Counting of Training period for IPO Examination - Clarification

Whether training period counted for IPO examination?
Answer is YES.
Government of India’s Orders No. 16 below FR. 9(6) reads:
Period of training before appointment to be treated as ‘duty’ for eligibility to sit for departmental examinations:
It has been decided that in all cases where pre-service training is considered necessary before actual appointment to the post, the period spent by an officer on training immediately before such appointment would count as qualifying service for the purpose of eligibility for appearing in Departmental examinations, even if the officer is not given the scale of pay of the post but only a nominal allowance.
Hence the candidates are requested to submit their application before the last date (30.09.2016) mentioning the period of training in the application form.