Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD)

What Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD) does

ISTD is a New Delhi-headquartered non-profit professional society focused on the training, learning, and organizational development profession in India. The society targets working professionals seeking a recognized credential in the L&D field and serves this single persona through a horizontally-segmented offering. Its sole disclosed product is the Post Graduate Program in Training, Learning & Development (PGP-TL&D), a professional qualification (explicitly not equivalent to a university degree) that culminates in an ISTD-issued certificate on completion of attendance, assessment, and conduct requirements.

The PGP-TL&D is delivered through a hybrid learning model combining online sessions, in-person classes, blended/hybrid learning, and recorded sessions with digital learning resources, supported by a self-serve online registration and learning portal at istd.co.in. The technology stack is a standard learning management system without disclosed AI, adaptive learning, or proprietary platform innovations. ISTD acquires customers through a sales-led/self-serve motion via the website, supplemented by print media, diploma information brochures, social media, and word-of-mouth referrals from its chapter network and existing members/colleagues/diploma students across India.

ISTD's business model is a one-time program-fee revenue stream from individual professional enrollments, with fees that are non-refundable and non-transferable under all circumstances and that must be paid within ISTD-specified timelines. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospective students must apply and pay as notified. As a non-profit membership society with a single product, domestic (India-only) geographic scope, no disclosed funding, no M&A activity, no management team details, and no enterprise customer base, ISTD operates as a small, community-anchored credentialing body rather than a scaled commercial education business.

Name

Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD)

Legal name

Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD)

Website

https://istd.co.in

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD) is a New Delhi-based non-profit professional society offering the Post Graduate Program in Training, Learning & Development (PGP-TL&D) to individual working professionals across India through hybrid online and in-person delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Training & Development

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning Strategy, Instructional Design & Content Development (BPACANAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Onboarding Program Design, Enablement & Train-the-Trainer (EDABAOAL)

Keywords

• Professional training society
• Learning and development
• Professional certification programs
• Organizational development training
• Post graduate diploma

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees - PGP-TL&D: ISTD generates revenue through professional development program fees for the Post Graduate Program in Training, Learning & Development (PGP-TL&D). Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable once paid, with payment required within specified timelines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ISTD offers the Post Graduate Program in Training, Learning & Development (PGP-TL&D), a professional development program covering training delivery, learning design, and organizational development. The program is delivered via online sessions, in-person classes, hybrid/blended learning, and recorded digital resources, and culminates in a professional qualification certificate issued by ISTD (not equivalent to a university degree).

Product overview

ISTD offers a single professional qualification program — the Post Graduate Program in Training, Learning & Development (PGP-TL&D). This program is delivered through multiple modes including online sessions, in-person classes, hybrid/blended learning, and recorded sessions with digital learning resources. The program is designed for professional development in training, learning, and organizational development, culminating in a professional qualification certificate issued by ISTD upon successful completion of all requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Post Graduate Program in Training, Learning & Development (PGP-TL&D)

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Coursera: Global online learning platform offering professional development courses in L&D, HR, and leadership from universities and companies. Comparable as an alternative channel for working professionals seeking recognized L&D credentials at lower price points.
• LinkedIn Learning: Subscription-based online learning platform with extensive L&D, HR, and management course libraries. Comparable as a low-friction alternative for professionals building L&D skills outside formal programs.

Direct peers

• National HRD Network: Indian professional network serving HR and L&D practitioners through events, learning programs, and chapters. Comparable as a domestic membership body addressing overlapping L&D and HR development audiences.
• Association for Talent Development (ATD): The pre-eminent US-based professional membership association for the training, learning, and talent development field. Directly comparable to ISTD as a dedicated L&D society offering certifications and credentialing programs to L&D professionals.

Broad incumbents

• XLRI – Xavier School of Management: Premier Indian business school offering executive education and HR/L&D-focused programs with degree credentials. Comparable as a competing source of L&D qualifications, though it operates via academic degree rather than professional certification.
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM): Global professional society offering HR/L&D certifications (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SC) with worldwide recognition. Comparable as a larger professional society issuing credentials to HR and L&D professionals, though with broader HR scope.
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM) – Executive Education: Indian IIMs collectively offer executive education and management development programs targeting working professionals. Comparable as a competing L&D qualification source with stronger university-equivalent credentialing.

Regional players

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): Indian government-affiliated body coordinating skilling and vocational training initiatives. Comparable as a domestic institution shaping India's professional training ecosystem, though focused more on vocational skilling than corporate L&D.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/indian-society-for-training-development-istd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD)