There is no doubt that MEA has no dearth of outstanding and hardworking diplomats but the problem is, as in other government Ministries and departments, it also suffers from hierarchy, connections and elitism. It has not kept itself up with progressive and forward looking forces within New India. It still considers itself as exclusive club of few privileged persons and is not ready to accept that, as in other civil or central services, many distinguished and intelligent persons from less privileged and rural backgrounds are joining diplomacy. It continues to give precedence to privileged and connected officers than to performing and hardworking officers from humble backgrounds in overseas postings and headquarters deployment. It’s high time that it awakens and understands changing reality and adjusts its composition from being exclusive to inclusive.
True. I also heard these things. Many people say that there are few Ambassadorial or Consular posts where only S.C./ST /OBC diplomats are posted. If you see the parliamentary answers related to postings of S.C./ ST, you will find that there are certain stations where the ambassador or consul generals belong to backward category only are posted. Seems like pattern. How come MEA earmarks and decides these postings. Despicable in the era of freedom and equality and blot on largest democratic country. MEA should decide on performance and output irrespective of category. Everybody in civil service is equally patriotic and loyal to nation, there should not be any question of
Caste, class, region and religion.
Hope that PM, who is champion of marginalised, will do something about it and reform MEA from inside out.
We need a long term bipartisan and critically developed vision for India (given the diversity of peninsualar, central, north eastern and northern parts) and use foreign policy as a strategic and tactical tool to build a stronger, benevolent and mutually beneficial relationships. Extending the Arthasastra principle (“No man you transact with will lose; then you shall not”) beyond economic activity may be a good start. IFS officers are at the end of the day should be historians with ability to see the future in the context of the past and present, and stay away from consular work, and focus more on social contracts between nations and group of nations. People to people movement and cultural exchanges can help anchor such relationships, and have greatly benefited us in the past. However, doubt the current govt has the ability for give and take beyond economic activity as it sees any cultural exchange as a threat to its narrow version of Hindutva and the great Hindu nation, a fallacy and disservice to this great region of federal states.
One issue this column does not address is how far IFS officers are able to influence the basic thrust of foreign policy formulation. We are not concerned merely with consular functions, how elegantly our missions abroad project the image of India. Is their collective knowledge, expertise, institutional memory the driving force, or do they simply implement decisions taken above their level.
There is no doubt that MEA has no dearth of outstanding and hardworking diplomats but the problem is, as in other government Ministries and departments, it also suffers from hierarchy, connections and elitism. It has not kept itself up with progressive and forward looking forces within New India. It still considers itself as exclusive club of few privileged persons and is not ready to accept that, as in other civil or central services, many distinguished and intelligent persons from less privileged and rural backgrounds are joining diplomacy. It continues to give precedence to privileged and connected officers than to performing and hardworking officers from humble backgrounds in overseas postings and headquarters deployment. It’s high time that it awakens and understands changing reality and adjusts its composition from being exclusive to inclusive.
True. I also heard these things. Many people say that there are few Ambassadorial or Consular posts where only S.C./ST /OBC diplomats are posted. If you see the parliamentary answers related to postings of S.C./ ST, you will find that there are certain stations where the ambassador or consul generals belong to backward category only are posted. Seems like pattern. How come MEA earmarks and decides these postings. Despicable in the era of freedom and equality and blot on largest democratic country. MEA should decide on performance and output irrespective of category. Everybody in civil service is equally patriotic and loyal to nation, there should not be any question of
Caste, class, region and religion.
Hope that PM, who is champion of marginalised, will do something about it and reform MEA from inside out.
We need a long term bipartisan and critically developed vision for India (given the diversity of peninsualar, central, north eastern and northern parts) and use foreign policy as a strategic and tactical tool to build a stronger, benevolent and mutually beneficial relationships. Extending the Arthasastra principle (“No man you transact with will lose; then you shall not”) beyond economic activity may be a good start. IFS officers are at the end of the day should be historians with ability to see the future in the context of the past and present, and stay away from consular work, and focus more on social contracts between nations and group of nations. People to people movement and cultural exchanges can help anchor such relationships, and have greatly benefited us in the past. However, doubt the current govt has the ability for give and take beyond economic activity as it sees any cultural exchange as a threat to its narrow version of Hindutva and the great Hindu nation, a fallacy and disservice to this great region of federal states.
One issue this column does not address is how far IFS officers are able to influence the basic thrust of foreign policy formulation. We are not concerned merely with consular functions, how elegantly our missions abroad project the image of India. Is their collective knowledge, expertise, institutional memory the driving force, or do they simply implement decisions taken above their level.