"How are you able work under corrupt, criminal politicians even after studying so much?"
My tryst with the creature called civil service began almost a decade ago when my brother got ready to take his UPSC exams. Today both of us are “civil servants”. (I’m yet to figure out who were Uncivil servants!) Over the last many years we and my other friends here, have come across those questions in various formats, from different corners. They usually move around –
o The system is beyond repair
o The system is corrupt
o You have to follow the orders of politicians
o Transfers and punishment postings
o No single man can make a difference
o Don’t waste your brain
Every morning the newspapers show us how the state has failed us – bomb blasts, lack of basic facilities, murders, communal clashes, leaking PDS, red tape, poor infrastructure, corrupt bureaucrats etc. Yes, it seems the state and a major part of its agencies – Courts, Assemblies, Bureaucracy – have failed. BUT we are able to hold together as one nation purely due to the fact that there are very honest, able men and women sprinkled here and there. These men and women ensure we do not lose hope, completely. I’m reminded of Asterix and Obelix. As it goes, during the time when a vast expanse of the known world was under Caesar, only one Gaulish village stood out; they gave Rome a real pain; these people made sure their independence was not negotiable. But for this one village Caesar would have been the real Emperor. Every soul would have been his subject. The people I’m talking about are like that village, without them there would be no hope. No future.
And, as we know, if all of us move away from the dirty world of government and administration for these reasons, our future will not have even one single village to fight odds…
Well, I do not mean that being in the civil service is the only way to contribute to the country. I don’t ask why M F Hussain is wasting canvas and cans of colours instead of being Sh.M.F.Hussain I.A.S., Secretary-Ministry of Rural Development. Also, there have been many officers who have quit the service to do better work! But civil service is not something one needs to avoid for frivolous reasons like “working under illiterate politicians, under constant fear of transfers and punishment postings”.
It’s good to remember our quotes-man George Bernard Shaw – Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.
Whether we like it or not, democracy is in the DNA of our Constitution.
My tryst with the creature called civil service began almost a decade ago when my brother got ready to take his UPSC exams. Today both of us are “civil servants”. (I’m yet to figure out who were Uncivil servants!) Over the last many years we and my other friends here, have come across those questions in various formats, from different corners. They usually move around –
o The system is beyond repair
o The system is corrupt
o You have to follow the orders of politicians
o Transfers and punishment postings
o No single man can make a difference
o Don’t waste your brain
Every morning the newspapers show us how the state has failed us – bomb blasts, lack of basic facilities, murders, communal clashes, leaking PDS, red tape, poor infrastructure, corrupt bureaucrats etc. Yes, it seems the state and a major part of its agencies – Courts, Assemblies, Bureaucracy – have failed. BUT we are able to hold together as one nation purely due to the fact that there are very honest, able men and women sprinkled here and there. These men and women ensure we do not lose hope, completely. I’m reminded of Asterix and Obelix. As it goes, during the time when a vast expanse of the known world was under Caesar, only one Gaulish village stood out; they gave Rome a real pain; these people made sure their independence was not negotiable. But for this one village Caesar would have been the real Emperor. Every soul would have been his subject. The people I’m talking about are like that village, without them there would be no hope. No future.
And, as we know, if all of us move away from the dirty world of government and administration for these reasons, our future will not have even one single village to fight odds…
Well, I do not mean that being in the civil service is the only way to contribute to the country. I don’t ask why M F Hussain is wasting canvas and cans of colours instead of being Sh.M.F.Hussain I.A.S., Secretary-Ministry of Rural Development. Also, there have been many officers who have quit the service to do better work! But civil service is not something one needs to avoid for frivolous reasons like “working under illiterate politicians, under constant fear of transfers and punishment postings”.
It’s good to remember our quotes-man George Bernard Shaw – Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.
Whether we like it or not, democracy is in the DNA of our Constitution.
4 comments:
True and this post is more inspiring:) Always hope exists no matter how bad life can treat you. The survival of life on this earth over billions of years is a strong evidence and indication of future prosperity.
In the related context, though India was considered to be one of the underdeveloped countries and poorest nations at the time of independece, the nation was full of good heritage and legacy. Ethics are still being taught to children in the name of religion no matter how poor the family is and that forms the basis of our culture and growth. The developed countries have formulated laws to enforce good habits among the subjects whereas in India they are taught as Religious ethics. India is in a transition phase of adapting to the western way of life: Teaching good to the subjects through laws. We are slowly losing our identity strength though we make gains in other fronts. When we make such a transition, we need stronger administrators who can make people think and conform to the legal system.
Yes, there is always hope and confidence in mind for it's not possible for a great nation to fail to produce good administrators or good philosophers who can stand injustice upon them. Life is worth living as an administrator in India. It's always a good investment and is subject to recession and storming quite often:)
Firstly, thanks for your post.er..sorry..thanks for your comment ;) !
Your last line adds a new dimension to the whole game of civil services!! ;)
I esp like your point on "identity strength" da..
Anna... pul arikudhu..wonderfully inspiring
Thambeee...thanks paaaa!!! :)
And inspired by you and one more fellow I have tried comedy in the next post MCA....
hope its not bad..
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