Ayn Rand described Teachers, Scientists, Technology inventors as the chief drivers of human progress. Being an anarchist who believed in stateless society and considered state as evil, She justifiably missed or ignored bureaucrats from the system. For a developed country or civilized educated society, bureaucracy takes a back seat. In such places, most of the processes are automated and streamlined, institutions are matured thus bureaucracy focuses on status quo. The scope for radical change is little. However, In a country like India which has nascent post-independent history, Bureaucracy occupies central role in nation building i.e. Institutional setup, systemic processes, social progress etc.
A bureaucrate occupies a central position in the systemic framework. He acts as a conduit between social scientist, economist, scientist, technologist, and common man. A Civil Servant identifies the basic problems of human life. He co-ordinates with social scientist who studies the social processes and social behaviors. Social Scientist identifies social issues in his research and possible solutions to such problem. Civil Servant takes this research and redefine it in generalist language. Scientist does some hard core basic sciences research. Technology guy uses this derived knowledge to develop a user-facing product. Civil Servants approaches the technology guy and ask him to design a solution as pointed by the social scientist. He approaches the economist to inquire about the right pricing and build the systemic framework to deliver the solution to the end-user. Thus he plays pivotal role in social progress by way of problem identification, allocation of resources, co-ordination among different players and ultimately building administrative framework for appropriate service/solution delivery.
Many of us watch television and keep abusing the system and government for the poor quality of life and all the problems. Many of us would probably win ‘A’ grade certification in cynicism but hardly few of us take the pain to think constructively and seek for the solution to fix the fault lines existing in the system. However such emotion focused fault finding and blame game style of citizenry is not the solution for a better tomorrow. History is witness to the fact that to move a country from developing to developed category, an entire generation or two has to work in a selfless, tireless manner.
Ours is a country where nationalism and patriotism are defined from a very narrow sense of the term. If a person stands at any corner of the street and starts shouting ‘Inquilab Jindabad or Bharat Mata ki Jai’, he’ll invariably find few more voices of support full of joy and patriotism. But excitement generally ends there. The word does not convert into action. The clichés like ‘Is desh ka kuch nahi ho sakta’ or ‘chalta hai’ or ‘system kharab hai’ are oft-heard and oft-repeated to the extent that many of us internalize and start believing that nothing could be done to improve the social, economic or political landscape of the country.
The most central way to actively participate in the functioning of the government and bring systemic change is Politics. Politics is art of reconciliation. In this a person or a group of person with their intellectual prowess, inspiring personality or ideological thinking tries to bring harmony and synchronization among the various sections of the society. However, the entry barrier into politics is really high for a common man. The use of muscle and money power and neck-deep corruption has made politics as most abhorred service in India. In this context, Civil Services examination presents a most viable and achievable alternative of politics to an ambitious, hardworking and meritorious youngster to make India a better place to live.
Civil Services examination is considered as Mother of All examination and rightly so as it is a complete test of knowledge, personality, wit, patience, honesty, and attitudinal strength. The charm and scope of civil services is not so obvious to many of us but the magnificent work done by certain IAS and IPS officer shows the possible impact that an honest, sincere individual can make in the society. A very small step by an honest officer can change the social-economic landscape of the region.
Armstrong Pame is one such officer who has used the social influence of post of IAS officer to good ends. Armstrong Pame is a 2009 batch Indian Administrative Officer and the first from the Zeme tribe of Nagaland. While serving as IAS officer, Pame realized a sad fact that most of the villagers in his region are not well connected with rest of the India. Thus north-eastern people are often considered as outsider by rest of the Indians. He considered a motorable road as the first step towards development of any region. Thus he envisioned a people’s road project and started collecting fund from social media. He donated his salary and his parents’ salary to this fund. He called for the meeting of villager and asked them to offer their labor for the road project. In no time, He has built a 100 km long road in a remote part of the hill state without government help. Just imagine how the life of a common man would have improved as a result of a motorable road. A farmer can reach to the market. A villager can reach to the hospital in lesser time in situation of emergency and most importantly, people from rest of the India can explore the place with ease.
Moral of story: Civil Servants Job provides necessary legal authority to implement government policies. But more importantly, it provides necessary social and political force to your personality which could be crucial in mobilizing resources. Such an access to the government or non-government resources is extremely difficult for Non-government organizations or social crusaders. People won’t repose their trust so easily and many times social activist would have to fight against the system. And Mind it; Pame is only 28 years old.
Another example of what a civil servant can do is evident in the story of Shivdeep Waman Lande. If Patna was considered a city of goons, burglars and eve-teaser then he could be called its Batman or Spiderman. As S.P. Patna, his phone number became a 24*7 help line number for college going girls. He used to receive 400 calls and 300 messages from girls who were troubled by eve-teasing. He responded to each one of them and became a hero for saving women from molestation and assaults by eve teasers and goons. He raided illegal wine shops and made sure the business of spurious drugs slip into hibernation during his tenure. His popular appeal can be gauged from the fact that when his transfer orders came, a large number of Patnawasi conducted a candle light march. He also contributes 70% of his salary for the good cause of mass marriages and poor women education scholarship.
Moral of the story: We can either crib all the time with clichés like ‘Kuch nahi ho sakta’ or we can become like Lande and create a real social attitudinal change in the society by appropriately using our authority. There is no other job where at age of 27 or 28 one can become the chief of whole law and order arrangement for entire population of 5 to 6 million people.
As an IAS one has the opportunity to work in various roles. In the 30 to 35 years of career, people have steepest career curve from a Block development officer to sub divisional magistrate (S.D.M.) to A.D.M to D.M. The progression does not stop here. Once the officer moves on to secretariat level, excitement does not simply ends rather the task become more challenging and enthralling. The career progresses from under-secretary to divisional-director to joint-secretary, additional- secretary and finally secretary. The period is interlaced with various central government tenure, study leaves and foreign tours. IAS officers are deputed on reputed international assignments. One gets to work education, health, law and order, revenue, culture, rural or urban development and variety of other work domains. Compare this with a routine IT job where the learning curve generally reaches a plateau stage after year and half. For more exciting projects, it may span over 3 to 4 year but soon you would hit a glass ceiling. At this point either people run for MBA or other post graduate degree or settle into routine life style. The job of IAS provide lot of flexibility while as IT professional one has to work enormously as company tend to squeeze every bit of sweat and blood of your body.
Moral of the story: There is no job comparable to Civil Services which provide such a diverse job profile, challenging opportunity and steep learning curve that an interested person can never be bored.
Even at the secretariat or off the field job the impact of your job could be enormous. The work of Ashok Khemka IAS Haryana cadre officer discovered a land scam in Robert Vadra Case. The Mining scam in Karnataka was unearthed by GM Belagali and Sibichen K Mathew, both IRS officers. The fabulous work by IAAS officers under the leadership of IAS Vinod Rai (Ex-CAG) led to exposure of 2G scam and coal mining scam.
Moral of the story: Even the allied job in civil services provides ample opportunity for an honest person to bring some change or set some good precedents in the system. One may ridicule them as mere clerical job with low salary and overwork but in reality your professional, social circle changes and a small inquiry can stop bring corruption scandals.
If we talk in terms of maslownian cycle then a civil services job will fulfill all of your needs like biological, security needs, social needs, self-esteem needs and self actualization need. Though the sense of self actualization and esteem is subjective in nature but on the whole, civil services job provides enough avenues that may help in achieving these objectives. The job of IAS/IPS/IRS bestows great responsibility along with enormous power or authority. The social recognition and ‘My Baap culture’ in India help in satisfying the social needs. For anyone who loves the administration job or wishes to play a pivotal role in the system, the pursuit of civil services is logical next step to an acclaimed career at age of 20-something.
However, there is a rough side of the job with which one must be aware. Firstly, nearly every bright student think of becoming IAS officer in India thus competition is really high. Nearly 10 lakh students fight for those 80 odd seats thus chance factor has its role to play. Secondly, the job is not monetarily fulfilling. For an honest officer, entertaining one guest per month would lead to tight financial situation. Mr. U. Sagayam from Tamilnadu- well-known as the former Collector of Madurai was the first IAS officer to declare his assets public. During his declaration, his assets were a house worth Rs.9 lakh and a bank balance of Rs.7172. When his daughter was ill, he did not have Rs 5,000 needed for admitting her to a private hospital. The service demands a nameless, faceless and selfless devotion to the cause of betterment of India. All the good credits fall to the quota of fellow politician while any wrongdoing is attributed to ill foresight of officer class. Thus many time victimization, punishment posting, political pressure are routine affair. But at the end of the day, an honest officer is always recognized and has the potential of converting a punishment posting into a paradise. .The maximum a dishonest politician can do to an honest officer is transfer. That is why it is said that civil servant should prepare himself for two eventualities one transfer and retirement.
Moral of the story: Though Civil Services job is quite fulfilling but it is no cake walk. Job is as difficult as the admission procedure. However the difficulty, diversity and selfless nature of job make it all the more exciting and challenging. That’s where the real sense of actualization begins. It demands the best out of you and tests your real abilities.
The present day India is like a start-up company. The institutions have not fully matured. The social political and economic landscape is very dynamic. Each day, month and year presents a new set of challenges to our existence. Job of as IAS in the capacity of DM is like a chief engineer of a start up. Thus there is quick recognition for the good work.
India is famously called the nation of shortages. Be it decreasing water resources or increasing demands for electricity, health deficit or educational deficit prevailing in the country, except our huge population we are lagging behind on every parameter which is needed to run a company of a scale of a country in a successful manner. However such a huge population base could be a drag or it could be our blessing in disguise. We need to provide skills to our workforce and deploy them in various capacities. Among all such job profiles, the job of IAS officer takes the central role. An IAS officer is like a managerial leader who co-ordinates among various social, political and economic pressure groups and ensure the smooth functioning of the system.
A small action like making rain water harvesting compulsory can solve the water problems of million household. Setting up Rain-Basera or installing drinking water Pyauu can save many people from dying due to extremes of winter or summers. A pro-active disaster management directive can save lives of thousands. A child rescue and rehabilitation drive can help in securing a dream future for many young children. An IAS is next to god in the hinterlands of India where he is the savior of people suffering from social, economic or administrative deficit.
There is no exam where process is as important as the result. For a sincere and honest candidate, there is nothing called failure in UPSC. Either you emerged as a grade A officer with good privileges or a better human being and most of the time both. Icing on the cake is when you become IAS or IPS.
We can sit on couch, eat popcorn and hurl abuses on the Indian system and wait for a miracle to occur or else we can take the matter in our hands and be the change we want to be. Prepare for the exam and crack this exam so that we get access to a platform through which we can reach to million individuals and contribute our bit for ending miseries of our countrymen and restore Indian glory.
A 10-point Summary of the article:
Civil Services provides a platform with wide reach and impact where your small action can bring qualitative change in people's life
The diversity of the job ensures constant learning where one would not get bored
The opportunity to work at grass root gives feeling of fulfillment of working for others in selfless, nameless and faceless manner
Civil Services gives you an opportunity to play central role in nation building exercise
It fulfills your all Maslowian needs like social status, self esteem and self-actualization
You represent your country at international forums and You sign in the name of Government of India
For a developing country like India, Civil Servants action has multiplier effect. He becomes role model for society
It is better to take things in your own hands instead of cribbing about under-development in your drawing room
Your parents, family would not have issues with quality of life
It provides access to great amount of resources and legal authority which is not possible in NGO's etc.
So Ayn Rand may be right that in a state less society, we may not need Civil Servants but for a country like India, Civil Servants remains the steel frame on which India stands tall.
Ref: Description of good work is picked from quora.
