Last 12 years, or rather the first 12 years of the new millennium has brought in big changes in many facets of our life including but not limited to information sharing, knowledge sharing, execution of tasks, and interaction of people. The single most important factor was and is, undoubtedly, what we call "internet". Along with this, huge strides made in software development enhanced the productivity of human race. Across the world, computers are used to effectively enhance and coordinate management and governance.
But our states are yet to implement a computerized system of governance. A casual visit to almost any government run establishments could leave us wondering whether the world is still at 1980s -1990s. It is high time the "old" file methods are to be abandoned. That is the most ineffective method to run government machinery in this age. Sorry to say,
we can't win in this globalised world through tactics of erstwhile bullock cart age. Our government machinery needs to adapt and innovate and embrace new technologies. Dust filled file racks never present a great picture of our state governance system. Throw it away please!
For enhancing the productivity of our government offices, a lot of change needs to happen. As a starting point, we need a system for accountability among public servants. For that to happen, the interactions of public servants with people and their daily decisions need to be recorded and made available in public domain. But any suggestion like this can raise a lot of hue and cry and protests from the government officers.
Have you ever noticed the level of ignorance among government employees with respect to modern methods of communication and information sharing? We will be bewildered by the complete lack of understanding among the public servants regarding internet and computers. What can't be explained is, how the same people, who are averse to one of the major breakthroughs in Human History is going to lead and execute future development plans and works of our state? Sounds crazy to say the least!
How can this state of affairs be changed?
The mindset of government employees need to change. The work culture needs to change. A spirit of innovation has to come in. Public servants need to embrace technologies. Is it possible with the current set of employees? “Difficult” could be the undivided opinion.
KERALA ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS COMMITTEE 2001 addressed exactly these issues and suggested a plethora of changes including Constituting State Civil Service, reducing the age of recruitment and more. It also questioned the practice of promoting clerical grade recruits to high profile posts based on the years of their service.
For example a person recruited as a clerk in Revenue service can retire as Deputy Collector, which is high profile post and the collector has to rely on deputy collectors for administration. Collector could be a young blood IAS but his ideas and passion for change may not be shared by his deputies. Also what a collector understands through his intimacy with technology and modern practices could not be transferred to his deputies due to lack of knowledge, attitude and skills among such promoted clerical recruits.
Another huge draw back of promoting clerks to higher posts is that by the time they reach a good profile like deputy collector, they would be neck deep and in sync with all the inefficiencies and corruption prevalent in public service. They will be incapable of coming out of their inefficient old practices and will not foster any type of openness while dealing with peoples’ issues. What a high profile position requires is empathy, and openness to peoples’ issue with out subjecting the problems to usual red tape behavior in government services. Corrupted officials are a bane of our government service.
Every state in India needs to have a strong Civil service pool. This is achieved through direct recruitment, that is All India Civil Services pool and through promotions from officers in state service. At present only Deputy Collectors in Revenue service with 7 years or more service in Deputy Collector rank could be considered for promotion to Indian Administrative service. So you could guess now what our state is losing by not having civil service direct recruitment. By the time the clerks gets promoted to the rank of Deputy Collector, all that is left will be 1 or 2 years of service. That leaves no chance for them to even complete the minimum requirement to get further promotions. Here the State is the ultimate loser, with not adequate representation in IAS.
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