On the eve of Civil Services Day on April 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ruled in favour of merit instead of seniority as he revamped the entire bureaucracy of the Finance, Commerce and Culture Ministries with appointment of new secretaries in the respective departments even though the incumbents have still months to retire.
Apart from Expenditure, secretaries to the other departments were appointed from the junior-most secretary empaneled 1994 batch of IAS officers, who have five years or more to serve in the government.
Apparently, the changes in the key ministries, particularly the Finance Ministry, were done amidst allegations of file bottlenecks and inability of the incumbent officers to take decisions on paper.
The much-needed shake-up undertaken by the prime minister is most welcome in this direction as it has sent a message of merit over seniority, accountability and initiative in the entire government, including the civilian-scientific-military bureaucracy and the national security establishment.
ALSO READ: Modi govt adds military teeth by massive capital spending
Over the past 78 years, seniority rather than merit has been the mantra of the Indian bureaucratic establishment, with nepotism/network playing a big role in key appointments before 2014.
{{/usCountry}}Over the past 78 years, seniority rather than merit has been the mantra of the Indian bureaucratic establishment, with nepotism/network playing a big role in key appointments before 2014.
{{/usCountry}}While the same cannot be said about junior bureaucracy and definitely not about bureaucracy in the states, the secretaries to the government of India today are largely officers of integrity, albeit some would prefer to serve their time rather than take initiatives or decisions. The process is more than often important than the result. The file should be complete is the mantra.
ALSO READ: View: Is consensus or disruption a path to good governance?
Even though PM Modi has virtually gone blue in the face about ‘Aatmanirbharta’ and decolonisation of the Indian mindset since he announced the ‘Paanch Prans’ on August 15, 2022, the Indian bureaucracy is still not willing to share growth of Bharat with the private sector as it sits on a ivory tower and spreads the word that both Indian politicians and private sector are largely unscrupulous and corrupt.
India cannot become a developed country with a big military-industrial complex in 2047 without the help of the Indian private sector, as slow-moving PSUs are not the answer, as they don’t even have the capacity to fully absorb the latest technologies.
One of the biggest hurdles that the Indian civilian-military bureaucracy faces is its inability to come up with original ideas and its dependence on the West for creative ideas, thoughts, and practices. The Indian military leadership totally relies on the West for strategies and tactics, with think-tank terminologies intruding into thought processes.
The global diplomatic lingua franca has changed with the likes of US President Donald Trump openly debating on strategic issues, but we seem to be stuck in the world of ‘note verbale’, ‘Chatham House rules’, and demarches. Even the Indian external intelligence relies more on its Western associates to share information rather than build capacities to pick up actionable intelligence in countries adversarial to India.
India has to become a thought and innovative power
If India has dreams to become the top three powers in the world, it has to become a thought and innovative power, not a copycat of Western ideas and branding.
Due to decades of socialist left-of-center governments, the Indian national security establishment remains suspicious of the US and still suffers nightmares of the USS Enterprise in the Bay of Bengal during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It is another matter, all top babus and diplomats want their children to acquire higher education and settle down in the US and Europe. The bureaucracy needs to open its mind while keeping only the Indian interest in mind.
While External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar the other day in Gujarat said that India was too big to be following any country, the Indian bureaucracy is divided between pro-communist and pro-west blocs rather than being committed to Bharat as the Cold war is still not over on the Raisina Hill.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over the past two decades, has shown that he is a builder of institutions and consensus rather than being a disruptive leader like President Trump. But the need of the hour is disruptive change in all aspects of governance, including the sacred cows of military and intelligence establishments, as the timing is right with a strong democratic leader holding the reins of the country.
With the shadow of China increasing by the day all over the world, India has no other option but to accelerate growth. You may crash, but you cannot reduce speed in a Formula 1 race.