Modi govt hasn’t made any civil services recruitment though lateral entry since last year. Stakeholders say ‘domain experts’ hired have been subsumed by the system.
Supreme Court says it doesn't want to come in the way of journalism, but is concerned with the 'vilification' & 'stereotyping' of Muslims in the Sudarshan News show.
CAT has asked UPSC to respond to petition alleging irregularities in the appointment of three professionals as joint secretaries through lateral entry.
Mode, format of exam will remain the same and will be held on a single day, but while observing social distancing norms. More steps could be taken for venues in hotspots.
Special Secretary in Health Ministry Sanjeeva Kumar was transferred. He has now been appointed as the secretary, Department of Border Management in MHA.
According to DoPT, all civil service recruits will be given pre-training material online, and they will be tested on it right before their Foundation Course.
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India’s foreign policy today is driven less by Western alignment or global liberalism and more by domestic political imperatives — economic, ideological, and electoral.
Electronics—specifically smartphones—& energy & pharma products make up 30% of Indian exports to US. 25% tariff on India came into effect Thursday, extra 25% to kick in by August-end.
If they want experts, why don’t they recruit with specialized exam for respective domain. It indicates either government exams have failed with governments traditional approach of recruitment. Also training and employment quality check and accountability of the existing government officials have failed. Lateral entry will probably won’t be transparent and it is very likely that there will be misuse of powers during recruitment and after both by employer and employee. GOVERNMENT NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOALS OF PRIVATE SECTOR AND GOVERNMENT ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT. IT IS LIKE GOVERNMENT HAS TO FOCUS ON PUBLIC WELFARE. AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT PRIVATE SECTOR FOCUSES ON.
One, the bureaucrats aren’t bureaucrats for nothing. They know how to protect their turf. If Modi acts too smart, they also know how to deflate him. Two, the scheme and its morphs, were an EJECTION GIMMICK for the intelligentsia to swallow. The BJP was NEVER sincere on this issue.
Until the entire structure is flattened – as layers are exploited for shifting buck where no one needs to put in 100% to detriment of the decision – one cannot apply mind – just having kra and pleasing reporting officer in mind – the systems can be hijacked by those who initiate the notes and have the first hand records at their level- the whole system of movement from bottom up is the bane of administration.
It is great to have lateral entry in Government
Offices. Government should ensure free and fair selection. No bais or prejudices should be there. Those who are allowed lateral entry into Government Deptt should be given space and freedom to work for the good governance.
It may may choose officers in merit in initial years but later it will become a short cut to politicians to appoint there relatives and party workers.. We can still observe that politicians are getting appointment as directors of CPSU without considering any educational background.. Many will come with experience certificate of higher posts from paper companies with political recommendations will get selected.
Beyond everthing it is aginest right to equality in public employment.. It aims persons working in corparate world..a person who having academic qualification , but a farmer or a shopkeeper can’t apply for the post even if they are successful.. Hence such posts will be reserved post for the premier in the society.. In case of civil service selection the poorest graduate also have the option to participate and get selected.. If shortage of officers are there appoint more.
I am working in Reliance industries and so much relieved to hear this news. I was not able to qualify UPSC after 7 attempts . I support lateral entry.
This reform would surely would help persons who are already employed in some private companies to directly go to post of Joint Secretary.
It would help me to achieve my failed dreams
This is not for incompetent peeps like who couldn’t qualify in even 7 attempts. Keep dreaming haha xD!
Honestly , the entire purpose was to take the talent from outside the available pool and not some one who is not talented or domain expert which they required.
It is hardly surprising that these lateral entry experts have themselves become like the IAS officers, whose work culture they were supposed to help improve. The lateral entry move is a laudable, path-breaking initiative, but by itself it will change nothing because of two reasons: first, the “system is well-entrenched” as the unnamed IAS guy you interviewed self-comfortingly puts it; and second, perhaps, is that the initiative was not properly conceived. Merely appointing a small handful of such so-called experts to mid-level positions on relatively short-term contracts within a vast system is just a feeble effort, and is bound to result in their being subsumed into the system – that is hardly a surprise. Perhaps those recruited were also only ‘corporate bureaucrats’ or careerists themselves – merely coming from the private sector and having domain experience is not enough qualification. Perhaps they end up trying to fit into the system, bide their time and then see how they can ‘leverage’ the stint with the government for their next career step. This is hardly the behavior of change agents. In the end the lack of results will be held up as a ‘failure’ of the initiative and will just give ammunition to its critics – the change-resistant bureaucracy – to crawl out of the woodwork and say “we told you it wouldn’t work,” etc. thereby seeing it off for good.
The whole objective of bureaucracy is self-perpetuation; bureaucrats cherish above all their status, the certainty of their tenures (regardless of performance), the maintenance of privileges that come with belonging to the class and their grip on the levers of the system through established processes of selection and career progression. Any effort to change is seen immediately as a threat and undermined with focus and resolve via a collaborative effort across ministries that kicks in almost instinctively.
Mr. Modi was absolutely right in identifying the need to transform the functioning of the bureaucracy as a key objective. If he is is really determined to change things – as he ought to be, for this he has been given a clear mandate – then he needs to undertake wholesale reform on a mass scale, not just tinkering at the edges through token gestures and symbolic initiatives. There is need to set tangible targets for ministries, which are then devolved into individual performance targets. Targets ought to be carefully thought through by capable minsters and a couple of reform-minded trusted top advisers; the targets must be based on verifiable indices such as timely delivery of specified objectives, measurable cost efficiency, actual levels of public satisfaction and so on. There is need put in place rigorous evaluation of performance by ministers of the actual achievement of the targets or otherwise, and to link the major part of pay and perks of bureaucrats to the achievement of these targets. Failure to achieve targets for 3-4 years ought to result in placement into performance-improvement programs and eventually removal from service, as it does in the private sector and indeed in other parts of the government itself such as in the armed forces. These changes ought to be applied to the heads of the government departments, and they in turn ought to be required to apply the same to their juniors. Only if such a clear performance culture with direct impact on outcomes that matter (such as continuation in service, pay, promotion, perks) for individuals in key positions is established, will things improve. Sure, the bureaucracy will complain and become ‘demoralized’ but over time the system will improve. It will create a direct stake for bureaucrats to themselves seek domain expertise by hiring and utilizing so-called private sector experts, as key enablers for their own performance.
Others are not fool to leave their 7 figures packages.. careers abroad to prepare for upsc.. these laternal ones are mockery of people who chose the service, left big MBA.. MS.. in the first place. The corporate ethics with sole motive of profit.. and the service ethics with holistic motive of inclusion and transformation can hardly converge. Not every corporate is Ratan Tata. Crony capitalism and baniya raj won’t do us any good. Perhaps we shall strive for a balance.
I agree with you but the stiff civil service bastion is a major hindrance to their working,and areas such as information commission they could implement their independent creative work flow rather in any stigmatized department
1. Lateral entry should be at the very highest level – secretary – to make any difference.
2. All the secretary posts 100% of them should be filled by lateral entry.
3. The IAS coterie will not allow AS and DS level lateral officers to work – this article in itself is a reflection of how maligning of private sector is done by entrenched vested interests of corrupt babus.
Why points – because smallish brains of IAS and IAS aspirants can only understand the format which they’ve been fed while mugging coaching materials.
No government can dare to touch these service lobby . Few services are so called backbone of bureaucracy and even no government in this country can survive without them.
But I was hopeful with present government’s will power but no such strong decision taken yet. We are still following colonial system to run the administration of this country. Citizens are still waiting for transparent and corruption free India. 40 months to go..let’s hope something concrete on this aspects.
If they want experts, why don’t they recruit with specialized exam for respective domain. It indicates either government exams have failed with governments traditional approach of recruitment. Also training and employment quality check and accountability of the existing government officials have failed. Lateral entry will probably won’t be transparent and it is very likely that there will be misuse of powers during recruitment and after both by employer and employee. GOVERNMENT NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOALS OF PRIVATE SECTOR AND GOVERNMENT ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT. IT IS LIKE GOVERNMENT HAS TO FOCUS ON PUBLIC WELFARE. AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT PRIVATE SECTOR FOCUSES ON.
One, the bureaucrats aren’t bureaucrats for nothing. They know how to protect their turf. If Modi acts too smart, they also know how to deflate him. Two, the scheme and its morphs, were an EJECTION GIMMICK for the intelligentsia to swallow. The BJP was NEVER sincere on this issue.
Until the entire structure is flattened – as layers are exploited for shifting buck where no one needs to put in 100% to detriment of the decision – one cannot apply mind – just having kra and pleasing reporting officer in mind – the systems can be hijacked by those who initiate the notes and have the first hand records at their level- the whole system of movement from bottom up is the bane of administration.
It is great to have lateral entry in Government
Offices. Government should ensure free and fair selection. No bais or prejudices should be there. Those who are allowed lateral entry into Government Deptt should be given space and freedom to work for the good governance.
It may may choose officers in merit in initial years but later it will become a short cut to politicians to appoint there relatives and party workers.. We can still observe that politicians are getting appointment as directors of CPSU without considering any educational background.. Many will come with experience certificate of higher posts from paper companies with political recommendations will get selected.
Beyond everthing it is aginest right to equality in public employment.. It aims persons working in corparate world..a person who having academic qualification , but a farmer or a shopkeeper can’t apply for the post even if they are successful.. Hence such posts will be reserved post for the premier in the society.. In case of civil service selection the poorest graduate also have the option to participate and get selected.. If shortage of officers are there appoint more.
I am working in Reliance industries and so much relieved to hear this news. I was not able to qualify UPSC after 7 attempts . I support lateral entry.
This reform would surely would help persons who are already employed in some private companies to directly go to post of Joint Secretary.
It would help me to achieve my failed dreams
This is not for incompetent peeps like who couldn’t qualify in even 7 attempts. Keep dreaming haha xD!
Honestly , the entire purpose was to take the talent from outside the available pool and not some one who is not talented or domain expert which they required.
It is hardly surprising that these lateral entry experts have themselves become like the IAS officers, whose work culture they were supposed to help improve. The lateral entry move is a laudable, path-breaking initiative, but by itself it will change nothing because of two reasons: first, the “system is well-entrenched” as the unnamed IAS guy you interviewed self-comfortingly puts it; and second, perhaps, is that the initiative was not properly conceived. Merely appointing a small handful of such so-called experts to mid-level positions on relatively short-term contracts within a vast system is just a feeble effort, and is bound to result in their being subsumed into the system – that is hardly a surprise. Perhaps those recruited were also only ‘corporate bureaucrats’ or careerists themselves – merely coming from the private sector and having domain experience is not enough qualification. Perhaps they end up trying to fit into the system, bide their time and then see how they can ‘leverage’ the stint with the government for their next career step. This is hardly the behavior of change agents. In the end the lack of results will be held up as a ‘failure’ of the initiative and will just give ammunition to its critics – the change-resistant bureaucracy – to crawl out of the woodwork and say “we told you it wouldn’t work,” etc. thereby seeing it off for good.
The whole objective of bureaucracy is self-perpetuation; bureaucrats cherish above all their status, the certainty of their tenures (regardless of performance), the maintenance of privileges that come with belonging to the class and their grip on the levers of the system through established processes of selection and career progression. Any effort to change is seen immediately as a threat and undermined with focus and resolve via a collaborative effort across ministries that kicks in almost instinctively.
Mr. Modi was absolutely right in identifying the need to transform the functioning of the bureaucracy as a key objective. If he is is really determined to change things – as he ought to be, for this he has been given a clear mandate – then he needs to undertake wholesale reform on a mass scale, not just tinkering at the edges through token gestures and symbolic initiatives. There is need to set tangible targets for ministries, which are then devolved into individual performance targets. Targets ought to be carefully thought through by capable minsters and a couple of reform-minded trusted top advisers; the targets must be based on verifiable indices such as timely delivery of specified objectives, measurable cost efficiency, actual levels of public satisfaction and so on. There is need put in place rigorous evaluation of performance by ministers of the actual achievement of the targets or otherwise, and to link the major part of pay and perks of bureaucrats to the achievement of these targets. Failure to achieve targets for 3-4 years ought to result in placement into performance-improvement programs and eventually removal from service, as it does in the private sector and indeed in other parts of the government itself such as in the armed forces. These changes ought to be applied to the heads of the government departments, and they in turn ought to be required to apply the same to their juniors. Only if such a clear performance culture with direct impact on outcomes that matter (such as continuation in service, pay, promotion, perks) for individuals in key positions is established, will things improve. Sure, the bureaucracy will complain and become ‘demoralized’ but over time the system will improve. It will create a direct stake for bureaucrats to themselves seek domain expertise by hiring and utilizing so-called private sector experts, as key enablers for their own performance.
Others are not fool to leave their 7 figures packages.. careers abroad to prepare for upsc.. these laternal ones are mockery of people who chose the service, left big MBA.. MS.. in the first place. The corporate ethics with sole motive of profit.. and the service ethics with holistic motive of inclusion and transformation can hardly converge. Not every corporate is Ratan Tata. Crony capitalism and baniya raj won’t do us any good. Perhaps we shall strive for a balance.
I agree with you but the stiff civil service bastion is a major hindrance to their working,and areas such as information commission they could implement their independent creative work flow rather in any stigmatized department
1. Lateral entry should be at the very highest level – secretary – to make any difference.
2. All the secretary posts 100% of them should be filled by lateral entry.
3. The IAS coterie will not allow AS and DS level lateral officers to work – this article in itself is a reflection of how maligning of private sector is done by entrenched vested interests of corrupt babus.
Why points – because smallish brains of IAS and IAS aspirants can only understand the format which they’ve been fed while mugging coaching materials.
No government can dare to touch these service lobby . Few services are so called backbone of bureaucracy and even no government in this country can survive without them.
But I was hopeful with present government’s will power but no such strong decision taken yet. We are still following colonial system to run the administration of this country. Citizens are still waiting for transparent and corruption free India. 40 months to go..let’s hope something concrete on this aspects.