“Great Power comes with Great Responsibility”
IAS, one of the civil services is coveted as the most prestigious job in the country, as no other profession stands in front of it. This civil service job gives one the power, fame, respect and everything that anyone would desire. To be an IAS Officer should be considered as an opportunity to serve the country people and beneficially contribute to society.
As an IAS Officer, one should have a passion to work for public and should always keep this quote of Abraham Lincoln in mind that “Public is not to be underestimated as fools”!
Civil servants must follow certain norms, rules and As an administrator, one should make sure that the highest standard of quality in governmental decisions and activities and not negotiate with values just for others convenience or satisfaction.
Hence, ethics and integrity in work is necessary for civil servants and hope this is why Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude Paper was included in the civil services exam.
So, above the normal eligibility for IAS Exam, candidates preparing for IAS exam should possess certain qualities and skills when it comes to discharging their duties and responsibility.
In this article, some of the vital qualities are discussed that an IAS officer should possess to honour public belief and not infringe
What are the qualities expected in an IAS Officer?
1. Patriotic
An IAS Officer should be patriotic then only he or she can serve the nation wholeheartedly. As an IAS Officer, one is also responsible in forming policies and implementing the same. When it comes to implementing a policy an IAS officer should consider one’s particular interest as well as the country before him/her because with such power and responsibilities any actions taken could have a massive impact. This will lead to a better India.
2. Legal and Rational Action
As a civil servant, an IAS Officer should abide by law and regulations in order to administer and lead. One should take rational action under any circumstances and follow the rules and regulations.
3. Responsibility and Liability
The key responsibility among others of an IAS Officer is to take care of the day to day administrative affairs of their jurisdictional area. An IAS Officer should fulfil his responsibilities and meet all governmental tasks and when some blunder happens while performing a task he/she as an administrator should hold responsible herself/himself morally for actions and should be willing to apprehend liability.
4. Hard Work & Commitment
Administrative areas given to IAS officers include various departments like administrative work, funds management, law enforcement, development programmes etc., and this means a lot of responsibilities. To accomplish and outclass in any task an IAS Officer should be a hard worker and committed to his/her duty.
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do”– Steve Jobs.
Being a civil servant an IAS Officer’s mantra should be “Work is Worship” and should never forget that “the price of greatness is responsibility”- Winston Churchill.
5. Out-of-the-Box Thinking for Excellence in Work
As an administrator, one should make sure the utmost standard of excellence in administrative work and action. The biggest challenge in being a part of the administration in India which is a diverse country is that there are different areas with different problems and under these circumstances, as an administrator, one should think out of the box and devise solutions that tackle various problems effectively.
6. Decisive and Resilient in Approach
Being a part of the governmental machinery, an IAS Officer should be resilient and adapt to any changes in the system, operation, or structure yet endure the ethical norms of conduct.
There would be tricky circumstances during the tenure that needs to be solved within limited time limits. Under these situations an IAS Officer should act shrewdly and should be decisive in approach that needs quick thinking, analysing all available possibilities and potential outcome of them and should act accordingly after a general consent.
7.Principle of Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is a general ethical theory that marks the point of right and wrong completely based on the consequences of one’s action or policy. Furthermore, it can also be considered as the action or policy has taken into account the interests of others.
Hence, as an administrator, an IAS Officer should follow the Principle of Utilitarianism and ensure that the decisions taken should lead to the greatest good for the country and its maximum people.
8. Compassionate
As a civil servant, an IAS Officer should be compassionate in a manner that motivates her/him with a desire to help the sufferings or misfortune instead of just feeling sympathetic. He cannot simply observe the things going on. He has to put laws into action to help the needy section.
A civil servant should demonstrate compassion without violating the prescribed law and rules.
9. Principle of Justice
The general principle of justice requires acting in ways that treat people rightly and fairly.
So, an IAS Officer should observe the principle of justice and act on the basis of fair decision in all situations and should play fair for issues of social justice.
10. Transparency & Integrity
Transparency is known as the right and means to observe the process of decision making. When it comes to administration transparency means of holding public officials accountable and fighting corruption.
As a civil servant, an IAS officer’s function should be transparent that it is easy to see what actions are performed.
As a civil servant having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way with the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that do not waver.
An IAS Officer requires firm adherence to a code of particular moral or artistic values, incorruptibility, soundness, and quality or state of being complete or undivided.
The above mentioned are the major skills and qualities that an IAS Officer should possess along with the other common qualities which every professional should possess like:
- Leadership
- Knowledgeable
- Good Communication Skills
For more related links candidates can refer to the following links:
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