RE: [IAC#RG] It is Time to shut the IAS Down

3/8/15

Sir,

The specialists and experts should be inducted at a senior level and should have direct access to the Minister . They should be appointed in each Ministry-specially for technical, financial and legal matters.

There should be some system 0f reward and punishment as annual CRs are not enough.

Dismissing a senior officer is an impossibility- They are appointed by the President and only he can dismiss them.

Need  change in system of Competition by UPSC/SPSC, Science and Engg. streams have better chance compared to Art and Commerce.

So also personal interview format be changed to make it broad-based and objective.

Employment after retirement- either it should be banned or pension be discontinued.

Two steps in the hierarchy-one at clerical and other at senior level above undersecretary be eliminated.  
Above all the Minister should not be a political appointee- he should be equally educated and familiar with working of the bureaucratic system.

The system prevailing in United States is different. There the movement between Govt. and Private sector is seamless. The CEO of a multinational Co. can be inducted as Secretary for 5 years by the incoming President and after his term expires go back to the same or any other Multinational Co.

When we suggest a change, the change should be for better

Giving examples of countries like Singapore or Australia has no meaning in in the context of India.

Regds

 JKGaur
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2015 08:41:11 +0530
To: indiaresists@lists.riseup.net
Subject: Re: [IAC#RG] It is Time to shut the IAS Down

I think specialists and experts in different fields may have to be given more decisive roles in the govt to make a meaningful difference in governance.

Sent from my iPad

On 25-Jul-2015, at 9:16 am, Randhir Phagura <rsphagura@gmail.com> wrote:

Madam Zaidi,

Yes. That is right. Bush was really dumb. But then, They too have the 'dynasty' problems like ours. An odd president of the 'Bush type' did do a lot of harm not only to the US but to the whole world economy. It would happen though rarely in even a good system of government. No system seems to be 'idiot' proof. But in our case, there is a whole series of 'idiots' of all types and they , more or less, continuously occupy their 'thrones'. Under these conditions it is really a wonder how India survived this far! We must be the most pliant and self-centric nation in the entire world. We are proving the Bible true when it says, "The meek shall inherit the earth!".

As for China, theirs' is the most autocratic system. They can dictate anything to any of their officials. But we have the halter of democracy, human rights and all the other freedoms one can think of. With the result that India, as it is now, has become a very difficult country to govern and administer.

Madam, the Indian defence forces inherited the strict ethos, discipline, professionalism and dedication from the British Indian Defence Forces. After Independence while the Defence Forces endeavoured to upkeep those ethos because, that was the best 'Military Culture' in the World. Today, while the world has repeatedly praised the Indian Defence Force, here at home, all other 'bastions' thus inherited from the British have fallen to 'greed and indolence'. The IAS have completely overthrown that inherited good work culture. In fact, IAS and politician combine has done the biggest disservice to our nation.

Thanks & Regards,

Randhir Phagura

Maj Gen (Retd.)

On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 7:33 AM, Shama Zaidi <shamazaidi@gmail.com> wrote:

These are all very well-articulated points Maj Gen Phagura, and specialization of the official cadre is vital for our progress. Perhaps inducting specialists from outside the IAS by each incoming government might work out better. These persons would be for the duration of the ruling party/coalition and would resign at the end of the term. This is the practice as you well know in the USA. I do not know how it works in China, but they have had competitive exams for 2000 years, and probably know more about how to handle bureaucrats, than any other country in the world. Granted that our elected politicians are not very bright, but then George Bush was a certified idiot, as are many elected members in the USA.

On 18 July 2015 at 09:19, Randhir Phagura <rsphagura@gmail.com> wrote:

While the article gives valid arguments for reform of the 'great' IAS, the real problem are the politicians. These are not enlightened people but only the riff-raff 'dadas' who have climbed up to their respective positions over the shoulders of our naive, gullible, ignorant and indolent compatriots. Many of them are coerced by these 'dadas' through the neo-feudal and neo-vassal system that is yet rife in our unfortunate land.

These politicians are not knowledgeable about anything. Their mental capabilities are very limited. If they had any capability then they would not have chosen politics as a career; they might have joined the IAS or the Services or other such competitive avenues. They, therefore, have no clues about the ministries allocated to them. Hence, they are completely dependent on the Babu who is very intelligent and cunning and plays tricks on them in such a way that they literally 'eat out of his hands'. They are thus very happy with the arrangement and support the Babu to run his writ as he pleases. They have not joined politics to serve the people but to serve themselves and just to fill the gap in the vacancies left by the intelligentsia who do not wish to 'dirty their hands', so to say! Hence, the idea of reforming the IAS would never ever enter their head.

Modi is a different politician in that he wishes to serve the Nation and he is sincere about it. He is exerting himself to the hilt. But results are not matching his efforts. Reason again is limited capability. Now consider the capabilities of say Obama, Putin or even XI with those of Narinder Modi. He too, therefore, was not very clear as to 'HOW' he has to proceed in order to get to the very laudable objectives that he had spelled in the beginning.
But capability is not the only handicap. The other impediment is opposition to him within the party. His position is anything but strong in the BJP. Recall that the same people who are today occupying prominent positions in his cabinet were, at one stage, opposed to him till he got the thumping majority for them. They are still watchful for any slip by him. That might be the reason that he could not take any action against the 'fraudulent ladies'. Hence, he cannot take any strong decision such as were taken by Indira Gandhi, as PM. The question of reforming the IAS, then, may not have entered his thoughts, as yet. In due course as and when he is on a firmer ground, politically, he may venture upon it.

Meanwhile, one important aspect of the IAS reforms was to confine them to particular branches of administration such as 'Finance' 'Home', 'Defence' and so on; just as the services are confined to their respective arms and services. The IFS are already specialists in the External Affairs and hence, better informed about their subject. The same could be done for other branches of administration. Taking the totals for the States as well, there would be sufficient vacancies in each branch.

The intelligentsia, on its part, must bring out the subject topic in the open and let it be discussed in the TV and print media.Confining to the internet is a limitation.

Regards,

Randhir Phagura

Maj Gen (Retd.)

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