Sakshi Education
I love my country and I am fiercely proud of being an Indian.
There are times, however, when I am not quite sure I am HAPPY to be one. Sixty odd years down the road after Jawaharlal Nehru rose to speak of India's "tryst with destiny" much has happened for one to recall with pleasure and satisfaction. For one thing many of the institutions created by our Constitution, and the laws arising there from, have acquitted themselves admirably - through many trials and tribulations.
These include the Supreme Court of India, the Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, the Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission and the Union Public Service Commission. The democratic form of governance chosen by the far - sighted makers of the Constitution has survived the test of time. The will of the people has repeatedly asserted itself loudly it and clearly and our polity has emerged cleaner and brighter after each test of its efficacy.
Voltaire emphasised the value of literacy and a free press as pre-conditions for the sustainability of democracy. We have come a long way in achieving both these objectives.
The rainbow of revolutions that transformed our agriculture sector (green, white, yellow and blue) has substantially enhanced the prosperity of the rural economy. From a "ship to mouth" existence in the 1960s India has become self-sufficient in food grains.
The alumni of our Institutes of Technology and of Management are sought after the world over. Remarkable strides have been made in the development of several core sectors of infrastructure including roads, railways, aviation, shipping, power, irrigation and communications.
From mounting expeditions to Antarctica to successfully launching the Mars- Mangalyan, India has come of age in the field of Science and Technology.
In several fields of adventure and sports -mountaineering, chess, badminton - to name a few -our men and women have repeatedly brought us laurels and glory.
The country's performance, in terms of running a tight ship and maintaining its course when challenged by the percussions of an international financial meltdown, was hailed internationally. In the face of serious challenges, our internal economy remained steady and strong.
But when I stop here and look around I perceive much more than what meets the eye.
India's Problems
Hunger, poverty, deprivation, disease, squalor and fear are still writ large on the face of the rural economy. Congested slums, crime, abuse and trade in children and trafficking in women are only a few among the many scourges that haunt our crowded cities.
Health care and primary education are either not available adequately or, when available, not accessible to those most in need.
Who would not hang his head in shame at India being ranked 135 in the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Programme -(out of 187 countries studied)- or not feel humiliated at being awarded the 100th position in a Disaster Preparedness Index (as measured by the World Risk Index, prepared for 136 countries vulnerable to natural disasters by the United Nations University for Environment and Human Security, Bonn, Germany).
Clearly the time is yet to come when we can sit back and bask in the glory of our achievements. Many parts of our country, substantial sections of the population and some sectors of the economy have suffered exclusion from the mainstream of growth and development and a share in the benefits thereof. Correcting that skewness, while continuing the effort to come on par with the rest of the world in terms of achieving economic growth and social justice, needs to be made an overriding priority.
This is particularly so in the context of the many threats and opportunities that have emerged in the ambient environment following the advent of the forces of liberalization, globalization and privatization. From the somewhat romantic era of "growth with justice" we have transited into a paradigm of "growth and justice". While we may have handled this transition adequately so far, there is much that remains to be done.
Civil Services and the Nation
It is in enabling that change and in converting it in to an all out assault on the evils of deprivation, exclusion and the denial of the quality of life that every citizen has a right to expect - that the civil service will have a major and meaningful responsibility to shoulder.
We have, naturally, moved away from the days when the Civil Service was envisaged as the "steel - frame" of country's polity. Several changes, many highly desirable, have altered the scope of, as well as the expectations from, the bureaucracy. Growth and development are seen today more as a result of an effort of a team comprising many players including the elected representatives, the corporate sector, academicians, scientists, the civil society organizations and the Civil Services among many others. For this team to perform effectively, however, many catalytic factors need to be put in place such as a sharp vision, a clear road map and an enabling policy environment. The design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the plan of action all need to the conceived with a participatory approach and carried out in an inclusive manner.
Challenges and Opportunities
What more can a young citizen of India ask for today than to "be the change that you wish to see in the world" - as Gandhiji said? And which career can offer the heady excitement, sense of fulfilment, public recognition, constitutional guarantee of security and reasonable emoluments than one in the Civil Service?
I can think of no country whose Constitution mentions the Civil Service explicitly in an exclusive provision and offers protection to its members in emphatic manner, in the manner in which the Indian Constitution does.
In order to remain contemporarily relevant, the Civil Servant will need to be able to identify the weakness such as indifference, corruption and incompetence that continue to render our system impotent; and be able to play a positive and aggressive role in the process of mitigating their impact.
The significance of the challenges and opportunities that come with the task entrusted to the Civil Services in this gigantic national effort can hardly be overstated.
The nation looks with hope and confidence to the role today's youth will play in moulding the future of the country's governance.
While the process of selection to the Civil Services is elaborate, and rigorous, the qualities that characterize an ideal Civil Servant are, to my mind, quite straightforward. The ability to avoid the three features that constitute an action that is bad in law - namely arbitrariness, mala fides and discrimination - is foremost among these. To be aware constantly that one is not a "government official" but a "public servant" is also a feeling that can endow a person with great courage, impartiality and a sense of public purpose.
Attributes of a Civil Servant
What can cause greater clarity in one's mind than to remember that it is the common man who pays your salary- and is thus one's real master? Assiduity, sincerity, integrity and a clear sense of priorities are some of the important attributes that a good Civil Servant needs to possess.
The Civil Services offer a vast canvas of activities and varied sets of functions. It would therefore be of great advantage for a Civil Servant to identify, over time, a role that most suits his or her attitude. Effort and inclination will then be in sync-synergetic and mutually reinforcing.
For the benefit of aspirants of the Civil Service, as well as recent entrants I have collected some case studies from my own experience together with a few hypothetical problems created by the UPSC, in the book "Ethics in Governance - Resolution of Dilemmas with Case Studies".
Candidates from rural areas
To address a concern that is frequently expressed I would like to assure the candidates from rural areas appearing for Civil Services Examination- that the system has tried to correct any inbuilt bias in favour of those from the urban areas. For instance, candidates can take the examinations in their mother tongue and can also opt for interviews to be conducted in that language. And the constitution of Boards of members that conduct the interviews is done in such a manner that it ensures a fair degree of empathy with people coming from varied backgrounds.
Balanced Approach
One last word of advice from me concerns the imperative to striking a "balance". This is an attribute that should inform one's attitude not merely in the interview but in the discharge of duties that one will be expected to perform in the event of one's selection. Extreme stances and artificial views are often neither desirable nor easy to justify. It is important to remain objective and impartial in forming one's opinions and in defending them.
Those in service will do well to remember the advice tendered by Sri C.B. Rao, IAS (Retd.) (which he was kind enough to share with me), to fresh recruits - to remember that they are "the luckiest and not the brightest" that they are "selected and not chosen," that "integrity is more important than intelligence" and that they should strive to be "law-abiding and not rule - abiding Civil Servants".
The contours and the content of our vision are determined by the ability to contemplate the "big picture".
To quote a stanza from a Sanskrit poem,
"Omkaraparivritham viswam
Sankalpa parimitham drisyam"
These include the Supreme Court of India, the Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, the Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission and the Union Public Service Commission. The democratic form of governance chosen by the far - sighted makers of the Constitution has survived the test of time. The will of the people has repeatedly asserted itself loudly it and clearly and our polity has emerged cleaner and brighter after each test of its efficacy.
Voltaire emphasised the value of literacy and a free press as pre-conditions for the sustainability of democracy. We have come a long way in achieving both these objectives.
The rainbow of revolutions that transformed our agriculture sector (green, white, yellow and blue) has substantially enhanced the prosperity of the rural economy. From a "ship to mouth" existence in the 1960s India has become self-sufficient in food grains.
The alumni of our Institutes of Technology and of Management are sought after the world over. Remarkable strides have been made in the development of several core sectors of infrastructure including roads, railways, aviation, shipping, power, irrigation and communications.
From mounting expeditions to Antarctica to successfully launching the Mars- Mangalyan, India has come of age in the field of Science and Technology.
In several fields of adventure and sports -mountaineering, chess, badminton - to name a few -our men and women have repeatedly brought us laurels and glory.
The country's performance, in terms of running a tight ship and maintaining its course when challenged by the percussions of an international financial meltdown, was hailed internationally. In the face of serious challenges, our internal economy remained steady and strong.
But when I stop here and look around I perceive much more than what meets the eye.
India's Problems
Hunger, poverty, deprivation, disease, squalor and fear are still writ large on the face of the rural economy. Congested slums, crime, abuse and trade in children and trafficking in women are only a few among the many scourges that haunt our crowded cities.
Health care and primary education are either not available adequately or, when available, not accessible to those most in need.
Who would not hang his head in shame at India being ranked 135 in the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Programme -(out of 187 countries studied)- or not feel humiliated at being awarded the 100th position in a Disaster Preparedness Index (as measured by the World Risk Index, prepared for 136 countries vulnerable to natural disasters by the United Nations University for Environment and Human Security, Bonn, Germany).
Clearly the time is yet to come when we can sit back and bask in the glory of our achievements. Many parts of our country, substantial sections of the population and some sectors of the economy have suffered exclusion from the mainstream of growth and development and a share in the benefits thereof. Correcting that skewness, while continuing the effort to come on par with the rest of the world in terms of achieving economic growth and social justice, needs to be made an overriding priority.
This is particularly so in the context of the many threats and opportunities that have emerged in the ambient environment following the advent of the forces of liberalization, globalization and privatization. From the somewhat romantic era of "growth with justice" we have transited into a paradigm of "growth and justice". While we may have handled this transition adequately so far, there is much that remains to be done.
Civil Services and the Nation
It is in enabling that change and in converting it in to an all out assault on the evils of deprivation, exclusion and the denial of the quality of life that every citizen has a right to expect - that the civil service will have a major and meaningful responsibility to shoulder.
We have, naturally, moved away from the days when the Civil Service was envisaged as the "steel - frame" of country's polity. Several changes, many highly desirable, have altered the scope of, as well as the expectations from, the bureaucracy. Growth and development are seen today more as a result of an effort of a team comprising many players including the elected representatives, the corporate sector, academicians, scientists, the civil society organizations and the Civil Services among many others. For this team to perform effectively, however, many catalytic factors need to be put in place such as a sharp vision, a clear road map and an enabling policy environment. The design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the plan of action all need to the conceived with a participatory approach and carried out in an inclusive manner.
Challenges and Opportunities
What more can a young citizen of India ask for today than to "be the change that you wish to see in the world" - as Gandhiji said? And which career can offer the heady excitement, sense of fulfilment, public recognition, constitutional guarantee of security and reasonable emoluments than one in the Civil Service?
I can think of no country whose Constitution mentions the Civil Service explicitly in an exclusive provision and offers protection to its members in emphatic manner, in the manner in which the Indian Constitution does.
In order to remain contemporarily relevant, the Civil Servant will need to be able to identify the weakness such as indifference, corruption and incompetence that continue to render our system impotent; and be able to play a positive and aggressive role in the process of mitigating their impact.
The significance of the challenges and opportunities that come with the task entrusted to the Civil Services in this gigantic national effort can hardly be overstated.
The nation looks with hope and confidence to the role today's youth will play in moulding the future of the country's governance.
While the process of selection to the Civil Services is elaborate, and rigorous, the qualities that characterize an ideal Civil Servant are, to my mind, quite straightforward. The ability to avoid the three features that constitute an action that is bad in law - namely arbitrariness, mala fides and discrimination - is foremost among these. To be aware constantly that one is not a "government official" but a "public servant" is also a feeling that can endow a person with great courage, impartiality and a sense of public purpose.
Attributes of a Civil Servant
What can cause greater clarity in one's mind than to remember that it is the common man who pays your salary- and is thus one's real master? Assiduity, sincerity, integrity and a clear sense of priorities are some of the important attributes that a good Civil Servant needs to possess.
The Civil Services offer a vast canvas of activities and varied sets of functions. It would therefore be of great advantage for a Civil Servant to identify, over time, a role that most suits his or her attitude. Effort and inclination will then be in sync-synergetic and mutually reinforcing.
For the benefit of aspirants of the Civil Service, as well as recent entrants I have collected some case studies from my own experience together with a few hypothetical problems created by the UPSC, in the book "Ethics in Governance - Resolution of Dilemmas with Case Studies".
Candidates from rural areas
To address a concern that is frequently expressed I would like to assure the candidates from rural areas appearing for Civil Services Examination- that the system has tried to correct any inbuilt bias in favour of those from the urban areas. For instance, candidates can take the examinations in their mother tongue and can also opt for interviews to be conducted in that language. And the constitution of Boards of members that conduct the interviews is done in such a manner that it ensures a fair degree of empathy with people coming from varied backgrounds.
Balanced Approach
One last word of advice from me concerns the imperative to striking a "balance". This is an attribute that should inform one's attitude not merely in the interview but in the discharge of duties that one will be expected to perform in the event of one's selection. Extreme stances and artificial views are often neither desirable nor easy to justify. It is important to remain objective and impartial in forming one's opinions and in defending them.
Those in service will do well to remember the advice tendered by Sri C.B. Rao, IAS (Retd.) (which he was kind enough to share with me), to fresh recruits - to remember that they are "the luckiest and not the brightest" that they are "selected and not chosen," that "integrity is more important than intelligence" and that they should strive to be "law-abiding and not rule - abiding Civil Servants".
The contours and the content of our vision are determined by the ability to contemplate the "big picture".
To quote a stanza from a Sanskrit poem,
"Omkaraparivritham viswam
Sankalpa parimitham drisyam"
Published date : 13 May 2016 12:18PM
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