PRIME Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh terms Indian Administrative Service (IAS) a very privileged service and expects IAS officers to have an all-India perspective with a strong commitment to the goals and ideals enshrined in the Constitution. Based on his speech to the IAS probationers of 2008, (See picture above) delivered on April 4, 2009 in New Delhi, BoI (Babus of India) has made an attempt to figure out what PM wants out of an IAS officer.
Here are a few selected excerpts of PM’s speech:
On All India Mindset
We are a Union of states and we must never forget this all India perspective. When you go to various states, you are in-charge of various departments, you look after the interests of your departments, the interests of your states but you must never lose sight of the wider perspective that there is a wider perspective of strengthening the unity and integrity of our country which must be the paramount concern of all Services in our country and foremost of a Service like the Indian Administrative Service.
On Imbibing Latest Trends
It is very important that you must pay particular attention to equipping yourself with latest trends in thinking about development, about environment and all other aspects which have a bearing on the processes of governance.
On Explosion Of Knowledge
Today, the world is changing at a pace which was unthinkable even a decade ago. Science and technology have become the principle determiners of the wealth and well being of people all over the world. Human knowledge is therefore exploding and it is therefore very important that our civil servants should keep abreast of the latest trends in the development of human knowledge, knowledge which as I said is growing at a speed which was unthinkable even a decade ago.
On Duties Of Civil Servants
There is growing concern that civil servants are not mindful of their duties. I would therefore urge that you must be mindful of the fact that the people of India have entrusted you these responsibilities and it is your solemn obligation to serve the people with the greatest dedication.
On Our Neighbourhood
We are today faced with a neighbourhood which is far from peaceful. You all know about the developments in Pakistan. You all know about the developments in Nepal, you all know about the recent developments in Bangladesh, you all know about the recent developments in Sri Lanka. They all impinge on our development. South Asia is in turmoil. And therefore in planning for our own development, we have to be mindful of the environment within which we have to operate. So you have enormous opportunities but also enormous challenges.
These are known prescriptions, but yes, offers often forget those as they proceed in careers. --A civil servant
ReplyDeleteIndia's bureaucracy has been ranked the least effficient by a business survey of 12 Asian economies. According to the survey, working with India's civil servants is a "slow and painful" process (courtsey: TOI/4 June 2009). What is your take on this?
ReplyDeleteDeterioration is a common thing in every machine that runs,What i personally feel is there must be something wrongly inculcated during training.May be a radical analysis on that would help!!--RaviKumar,Commoner
ReplyDeleteMost of these Babus are still set on a Colonial mind.Inorder to cover up thier inferiority on various issues, they don a garb of superiority, which negates the atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteour honorable PM talked about india pespective,but IAS officer working maximum part of his/her life in a single states(in most of cases), then how could this wider perspective be achived?? can there be possibility of swaping of civil servants after sometime from onr state to another..
ReplyDeleteI wonder what should an ias officer be proud of. of belonging to the most laggard civil service in the subcontinent? of working for the political bosses whose priorities toggle between extreme populism and blatant self interest? as for job satisfaction wouldn't one be happier being effective in the private sector where rewards match results? what is left in the service is a false sense of power within a highly feudal heirarchy. and of course it is still worthwhile if you all you want is to share the spoils with the netas and stash your cash in secret accounts and benami properties! would appreciate any thoughts are forthcoming from a civil servant.
ReplyDeleteYes , there is nothing much left in civil services except false sense of power.Its high time Govt. should think on reforms ,how can one justify an IAS officers salary with first grade any govt job ( MBBS doctor or J.En ) is it justify ?
ReplyDeleteAll the IAS officers have more qualification than IIM graduates but what they get in return , a village town sort of life style leaving no time for family and self with enormous pressure from political persons...still no reward on efficient working...