The NADT is one of the three premier institutes set up to train civil servants. The other two institutes are at Mussoorie (for IAS) and Hyderabad (for IPS).
The NADT is the premier training institution in the country for officers and staff of the Income Tax Department.
Its primary task is to provide professional training to the recruits of IRS selected through the Civil Services exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).