A Stronger And Finer Frame

Context: The civil services held India together after Independence, but if the country's potential is to be realised, existing problems of inefficiency and inaction must be fixed.

Role of bureaucracy during post-independence period

• Held nation together: Civil services, and the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in particular, held the country together post-Independence.
• Impressive nation-building across sectors happened because of dedication and commitment of civil services.
• Changing responsibilities: The progress in last-mile connectivity and electronics for BharatNet, the recapitalisation and reform of failing banks, the distribution and transmission sectors and the privatisation of space are some of the new reform areas in bureaucracy.

Issues associated with Indian bureaucracy

• Outdated legal system: Bureaucracy is a creature of the Constitution and is bound by multiple rules, laws, and procedures. Many of these are well past their expiry date.
• Human resource problem - Grossly understaffed: As per estimates compiled by the Institute of Conflict Management, the government of India (GOI) has about 364 government servants for every 1,00,000 residents, with 45 per cent in railways alone.
  • About 60 per cent and 30 per cent are in Groups C and D, respectively, leaving a skeletal skilled staff of just about 7 per cent to man critical positions.
• Work culture issues:
  • Inaction: Faced with extensive judicial overreach (both justified and unjustified), reporting to an often rapacious, short-sighted political executive, and a media ever ready to play the role of judge, jury and executioner, the bureaucracy has in large part found comfort in glorious inaction and ensuring audit-proof file work.
  • Corruption: Twenty-five per cent is willing to do anything for the right bribe, with another 25 per cent focusing on ensuring outcomes in extremely difficult circumstances.
  • Obsessed with accountability to processes and not to results: When an outstanding IAS officer like Pradip Baijal is pulled out of his hospital bed to be produced before the courts after CBI closed an outlandish case against him, even the best officers become timid and cautious, lest something returns to haunt them years after retirement.

Way forward

• Legal reforms: Legally prevent enforcement agencies from taking punitive action, like arrest for purely economic decisions without any direct evidence of kickbacks.
  • A committee of experts with commercial experience constituted by the government should suggest whether it’s corruption or just a decision gone wrong.
• Lateral entry needs to expand to up to 15% of Joint/Additional and Secretary-level positions in GOI.
• Privatisation of everything that needs problem-solving professionals such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, climate change, global trade negotiations and information technology etc.
• Changes in recruitment procedures, like the interview group spending considerable time with the candidates and not deciding based on a half-hour interview, along with psychometric tests.
• Training and recalibration: After 15 years of service, all officers must undergo a thorough evaluation to enable them to move further, and those who do not make it should be put out to pasture. Give them full salary till they hit retirement age.
• Adopt technology-enabled productivity and collaboration tools
  • All procurements and payments, worth about $600 billion, to be done electronically.
  • Automate India’s $90 billion utility bills market.
  • Automate every major touchpoint between the government, citizens, and businesses

Conclusion: India cannot hope to get to a $5-trillion economy without a modern, progressive, results-oriented bureaucracy, one which says “why not?” instead of “why?” when confronted with problems.