ROLE OF CIVIL SERVICES IN DEMOCRACY
Importance/ Functions of Civil Services
Civil Services is the functional body responsible for carrying on the administration under the direction and control of the elected representatives of people and in accordance with the rules and principles.
As per E.N. Gladden “It is the function of Civil Services to fulfil the will of Parliament, as formulated by the Cabinet – i.e. the Cabinet works out the policies of the Government. The
Civil Services see that these policies, when duly approved by the Parliament, is faithfully executed, so far as this is humanly possible.
Their main job is to assist the Government in policy formulation and then implementing this very policy on ground in most efficient manner.
Civil Services keep identifying new areas of societal concerns, inform the political masters and help them design the potential solutions, in form of various schemes and progs.
They keep taking feedback of performance of these schemes and bring required modifications in them.
It is the civil services, which is in constant touch with citizens at all levels of government – people interactions. Therefore the efficiency and attitude of civil servants will reflect upon the people’s confidence and faith in the governance system of the country.
Highlighting the importance of civil services, Joseph Chamberlain (British politician) said to a group of civil servants, “You can do without us (political representatives), but I am fully convinced that we could not do without you.”
A government can be conducted without Parliament for sometime or even without ministers, but it would be impossible for a society to manage its affairs without a well organised, efficient and honest civil service.
We are laymen/amateurs having broad/breadth of vision, but not the intensity of gaze (in depth/detailed). You belong to no party and therefore impartial in your approach. You are permanent in administration, unlike us, thus give a stability/continuity in administration and therefore in society.
An increase in functions of state and complexity of society has made a professionally erected civil services even more indispensable.
Advantages of having an independent, permanent, impartial and professional body called civil services, to run the administration, as against some nepotist/feudal/hereditary body of administrators: (1) Having a credibly recruited body provides a defence against abuse/ concentration of power at hands of few people with vested interests.
(2) Public policy today has become a complex task requiring indepth knowledge and expertise in public affairs. A permanent professional civil service provides continuity and develops expertise as well as acts as institutional memory (Data Management) for effective policy making.
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(3) A permanent and impartial civil service is more likely to assess a social social issue from long term perspective whereas political executive may have tendency to look for short term gain.
(4) A permanent civil servant helps to ensure uniformity in public administration and being a professionally oriented body, it acts as a unifying force, especially important in vast and culturally diverse country like India.
(5) A permanent institution i.e. Civil Servant is more likely to evolve over time on ethical and scientific basis for overall efficient functioning of Society.
The Civil Services in Post Independence India (As per 2nd A.R.C.)
In the initial years after independence, relations between ministers and civil servants were characterised by Mutual respect and understanding of each other’s perspective roles, with neither encroaching upon each other’s domain.
However, in subsequent years, matter started changing for worse. While some civil servants did not render objective and impartial advice to the ministers, often some ministers began to resent advice that did not fit in with their short term political interest.
There was also a tendency for some ministers at union and state level to control civil servants by focusing more on routine administrative matters like transfers and postings for pliability/flexibility in their decision making.
This trend was further accentuated by rising materialism and decline in values across the board. This gradually eroded civil services neutrality which was the hallmark of civil services in preindependence and nehruvian era.
It led to what we call as “Politicisation of Civil Services” in India.
Limitation of Bureaucracy/Civil Service in Developing Countries (including India) at three levels
(1) At Higher Levels - Difference of opinion of higher civil servants with politicians because of (a) Difference of outlook: due to different backgrounds of civil servants and politicians.
(b) Problem of role definition at higher level: It becomes not very clear that to what extent it is the role of political master or civil servant in policy making and implementation and who is to be blamed in reality if it does not work out well (e.g.
Coal Scam).
(c) In personelle management: It is seniority-cum-merit and not merit-cum-seniority, a bigger parameter of performance appraisal i.e. merit considered secondary and seniority considered primary.
(d) Lack of updated training: to allow senior civil servants to adopt to complex role.
(e) Salary and recognition: Therefore many IAS/IPS/resign and join private sector.
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(2) At Middle Level:
(a) Conflict between higher and middle civil servants: e.g. senior civil servants prevent middle level officers from taking initiatives.
(b) High level of corruption
(c) Lobbying among middle level civil servants.
(3) At Lower Levels
(a) Poor pay
(b) Low skill sets and lack of proper and regular training
(c) Crippling subservience to higher authority
(d) Less autonomy
Civil Services Activism includes all or any of those “proactive” steps which are taken by civil servants to make the system/ administration more people centric, transparent, efficient and abiding by constitutional values.
It may include gamut of activities like civil servants holding regular public meetings, asking for people’s f/b, making people aware of their rights, ensuring ‘quality’ of goods and services, provided by government, vigilant working, taking a strict stand against actions or decisions of political bosses or colleagues/seniors which are against his constitutional duties and constitutional values (e.g. corruption) and thus bringing a major reform, overhauling in the office. Civil Service Activism not only improves administration but majorly it reinforces faith of people/common man in the administration. For example,
T.N. Sheshan, former Chief Election Commissioner, can be called as an activist civil servant. He fought a tough battle to bring down electoral malpractices in India and making
Election Commission a powerful, efficient and transparent body.
He gave us some cleanest ever elections, by getting voter I.D. card issued and very strictly implementing M.C.C.
D.K. Ravi – Recently lost life, allegedly due to his stiff resistance to mafia-politician nexus, which he uncovered and acted against.
Kiran Bedi – actively brought reforms in jails of India through various new methods like vocational courses in prison, yoga, meditation, etc. when she was I.G. (Prison).
Vinod Rai – commented on irresponsible manner of coal block allocations, done both by
B.J.P. and Congress.
Ashok Khemka, Sanjeev Chaturvedi and many more.
Many a times, Civil Servant activists take a step which is in long term interest of democracy and rule of law but it may go against the conduct rules e.g. going to press directly; as whistleblower. So the activist civil servants many a times are alleged to be doing the Right
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Thing in a Wrong Way because of by being part of the system, they are not expected to go against the well set rules, even if their end intentions are to bring overall good to system.
However, many say that one cannot be a deadwood civil servant i.e. spectator of corruption, irregularities and inaction.
just be a mute
In fact, Civil Servants’ activists are better than the people who do all the wrong things in a right way. Thus Civil Servants’ activism is a ray of hope and now since the value system of administration is changing, Civil Servants activism may be given acceptance also.
In fact, it saves a civil servant from being indifferent in the name of civil servant neutrality
(because many a times C.S. Activism is seen as an action aimed as against particular political party/ideology.
Mr. Chatterjee (1992) – Bihar Cadre IAS, called upon a press conference to expose corruption in administration, and then resigned.
Civil Servant Activism, has no single meaning or context. Any ‘proactive’ step of a civil servant aimed at increasing the integrity and efficiency and the utility of the system/administration, can be termed as an act of Civil Services activism.
Case Study – Armstrong Pame, (IAS) and SDM of Tamenglong District, Manipur
Tamenglong is one of the remotest corners of India, but this young Naga IAS had gathered villagers as part of India’s most ambitious road project, that too beginning without any government funding.
The opening of the 100 km long “people’s road in February 2013 earned him Sobriquet “The
Miracle Man”. The road connects Tousem with the rest of Manipur, as also with Assam and
Nagaland. People in this village had to walk on foot for 4 days to get 6 days of ration due to lack of motorable road.
This 2009 batch IAS, asked State Government for funds but was turned down. So he collected his 5 month’s salary and one month’s salary of his brother and 3 month’s pension of his father. He went to facebook to arrange funds and got donations from abroad and thus earned Rs. 50 lakh for Road and got machinery from local contractors as charity and used local labour to build road.
Tousem, grows lot of oranges and most were getting rotten due to non availability of market but now due to this road, these oranges are getting distant markets and is running a full economy. Armstrong proved that if there is a will, civil servants can change the face of nation, using available authority and their position.
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Alex Paul Menon – Another example of Civil Servant Activism.
21st Century – A new world reality requires a reformed civil services, particularly
Higher Civil Services
The Ramifications of global changes are being felt by the Government in the form of increasing citizen’s expectations for better governance through effective service delivery, transparency, accountability and rule of law.
The Civil Services, as the prime constituent of the Government, must keep pace with the changing times in order to keep meeting the aspirations of people.
The purpose of these reforms (in civil services) must be to reorient the civil services into a dynamic, efficient, accountable apparatus for public service delivery built on public service ethos and values of integrity, equity and neutrality.
The history of Civil Service reforms in post 1947 India can be seen as feeble or piecemeal
(not holistic) approach. The framework of reforming Civil Service should be holistic.
The Civil Service examination Committee (Y.K. Alag Committee) in its report (2001) observed that recruitment, training and management (transfer, posting, cadre, salary, etc.) of civil services are inter-related component of same system and one cannot succeed without the other.
Any effort to rectify only one aspect to the exclusion of others will mean trying to cure the symptom rather than disease.
Suggested models of Bureaucracy, to strengthen democracy
1. Representative Bureaucracy – To ensure that Bureacracy does not use its powers to serve any one/particular section of society, Bureaucracy/civil services must have a diverse social composition, with people from all class, caste, region and gender being part of it. Representative B/Civil Service will act as internal tool of accountability, ensuring impartiality of treatment by civil servants to all citizens, thus strengthening
Democracy. (Please support the argument with data, to prove that Indian Bureaucracy/ higher civil servant is representative. Data was given in class /or use net for this purpose). 2. Balanced Bureaucracy – is one which is neither despotic (as in Pakistan) nor subservient (as in China) to political masters. India has, to large extent, a balanced civil servant where civil servants give best possible advices to political masters and also political masters are able to control the Bureaucrats/civil servants well, without eating away their constitutionally guaranteed autonomy. This balance is further strengthened by
British legacy of discipline civil services, vigilant media, active civil society and proactive and strong judiciary.
3. Participative Bureaucracy – is one which is not cut off from people and work for them, with them. To be participative enough, the Civil Servant must be (a) accountable of
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people- even if Indirectly; (2) Transparent – e-gov., RTI, citizen charter, social audit, etc.
; (3) Decentralised – Indian Civil Servant is largely centralised but is slowly becoming more and more decentralised; (4) Sensitive; (5) Responsive; (6) Citizen-centric. Indian
Civil Services is becoming more and more participative now.
4. Organismic Bureaucracy – is one which can accommodate changing realities of society in its working and can accordingly change/show flexibility I its value system, working tools, technology, etc. Indian Civil Service is quite organismic as evident from fact that it worked for a regulated economy and now is serving a largely open economy; it worked on minimum technology and now adopted e-gov. It was opaque earlier but now is much more transparent.
