The Indian Administrative Service — IAS — a convenient punching bag for politicians from Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi, is turning out to be the principal resistance force in India’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
These IAS officers are not in news. They are not supposed to be. They must work behind the scenes to tackle the public health crisis while their political masters play antakshari or attend wedding ceremonies.
Frontline against coronavirus
If it is principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, P.K. Mishra—assisted by Union health secretary Preeti Sudan who calls up state health secretaries every day—at the Centre, there are many unsung heroes in the states.
In Maharashtra, for instance, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray along with state health minister Rajesh Tope surprised even their political detractors with their efficiency and dedication in dealing with the coronavirus crisis. People in the know, however, attribute the political leadership’s success to state chief secretary Ajoy Mehta’s stewardship of the administrative response mechanism. Incidentally, Mehta’s six-month extension, given during Devendra Fadnavis’ years, ends in March, and the Thackeray government has now written to the Centre for another extension to the chief secretary.
In Rajasthan, additional chief secretary (medical health and family welfare) Rohit Kumar Singh is at the forefront of Ashok Gehlot government’s fightback against the coronavirus. In Odisha, it’s V. K. Pandian, private secretary to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Odisha was the first state to go for a 40 per cent lockdown following an analysis of the geographical spread of people who came from abroad in March.
Also read: Exams or exercise, it’s all happening inside hostel rooms for IAS and IPS trainees
In Punjab, it’s Suresh Kumar, a retired IAS officer who was appointed special principal secretary to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. In Karnataka, three IAS officers are leading the fight in their capacity as in-charge of three war rooms — personnel and administrative reforms secretary Munish Moudgil, labour secretary P. Manivannan and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a former ‘Sushasan Babu’, was very late to wake up to the Covid-19 threat but has now constituted a team of senior IAS officers to try to contain the virus’ spread that could spoil his re-election prospects in the October-November assembly elections.
It’s the same story in other states where IAS officers, from secretary to district magistrate levels, are staying on the grind to become the pillars of strength to their chief ministers—as also the Prime Minister at the Centre—who can’t bank on the ministers whose induction in the government was dictated by political compulsions and not by administrative considerations. No wonder, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman was, last Tuesday, clueless about the composition of the task force headed by her—about a week after the Prime Minister announced it and barely 48 hours before she was entrusted to declare the Rs 1.70 lakh crore economic package for India’s poor. Not many were, therefore, surprised when she evaded repeated questions about where this money would come from.
Most of the ministers even at the Centre spend most of their time tweeting and retweeting every word of PM Modi and works of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), while bureaucrats sweat it out trying to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Not that these ministers were doing a great job before the virus arrived in India. When was the last time you heard telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad speak about the AGR crisis in the telecom sector? Or about the sufferings of thousands of MTNL/BSNL consumers due to their services crashing?
As India witnesses the sad spectacle of thousands of migrant daily wagers and labourers trudging for hundreds of kilometres to try and reach home, try recalling the name of the labour minister. You may have a degree in mnemonics if you remember it. He is Santosh Kumar Gangwar, minister of state (independent charge), Ministry of Labour and Employment. By the way, last week, he did issue an advisory to all states to transfer money into the accounts of construction workers. Nothing more, nothing less.
Also read: This is the team advising PM Modi in India’s battle against coronavirus
Comeback of the IAS officers
When Narendra Modi took over the reins of the country in May 2014, IAS officers were largely happy. They were no less fed up with the policy paralysis during the latter part of the UPA-II government. And they were thrilled when they saw the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) calling them up directly, with ministers signing on dotted lines on the files without a whimper. Many others (including yours truly) thought it was a good move, given the massive talent deficit in Modi’s ministerial team. The dream run was, however, short-lived.
The bureaucracy soon realised that the new government put a premium on loyalty, and not talent.
It was different in Nehru’s case. As Ramachandra Guha writes in India After Gandhi, there was a time when Nehru had “little but scorn for the bureaucracy” and wrote in his autobiography that few things were more striking in India “than the progressive deterioration, moral and intellectual, of the higher services, more especially the Indian Civil Services”. But that was 12 years before India’s Independence when these services were instrumental in putting freedom fighters in the jails. As Guha points out, 16 years after he wrote that, Nehru entrusted the same bureaucracy—and chief election commissioner Sukumar Sen, an ICS officer—with the gigantic task of holding the first elections in Independent India, comprising mostly illiterate voters. India’s first prime minister’s views had to have changed after its success.
Also read: To break IAS grip, Modi govt is picking more non-IAS officers for top jobs
Time for a re-think
The Narendra Modi government has, however, gone about undermining the IAS, chipping away its exclusive rights and privileges one by one. First, it was the introduction of the 360-degree appraisal system for empanelment of bureaucrats at the joint secretary level at the Centre and then for their promotions. Their annual confidential reports (ACRs) were no longer the main factor. What mattered was the ‘feedback’, ostensibly from a bureaucrat’s seniors, peers, juniors and even those outside the service—essentially, and practically, to determine the political leanings and loyalty of the candidate under consideration.
In subsequent months and years, the IAS fraternity saw other alarming signs—lateral entry of professionals into the government as joint secretaries, attempt to change recruitment rules, forced resignations by senior bureaucrats, misbehaviour by ministers with senior officers, et al. It was no solace to IAS officers that officers of the Indian Police Service or other civil services found the going equally tough.
That’s the reason not many IAS officers are very keen on coming to Delhi on deputation; many sought and got repatriation to their home cadres, on one pretext or the other.
It is in this backdrop that the coronavirus has revalidated the strength and relevance of India’s steel frame—the IAS. For one IAS officer who might have hit the headlines for evading quarantine orders in Kerala, there are thousands of others who are working day and night in offices, risking their own lives to protect people. Once the novel coronavirus is beaten back, Modi government may like to re-think its understanding and definition of a committed bureaucracy.
Views are personal.
Bullshit..let’s get rid of it sooner than later. IAS by virtue of the functions assigned to them have looted the country and won laurels for the work actually delivered by an array of services. Let these shitholes be banished from taking the credit. The only thing they have mastered is taking credit and a big zero on actual work. Shoo away shitholes
You dont know a damn thing about IAS officers for sure.
Any way what u have done to help the country during this time
Reappointed in one hand as described by you
The Lazy Corrupt nd Sided I A S have been given a Stroke
Be Careful in future
Its Modis Govt
Not of the Cong or Khichri
The IAS officers are called Babus..they are mostly than not puppets in the hands of politicians.Most of the Governments Doctors who should be considered cream of the society are of the opinion that Doctors are treated like Dogs. But when Union Leaders approach the Beurocrats..their despotic demands get the nod.In other words they are afraid of the union who may try to shunt them to confocal post.
IAS stands for Insolent Adaptive Service .. They adapt and gel with any political hues..
There is no denying that IAS officers in Districts have an important role and are performing their duties efficiently.However there are dead wood among IAS also.Civil Services Examination is a tough examination and although with 50 percent quota and eligibility age for examination upto 32 and 37 years services have suffered still past branding fetches talented and hardworking young women and men. But let us not forget one thing the officers work under a leader and a great leader inspires and motivates for best results.
Under UPA2 ,the services were demoralised because of judiciary,CAG,CVC andCBI when officers of known integrity suffered for being result oriented and enthusiastic and proactive .After NDA Government under Prime minister Modi came into power ,there is renewed vigour and inspiration to give results .However ,still it is not uncommon to see some of the best in IAS suffering in INX MEDIA case .Imagine what would have been morale of services had officers like HC Gupta ,Coal Secretary and Shyamal Ghosh ,telecom Secretary not been hounded or r Thomas ‘s appointment as CVC not cancelled by SC.
Why IAS and other civil services perform and deliver results with meagre resources and obstacles created by 4Cs ;Courts,CAG,CVC,CBI and why another arm of the State ie Judicial services are unable to even tackle their pendency and decide cases which is only one important duty expected of them?
Answer is 1 lack of transparency in selection and promotion 2 Lack of accountability and performance measurement system Lack of training and administrative skills 4 Recruitment base is very narrow and is limited to Lawyers and Law Graduates 5 Lack of leadership
The author being an ex-IAS, I am not surprised about his biased article. He does not mention how many IAS officers themselves have violated COVID 19 guidelines and how many have gone on leave. He does not mention about the gifts showered on many IAS officers under previous regimes, who have barely done any work and continue in post retirement posts again,with barely any work while drawing huge pay packages and privileges.
And for your kind information, before the lockdown began, the meeting that the IAS had with the district doctors’ association was quite rude. They did not allow any doctors to speak. When asked about protective equipment, they did not answer from what I understood about a particular interaction, the IMA head was actually asked to shut up and not ask questions.
Doctors are the ones who handle this epidemic, for your kind information, not IAS officers.
In addition, THE PRINT has not covered anything about the news that India sent 90 tonnes of protective equipment to Serbia yesterday. Your IAS officers continue to be unaccountable and they are sycophantic chamchas to their political masters.
Now, do you understand why the people club them both together?
Don’t compare IAS with doctors. We should not abuse on public platforms and in life general! Meanwhile, at least IAS, unlike doctors don’t keep patients even after their death on ICU just to make money. This single argument destroys your entire premise. Take care Mr Doctor and progress in life but not by illegal means! Bye!
Absolutely biased article, to glorify the service. IAS are not steelframe rather it is scaffolding to already existing building.
Really
The IAS as on date are the most corrupt, and inefficient lot. They are just bothered about perks and privileges. It is unimaginable that the IAS and IPS could not control a small state of Haryana for riots. In current situation also they are sitting in their homes. IPS are also not better. It’s the lower level police officers, doctors, nurses, PMF, Army and health volunteers who are doing the job. The mismanagement, panic in population because of epidemic is clearly seen. How many IAS are seen on ground in last few weeks. In past also they were more keen on sitting in Delhi on one or the other pretext and not moving to their state cadres. It’s because of the policies of Modi government that the IAS are being taken to task and incompetent are thrown out. Lateral entry and changing the recruitment rules to get the best guys is actually breaking their nexus. In today’s crisis situation also they are not bothered about the job they are suppose to do but showing their true colours are trying to exploit it in their favour by indulging into mud throwing on politicians. Yes politicians are no better and always been exploited for their incompetence by the IAS lobby. It’s actually shameful that the IAS officers are indulged into self glorification when the entire world is going through a tough phase. The situation being managed by lower level officers have proved that actually there is no requirement of IAS or IPS officers. They are burden on the taxpayers.
Its disheartening that people who don’t even have done their basic readings make tall claims that there’s no IAS on the ground. Old habits die hard but one should attempt to prevent his own mockery by showing his complete ignorance on a public platform
I do not know why in India there is so much hype about the IAS. The ICS was created to collect taxes and see that British interests are not jeopardised. After independence, the same has continued ; only the label has changed. In the 1960s when we were in school, the IAS officers were called “glorified clerks”. That is why even today the top brains fly out to the USA, UK, etc. The second level pursue careers as doctors, engineets, finance managers, IT professional , fine arts etc. It is the 3rd level left-overs that take training in roadside institutes and try to mompete in the IAS etc. So ultimately, the crop of officers selected are of poor wualit; the cream has already been drawn away! No use telling that 10 lakh candidates competed in the exams and only a few hundred were selected. The fact is that the entire lot isscrap, with 10% exceptions. Can we feel proud of our achievements in the last 43 yrs. od our independence? The administration remains one of the shabbiest in the world. Is there a single department that is as efficient, competent, honest and with integrity compar- able to that in the UK or the USA?. At every stage there is corruption, incompetence and inefficiency. Do we not see so many HMVs in bad repair on the roads? Are not autos overcrowded? Are the authorities blind? The administration is worse. Example: In the UK I had paid some £70 for TV. After one year I got a refund cheque for about £30 telling that my bills were low! Can we ever reach such high standards of admn? Our courts have lakhs of pending case, cases takes decades to finalise. Are these signs of good admn.? I visited Birmingham cout once. It was an amazing experience: The court was like a 4 star hotel with wall-to-wall carpets, squeaky clean furniture, no crowd as parties are given specific times, no shouting out the names of parties, and best was a smart lady receptionist! Our lower courts especially are so ill-equipped , dirty and with choked toilets. I also visited a police station in Staines. Same story: smart lady receptionist, no crowd, courteous and behaviour behaviour. I also came to lnow that thete no equivalent og the IAS or IPS in the UK. There is one cadre of officers and one has to grow , climb the ladder by the dint of hard work. No 1st class and 2nd class like we have in railway bogies!!!
The British ruled tje world because ofsuperior technology. The govt. must give highest priority and recognition to doctors, scientists, enginners, IT professionals , financial manahers et al if the country has to lead the world. This is impossible with glorifying the”glorified clerks” .
On the contrary, only those who cannot crack the CSE or know for sure that they cannot work hard go for private sector jobs. Get your sense right, man!
Never it has been the history that everybody appears for CSE. Once crack a exam and carrier get wings. Pl accept the facts, thi service is now scaffolding. Otherwise why so much resitence for lateral entry?.
I know not everyone goes for this exam, but those who have cracked it do makes you a little envious of your own shortcomings that you try to deluge on platforms like this perhaps with a wrong name.
Instead of being an arm chair intellectual spewing poison for no reason, I would request you to please go and do something for the people and stop acting like a self-righteous Nirmal baba.
Cringe-worthy article. IAS doing a good job? Really? Only IAS officers and their sycophants must think so! The rest of us seem to believe – as does PM Modi – that the real heroes of this crisis are the doctors, nurses, paramedics, policemen, media persons and other such frontline professionals who are doing real work to fight this crisis. What is the IAS doing? Indulging in such craven self-glorification, when clearly they have abjectly failed to do their job which was to ensure advance preparedness, anticipate challenges the common people would face in the lockdown and make plans to deal with them. The result is there to see – millions walking home in 40 deg C heat, deprived of food and water, risking contracting the virus as they flock together. The IAS is but a self-serving mafia, incompetent, pompous and laughable. If there was any justice these imbeciles would be held to account and made to work in the field, not shuffle paper in the air-conditioned comfort of their offices.
Article stinks of congress and left agenda? Well I’m sure the news you would like watch would portray right wing gods and incompetent journalists screaming on the televisions without putting a dent on the real concerns. IAS officers are incompetent? Well, I think after all the hard work and study these guys go through, no illiterate and uneducated politician has a right to dictate them.
It is only the frustrations of people who basically due to their own incompetence couldn’t do fairly in their lives so they bash the hardworking and the successful with horrendous claims
Because these cream hardworking people India is an undeveloped third world nation.
It’s strange that anything good happening in this country has an IAS, IFS or IPS behind it while if anything goes topsy turvy then the state service, subordinate service, political class or mafia etc is behind the same. These IAS and all officers have not descended from heaven! Many of them are just average bureaucrats with great power and no responsibility and also of mediocre capabilities. Many of them don’t even stand any chance in front of some new political youngsters who are more goal oriented and efficient in dispersal of their duties. And what’s wrong with 360° appraisal? Start holding these babus accountable and they act like a 5 yer old cry baby. Time have now changed and many a people are aware of their usual gimmicks and now refuse to be taken for a ride!
It is obvious that the I.A.S. Is supposed to be the best brains employed to administer the country.The politically elected need to work for the larger good of the nation and should be supported by the steel frame of bureaucracy. Remember ‘animal farm’ by George Orwell.
So power has its aberrations .
At district level the IAS are all over the local press and along with the politicians seem to glamourise every activity.
What is required today is decentralisation of power .
This stinks of yellow journalism! Mr. DK Singh are you aware that a bureacracy and a business have much the same lines of working. A 360 degree review is an international best practise. Just because you babus are getting the stick now after generations of looking after your own, your lot is whimpering. Only a dyed in the wool babu or one pandering to such a lobby would bemoan domain experts coming in. Get over your ‘Yes Minister’theories that only generalists can manage affairs and not experts. There is so much more wronf here that i am surprised a publication like The Print would even consider publishing this. Shame on you.
Generalists should manage affairs because when experts (who are recruited on basis of references) do the companies fail, create NPA, demand bailouts, mismanage the money and run away
The ias and the police and the junior subordinate adminstration like inspectors, tehsildars etc along with lawyers have created a power mafia worse than the british raj and the earlier they are disbanded and a new services created which are people friendly with increased participation from the public the better it is for the country