RESTORATION OF INDIA'S CIVIL SERVICES FROM THE RUINS

ICS (Indian Civil Servce), the bureaucratic arm of the British Empire to rule the Indian Colony, evoke awe and admiration. The builders of Independent India created IAS (Indian Administrative Service ), IPS (Indian Police Service) and other all India services on the lines of ICS to enable the elected political leadership to govern at the Centre and in the states  to ensure social justice and people's welfare. Protected by the Constitution of India, IAS, IPS  and other civil service officers are expected to ensure efficient and transparent governance fearlessly.

Many young men and women, fired with idealism, joined the civil services through a rigorous selection process by the Union Public Service Commission, drawn from different disciplines : liberal arts , humanities, physical, biological and social sciences, engineering, management, medicine, etc. Graduates from IITs and IIMs, and PhDs also opted for the civil services. Thus the civil service attracted the cream of Indian youth. During the first two decades after Independence the civil service officers could function with freedom because of clean political leadership.

Politics in India witnessed a steady decline from the mid-60s and the main victim was the civil service. Criminals, the corrupt, sex abusers, and others with shady character have been occupying the Parliament, state legislatures and local bodies as MPs, MLAs, Ministers, chairmen, etc. One  example: Dhananjay Singh, at 38, MP has 29 criminal cases pending against him including murder of a Chief Medical Officer, and even a double murder ( like a double century in Cricket). Politics has become an easy money making business without any investment. Money and muscle power are essential ingredients in elections. So while Ministers amass millions and millions, even a village panchayat member can make lakhs. All these  are possible only through corruption and other criminal means. Honest civil service officers are hurdles in this corrupt practices of politicians. The officers who refuse to toe the line of the political masters are harassed, humiliated, transferred, suspended, intimidated, assigned insignificant positions, etc. Sadly, many civil service officers have been co-opted in the corrupt and criminal system, and many are arrested and sent to jail. A dangerous decline of the civil service .

Years ago, my friend Dr.Henry D'Souza, Professor of Social Work, University of Omaha, was in a great dilemma: join the civil services to which he was selected or to go to US for higher studies. In making  a correct decision, he met a senior IAS officer (his hobby: cricket commentary) who told him :D'Souza! Starting a barber shop these days is a better option. You will have freedom. So young man, take the earliest flight to USA. You will never regret.

Famous actor Suresh Gopi immortalised IPS  as an officer in many films. No actor has done so in the country. His role as Commissioner in a film by the same name received a gift from a woman in Chennai; it was a costly gold chain for his stellar role as an IPS officer. It is a reflection of the expectations of the people from the IPS.

The Supreme Court of India recently passed an epoch making order for the creation of Civil Service Boards at the Centre and in the states to regulate transfers and other aspects, fixed tenure for officers in different positions, etc. They need not obey the oral orders of the political bosses. The order of the Supreme Court will , no doubt, restore the civil service to its past glory for the well-being of a billion plus Indians.