE OCCASION OF CALL ON BY OFFICER TRAINEES OF THE 79TH BATCH OF INDIAN REVENUE SERVICE (INCOME TAX)

Dear Officer Trainees of Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax),

I extend my heartiest congratulations to each of you for selection in this prestigious service. I also congratulate the two officers from Royal Bhutan Service. Your success in civil services examination is testament to your determination, perseverance, and calibre. You have now joined a premier service that plays a foundational role in nation-building by mobilising the financial resources required for country’s development, public welfare, and national security.

‘कोष मूलो दण्डः’, the motto of the Income Tax Department, is drawn from Kautilya’s Arthashastra. It will always remind you that the strength of governance rests upon the treasury. Direct taxes play a major role in advancing national development. By providing a stable source of revenue, they enable governments to invest in critical sectors such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, and social welfare. A fair and transparent tax system fosters equity and strengthens the foundation of inclusive and sustainable growth. As IRS officers, you will play an important role in ensuring that the taxes are collected with fairness, efficiency, and transparency.

The mandate of the Revenue Service goes beyond tax collection. Your ability to analyse complex financial transactions, trace illicit financial flows across borders, and unravel intricate corporate structures, makes you indispensable partners in advancing the nation’s journey towards the goal of Viksit Bharat. You are expected to take decisions that are just, efficient and based on a deeper understanding of business processes. I am confident that your decisions and actions will strike the right balance between facilitating ease of doing business and safeguarding the country’s revenue.

Dear officer trainees,

Today, India is one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world. The ongoing processes of industrialisation, formalisation, digitisation, and urbanisation are transforming our economy, presenting significant opportunities as well as new challenges for tax administration.

With the growing volume of cross-border transactions and deeper international cooperation in taxation, IRS officers today engage increasingly with global institutions and treaty partners. Therefore, you will play an important role in strengthening international tax governance. Your professional competence and integrity will uphold India’s credibility in international tax administration. I am confident that your Induction Training at the National Academy of Direct Taxes will equip you with analytical capacity, technological proficiency, ethical grounding and leadership qualities, apart from the knowledge of Income-tax Act and allied laws.

India’s direct tax collections have shown remarkable growth in recent years. The sustained rise in gross direct tax collections reflects expanding formalization of the economy, improved systems, and growing trust between the taxpayer and the government.

Dear officer trainees

 I am happy to note that the Income Tax Department has continued to reform its processes. It has taken initiatives such as simplified Income-tax framework, data-driven compliance systems, enhanced pre-filled returns and Annual Information statement, and strengthened the faceless administration. All these initiatives are leading to improved transparency, efficiency, and taxpayer convenience.

The Department’s initiative on Non-Intrusive Usage of Data to Guide and Enable — “NUDGE” — represents a progressive shift in tax administration. I am told that this initiative has remarkably improved reporting and boosted voluntary compliance using data- driven insights rather than immediate coercive action. This approach strengthens trust, reduces unnecessary litigation, and promotes a culture of responsible compliance. The increasing use of artificial intelligence, data mining and risk-based verification systems reflects a transition towards technology-driven administration. I urge you all to leverage the advanced technologies to make tax administration more transparent, fair and citizen centric.

You will be the first batch to study the new Income Tax Act, 2025, during your training and implement it in the field. You will perform the dual role of creating credible deterrence against tax evasion and economic offences and ensuring voluntary compliance. As tax administrators, you will play an instrumental role in upholding the rule of law by ensuring effective implementation of the country’s tax framework. Through your diligence and commitment to public service, you can strengthen citizens’ trust and safeguard the resources that fuel our country’s development.

As IRS officers, you must strive to exercise prudence in your conduct and decision-making. A prudent officer balances enforcement with facilitation, authority with humility, and technological capability with human sensitivity. Such prudence strengthens both compliance and the trust of citizens in the system. The authority entrusted to you must always be exercised with humility, restraint, and an unwavering commitment to constitutional values.

I am confident that you will discharge your duties with dedication, integrity and courage. May you always strive for excellence and contribute meaningfully to our journey towards Viksit Bharat.

Thank you,
Jai Hind!
Jai Bharat!