Syllabus: GS2/ Governance
Context
- The Prime Minister of India addressed Civil Servants on the occasion of 17th Civil Services Day in New Delhi.
Civil Service Day
- Civil Services Day is observed on 21st April every year to commemorate the day in 1947 when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the first batch of civil servants at the Metcalfe House, New Delhi.
- He termed civil servants as the “Steel frame of India,” emphasizing their role in maintaining unity and integrity.
| History of Civil Services in India – Lord Cornwallis is considered as ‘Father of Civil Services in India’. – Lord Wellesley founded the College of Fort William in Calcutta in 1800 to educate young recruits for the Civil Services. 1. But the directors of the Company, in 1806, replaced it with their own East Indian College at Haileybury in England. – Before 1853 East India Company directors used to appoint Civil Servants. Board of Control members were allowed to make some nominations. – The Charter Act of 1853 abolished the patronage system and introduced open competitive examinations. – The first competitive exams for the Indian Civil Services (ICS) were held in London in 1855. – Satyendranath Tagore was the first Indian to clear ICS in 1864. |
Role of Civil Services in Governance
- Service delivery: They are responsible for administering welfare schemes and ensuring that public services reach the intended beneficiaries, particularly at the last mile.
- Maintaining law and order: Civil services ensure peace, justice, and security by upholding the rule of law and coordinating with law enforcement agencies.
Challenges faced by civil services
- Red-tapism: Excessive procedural formalities often delay decision-making and hinder timely service delivery.
- Mental health issues: High-pressure environments, and long working hours impact the mental well-being of civil servants.
- Resistance to innovation: A rigid administrative culture discourages experimentation and adoption of new practices.
- Outdated rules and procedures: Many service regulations are colonial-era legacies that are not compatible with modern governance needs.
Constitutional Provisions
- Article 309 empowers Parliament and State Legislatures to regulate recruitment and conditions of service.
- Article 310 of the Constitution states that civil servants of the Union and the States hold office during the pleasure of the President or the Governor, respectively.
- Article 311 provides safeguards for civil servants against arbitrary dismissal.
- Article 312 outlines the process for creating All India Services, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and the Indian Forest Service (IFoS).
- Articles 315 to 323 of the Indian Constitution establish Public Service Commissions (PSCs) for both the Union (UPSC) and each state (SPSC).
Governance reforms to enhance efficiency of bureaucracy
- Mission Karmayogi National Program: It is a flagship programme of Government of India launched in 2020 for training of civil servants, which intends to transform the Civil Services from ‘Rule Based’ to ‘Role Based’ way of functioning and Citizen Centric. Mission Karmayogi has the following six pillars;
- Policy Framework,
- Institutional Framework,
- Competency Framework,
- Digital Learning Framework (Integrated Government Online Training Karmayogi Platform (iGOT-Karmayogi),
- Electronic Human Resource Management System (e-HRMS), and
- Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
- Lateral Entry into Civil Services to bring domain expertise and promote competitiveness in administration.
- e-Governance Initiatives: Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) for grievance redressal, SPARROW for performance appraisal, and digitization of service records.
Concluding remarks
- Civil servants play a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of India’s growth and governance, often known as the architects of Viksit Bharat.
- By embodying the Panch Pran—commitment to a developed India, shedding colonial mindsets, pride in heritage, unity, and a sense of duty—civil servants can realize the vision of a prosperous, resilient, and self-reliant India.
Source: PIB
Previous article
Hindu Kush Himalaya Snow Update
Next article
Censorship of Social Media