We select individuals capable of becoming Formula One drivers. Then we give them rickety Maruti 800s on potholed roads and expect championship lap times.
India’s civil services were once called the ‘steel frame’. But steel is forged in fire, not moulded in a coaching class. While dilution has made the exam easier, it has also made it harder to find the game-changers we need.
The story of UPSC isn’t just that of an exam but about how India defines merit, opportunity and fairness. Over the last 100 years, its journey has been one of constant churn, reforms and resets.
The new and improved Pratibha Setu portal isn’t just a lifeline for UPSC candidates. It also offers ministries, PSUs, and private companies a database of talented individuals.
Aspirants have come and gone but Pushpendra Shrivastava remains confined in his one-room flat in Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar. His next test is the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission interview.
Another changing scenario had been, more candidates from various backgrounds aspiring to clear UPSC –even doctors, engineers, scientists and technocrats.
In a span of 15 years, the number of women UPSC applicants has nearly quadrupled, outpacing the growth in total applicants. Women now make up a third of all applicants.
Pinarayi Vijayan once called Vellappally Natesan, the general secretary of SNDP Yogam, Kerala’s Pravin Togadia. Now he is giving his hate speech a free pass.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham says bill will be 'well-timed, as Ukraine is making concessions for peace and Putin is all talk, continuing to kill the innocent'.
Indian Army has inducted loitering munitions, kamikaze and surveillance drones for over Rs 5,000 crore post Operation Sindoor from various domestic firms.
Many of you might think I got something so wrong in National Interest pieces written this year. I might disagree! But some deserve a Mea Culpa. I’d deal with the most recent this week.
This is strawman and a poor article in general. It basically doesn’t even address the issues in UPSC, just one complaint out of many. It’s not just the memory based exam issue but the idealisation of the service to an extent that it’s not even considered a public service anymore, but a position of power, thoroughly abused as seen in many cases and probably many unreported cases. The amount of behavioral issues among civil servants is so prevalent, that it has rightly earned its reputation of being the puppets of politicians. Anyway, I see no mention of safeguards against abuse by politicians for their own benefit. A thousand issues with the UPSC, an outdated exam pattern with no transparent selection process. Obviously a former civil servant would defend the institution that made him, but this desperate effort to counter valid criticism falls flat. If they know how to drive in formula 1, who is giving them the maruti? Funny. It’s you thats the beraucracy. It’s you who atleast get to drive the maruti, metaphorically, while the people that rely on your work, are not even able to ride a bicycle, metaphorically ofcourse. I had a couple of chuckles reading the article. Funny man
The schools have become the schools training Godi Giri , Questioning punishable, freedom from accountability and compliance and freedom from corruption. They are competing with the politicians in growing.
Besides the issues in selection process, the induction as well as future trainings seem improper and inadequate. The officers do not take it as a public service but to act as a boss to command! They keep themselves isolated from the general public and feel they are superior to others unlike in other advanced countries! They fail to honour the technocrats who really deliver on the ground. On the other hand they fall victims to political bosses. Whole criss cross and confusion to show right direction to nation. Training should be so good that shapes up their mindset and personality.
This is strawman and a poor article in general. It basically doesn’t even address the issues in UPSC, just one complaint out of many. It’s not just the memory based exam issue but the idealisation of the service to an extent that it’s not even considered a public service anymore, but a position of power, thoroughly abused as seen in many cases and probably many unreported cases. The amount of behavioral issues among civil servants is so prevalent, that it has rightly earned its reputation of being the puppets of politicians. Anyway, I see no mention of safeguards against abuse by politicians for their own benefit. A thousand issues with the UPSC, an outdated exam pattern with no transparent selection process. Obviously a former civil servant would defend the institution that made him, but this desperate effort to counter valid criticism falls flat. If they know how to drive in formula 1, who is giving them the maruti? Funny. It’s you thats the beraucracy. It’s you who atleast get to drive the maruti, metaphorically, while the people that rely on your work, are not even able to ride a bicycle, metaphorically ofcourse. I had a couple of chuckles reading the article. Funny man
The schools have become the schools training Godi Giri , Questioning punishable, freedom from accountability and compliance and freedom from corruption. They are competing with the politicians in growing.
I really appreciate your views. Very nicely written and expressed.
Best Regards
alakesh
Besides the issues in selection process, the induction as well as future trainings seem improper and inadequate. The officers do not take it as a public service but to act as a boss to command! They keep themselves isolated from the general public and feel they are superior to others unlike in other advanced countries! They fail to honour the technocrats who really deliver on the ground. On the other hand they fall victims to political bosses. Whole criss cross and confusion to show right direction to nation. Training should be so good that shapes up their mindset and personality.