Content

● What is civil services

● Classification of civil services in India
● Role of civil services in democracy
● Functions of civil services
● Some Observations About Civil Services In India ARC 2 Report
● Importance of Civil Services Reforms in India
● Reforms required in the Indian Civil Service
● Reforms on Civil Services
● What are the Related Initiatives?

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• What is civil services
The civil service is a They are expert
subdivision of government administrators
which is usually grouped
with the Executive, and Some academicians refer
without which governments jointly to these employees as
cannot function. These are public administration or the
men and women who bureaucracy, or public
establish the permanent service.
staff of the departments of According to Lawson, (1974), the
governments. civil service is the term used to
designate servants of the state or
the central government employed
It does not include ministers or
as civilians
cabinet members or the Judiciary.
 • Civil Services
In this framework, the civil
service will embrace
civilian employees of state
and federal governments
only, excluding cabinet
ministers and the judiciary.
Idode, (1986), explained civil
service as the "array of
administrative and professional
staff employed, on permanent
and pensionable basis to
established posts, by the state, to
advise on and execute its
policies.
Role of Civil Services in Democracy
● Democracy is an egalitarian principle in which the governed nominate the people who
manage them.
● Modern-day democracy has three pillars:
○ Legislature
○ Executive
○ Judiciary
● The civil services fall under the executive part. Unlike the temporary ministers, whom
the people reelect through elections, the civil servants form a permanent part of the
executive.
● The civil servants are answerable to the ministers. Civil services are, thus, a
subdivision of the government.
● The civil services officers form the permanent staff of different government
departments.
● They are experts in administration and are also referred to as bureaucrats.
 Functions of Civil Services

•1. Policy Formulation: The civil service is chiefly responsible for policy formulation as well.
The civil service officers advise ministers in this regard and also provides them with facts
and ideas.
•2. Instruments of Social Change & Economic Development: Successful policy
implementation will lead to positive changes in the lives of ordinary people. It is only when
the promised goods and services reach the intended beneficiaries, a government can call
any scheme successful. The task of actualising schemes and policies fall with the officers of
the civil services.
•3. Basis of Government: There can be no government without administrative
machinery.
Function of Civil Services

• 4. Channel of Communication: They work on the ground, providing advice to CEOs and ministers and
connecting citizens and policymakers.

• 5. Developmental Functions: The services perform a variety of developmental functions like promoting
modern techniques in agriculture, promoting the industry, trade, banking functions, bridging the digital
divide, etc.

• 6. Welfare Services: The services offer a variety of welfare schemes such as providing social security, the
welfare of weaker and vulnerable sections of society, old-age pensions, poverty alleviation, etc.

• 4. Implementing Laws & Policies: Civil services are responsible for implementing laws and executing
policies framed by the government.
Challenges in Indian civil services

Lack of expertise and poor capacity building

An ineffective incentive system that does not reward the meritorious and upright
civil servants.

Rigid and outmoded rules and procedures that do not allow civil servants to
exercise individual judgement and perform efficiently.

Lack of adequate transparency and accountability procedures. There is also no

safety for whistle blowers.
Challenges in Indian civil services

Political interference causing arbitrary transfers, and insecurity in tenures.

An erosion in ethics and values, which has caused rampant corruption and nepotism.

Patrimonialism (a form of governance in which all power flows directly from the leader).

Resistance to change from the civil servants themselves.

 Some Observations About Civil Services In India
The following are some of the observations of the 2nd Administrative Reforms
Commission.
1. In India, the civil service is more focused on internal procedures than on
outcomes.
2. The policy and management structures within which the public service performs
are excessively complicated and frequently too constricting due to systemic
rigidities, unnecessary complexities, and over-centralization.
3. In order for a decision to be made, many veto points must be resolved due to the
hierarchical nature of the structures.
4. Effective governance with an emphasis on decentralization and citizen-centricity
must replace the preeminence of governance.
 Recommendation of some other committees.
1. Examining candidates in a common subject as opposed to optional subjects was
preferred by the Civil Services Examination Review Committee, 2001 (headed by
Professor Yoginder K. Alagh).
2. The Hota Committee Report, 2004, made recommendations for the introduction of
aptitude and leadership exams for selection as well as for giving probationers one month
after the start of training to exercise their option for services.
3. The Basawan Committee (2016) advised doing a genuine assessment of the need for
IAS officers annually in order to make the government a realistic request for Direct
Recruits each year and to keep track of the openings below the promotion ceiling.
4. Three mid-career training programmes should be offered during the 12th, 20th, and 28th
years of service, according to the Yugandhar Committee’s 2003 recommendation. At
these three points in the officer’s career, there is a “significant transition” in the nature of
their work, hence training was recommended.
5. Information and communication technology (ICT) may be used to alter government by
making it more accessible, efficient, and responsible, according to the Hota Committee
of 2004.
Importance of Civil Services Reforms in India
Civil Services in India need to keep pace with the march of technology in
today’s globalised world. Hence, the reforms of Civil Services is to reorient it
into a dynamic, efficient and fluid apparatus of public service. The reforms will
also raise the qualitative standards of the public service delivered to the general
citizens.
India’s massive bureaucracy is maintained at huge cost by the country’s
taxpayers, whose average income is among the lowest in the world.
But the public perception about the members of the civil services, who
function at cutting edge and higher coordinating and policymaking levels, is
that they are burdensome low-performers’ heading a highly bloated
bureaucracy, which is, often, perceived to be corrupt and inefficient in
governing the country.
Hence, it is important that reforms on civil services take place at the earliest.
Reforms required in the Indian Civil Service
Flexibility to ensure development work
needs some flexibility from a strict
observance of rigid rules and regulations.

Reforms in the field of recruitment of civil

servants to find people who can ensure
smooth functioning of democracy.

Training of civil servants should be able to

bring about behavioural and attitudinal
changes.
Minimization of red-tapism through
simplification of administrative procedures,
rules and regulations; decentralization of
authority and collegiate decision making;
de-emphasis of hierarchy in the
administrative structure
Adoption of modern management
techniques; elimination of corruption,
impartial and efficient administration;
creation of new work culture and
encouraging creativity
Reforms on Civil Services

1. Recruitment
2. Training
3. Evaluation
4. Governance
1.Recruitment:
The existing 60 plus separate civil services at the central
and state level needs to be reduced through
rationalization and harmonization of services. Recruits
should be placed in a central talent pool, which would
then allocate candidates by matching their competencies
and the job description of the post. Bringing in
specialised recruits at the higher level of government will
improve overall efficiency
2. Training:

There is a need to develop ongoing training

and immersion modules on a
district-by-district basis. By implementing a
Code of Ethics, civil servants will be
inculcated with morals that can put the needs
of the people above all.
3. Evaluation:
● There is an inherent need to set key responsibility/focus
areas and progressively reduce discretionary aspects to
evaluate civil servants.
● Develop benchmarks to assess the performance of
officers and compulsorily retire those deemed unable to
meet the benchmarks.
● Review existing schemes and introduce new schemes of
incentives for extraordinary performance.
4. Governance:
The concept of e-governance is bound to play a major role in the reform
process of civil services. With the increase in literacy rates and
accessibility to technology, the civil servants will be more accountable
and transparent in the conduct of their duties.
● Any present day civil service reform is incomplete if it neglects the role
of information and communication technology.
● There has been a need to reform keeping in view of the changing
circumstances, there is a need to reform civil services and make civil
servants pro-active in the developmental process.
Required to counter the challenges.
Lastly, it is important to recognize that the reform mandate will
throw up greater challenges. The following would be required to
counter the challenges.
• Political support and will
• Management capacity to implement reforms
• Nurturing support from civil servants themselves
• ‘Safety nets’ must be in place for people adversely affected
• Reforms must reflect the political and institutional environment
of a country.
• Developing communication between all the stakeholders.
What are the Related Initiatives?

● Mission Karmayogi:
○ This is a National Programme for Civil Services
Capacity Building (NPCSCB). It is a comprehensive
reform of the capacity building apparatus at
individual, institutional and process levels for
efficient public service delivery.
About Mission Karmayogi
● Referred to as the biggest bureaucratic reform initiative of
independent India, the Union government launched Mission
Karmayogi in September, 2020.
● Objective: To transform capacity-building in the bureaucracy through
institutional and process reforms.
● Mission Karmayogi is a scheme that exhorts the civil servant to
maintain a very high standard of conduct and behaviour so that
he earns the trust of the people and is emulated by his peers and
subordinates.
What are the Related Initiatives?
● Lateral Entry Reform:
○ Lateral entry means when personnel from the private sector
are selected to an administrative post of the government despite
them not being selected in or being part of a bureaucratic setup.
○ This is significant because contemporary times require highly
skilled and motivated individuals at the helm of administrative
affairs, without which public service delivery mechanisms do
not work smoothly.
What are the Related Initiatives?
● e-Samiksha:
○ A real time online system for monitoring and
follow up action on the decisions taken by the
Government at the Apex level in respect of
implementation of important Government
programmes/projects.
What are the Related Initiatives?

● Citizen Charters:
○ Government has mandated Citizen
Charters for all Ministries/Departments
which are updated and reviewed on a
regular basis.
What are the Related Initiatives?
● National Conference on e-Governance:
○ It provides a platform for the government to
engage with experts, intellectuals from
industry and academic institutions to exchange
experiences relating to e-Governance initiatives.
What are the Related Initiatives?
● Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring
System (CPGRAMS):
○ It is an online web-enabled system developed by National Informatics
Centre (Ministry of Electronics & IT [MeitY]), in association with Directorate of
Public Grievances (DPG) and Department of Administrative Reforms and
Public Grievances (DARPG).
○ The CPGRAMS provides the facility to lodge a grievance online from any
geographical location. It enables the citizen to track online the grievance
being followed up with Departments concerned and also enables DARPG to
monitor the grievance.
What are the Related Initiatives?

● National e-Governance Service

Delivery Assessment:
○ It aims at assessing the States, UTs and
Central Ministries on the efficiency of
e-Governance service delivery
 Check yourself

● What are the obstacles in civil Servises reform?

● Explain areas for civil services reforms ?
● What is role of civil services in democracy?