All those gritty enough to clear the UPSC civil services exam will get to spend the following year or so at a very scenic and idyllic setting. The probationers’ (fresh recruits to the civil services) training would be held at The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in the beautiful hill station of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. There is a lot of history attached to the LBSNAA. This article talks about the history of the LBSNAA and also a few interesting facts about it.
It all started on 15th April 1958 when the then Home Minister, Govind Ballabh Pant announced in the Lok Sabha that a National Academy of Administration would be set up to give training to all civil services recruits. Then under the behest of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the IAS Training School, Delhi and the IAS Staff College, Shimla was amalgamated to form the National Academy of Administration at Mussoorie in 1959. The Academy underwent two name changes. In October 1972, it was renamed as the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration. And, in July 1973, the institution acquired its present name of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA).
Initially, the training of the first batch of officers had started in Metcalfe House in April 1959. Then in September of that year, the Academy shifted to Charleville Hotel, Mussoorie. Many buildings have been added over the years since then.
LBSNAA Timeline
| Date | Growth |
| 15th April 1958 | Home Minister announcement in the Lok Sabha. |
| 13th April 1959 | Training of the first batch of officers (115Â officers) commences in Metcalfe House |
| 1st September 1959 | Academy shifted to Mussoorie at Charleville Hotel. |
| Inception to 31st August 1970 | Academy functions under Home Ministry. |
| 1st September 1970 to April 1977 | Academy functions under Cabinet Secretariat Affairs Department. |
| October 1972 | Name changed to Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration. |
| July 1973 | Name changed to Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). |
| April 1977 to March 1985 | Academy functions under Home Ministry. |
| April 1985 till date | Academy functions under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions. |
| 1988 | NICTU was established. |
| 1989 | National Society for Promotion of Development Administration, Research and Training (NSDART) established. |
| 3rd November 1992 | Inauguration of Karamshila building. |
| 1995 | Softrain, now known as Publication Cell established. |
| 9th August 1996 | Inauguration of Dhruvshila and Kalindi Guest House. |
| 14th October 1996 | NSDART made Society under Societies Registration Act, now known as National Institute of Administrative Research (NIAR). |
| 2011 | Buildings Gyanshila, Silverwood and Valley View were built. |
| 21st June 2013 | Inauguration of Brahmaputra building. |
| 29th June 2015 | Inauguration of Adharshila building. |
Some interesting facts:
The Charleville Hotel in which the Academy started in Mussoorie was the first hotel to be built in this hill station. It was purchased by the Government from private hands. The main building of Charleville Hotel was built in 1854 by General Wilkinson. It was purchased by Mr Hobson (a retired manager of Mussoorie Bank) in 1861, and it was he who started running it as a hotel.
In the year 1984, a huge fire destroyed the main hotel building which was the chief block of the LBSNAA.
In March 1905, Queen Mary of UK (who was then titled the Princess of Wales) had stayed at the hotel.
Another famous resident of the hotel was British author Rudyard Kipling, who stayed there in 1888 aged just 23.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA)
What is the LBSNAA?
What are the facilities at LBSNAA?
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