Has IAS Failed The Nation? Not Really 

Context: Recently, the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) has come under severe criticism from different quarters, including from several senior retired IAS officers.

Therefore, it demands both constructive criticism and introspection for the improvement in the premier institution of the Indian bureaucracy. 

What are the problems the IAS is facing? 

There is a perception that the IAS has “lost its ethos and its way” over a period of time. They have become “cogs in the wheels of complacency and acquiescence”. 

The Indian bureaucracy has been facing the biggest issue of politicisation. It has resulted into the deeply flawed system of incentives and penalties for the IAS officers. It is the biggest problem of the IAS officers.

Why the IAS has not failed? 

The IAS service has played its role in Indian democracy while adhering to the principle of the primacy of the political executive. In fact, is the most important principles of a democratic country 

The IAS officers are wrongly blamed for every policy failure or its implementation failure. They are disproportionately blamed because of the premier status of the IAS. There are other services or institutions involved in the policymaking and implementation process as well. 

As per findings of a detailed study on the effectiveness of the IAS in 2017, it was found that the IAS has been very effective in preserving national unity and upholding the constitutional rule in India. 

In fact, every single state reform and improvement in public service delivery in India happened due to the effort of a competent IAS officer (As per the World Bank study in 2006-07). These are ‘unsung heroes’ of India. Such efforts are often replicated and also publicized as good work by the LBSNAA.  

What are the reforms that need to be implemented? 

Reforms must start with changes in the entry examination, say, the maximum age and number of attempts should be reduced.  

In order to improve performance, there is a need to do away with the distinction between promotion and empanelment.  

The government needs to establish a very robust appraisal system. It should be executed through the UPSC. Those who do not qualify in the appraisal system should be pensioned off.  

The state civil service officers should be promoted to the IAS by a competitive examination. It would ensure younger persons come into the IAS service. It will also strengthen the federal character.  

It should be ensured that the transfer is not used as an instrument of coercion and the IAS are not targeted post retirement.  

Discourage post-retirement positions of the IAS officers.  

What is the way forward? 

IAS comprises an “extraordinary pool of skills and talents”. They have rich experiences in various fields, understanding of the functioning of the government, and understanding of delivery systems for development”. Therefore, they are best positioned to lead our developmental efforts. 

Moreover, if the IAS officers are properly empowered by politicians, they can be transformed into an effective instrument for innovation in service delivery.

Source: The post is based on the article, “Has IAS Failed the Nation? Not really” published in The Times of India on 7th Apr 22.