Sansad TV Perspective: Civil Services-Changing Profile

In the series Sansad TV Perspective, we bring you an analysis of the discussion featured on the insightful programme ‘Perspective’ on Sansad TV, on various important topics affecting India and also the world. This analysis will help you immensely for the IAS exam, especially the mains exam, where a well-rounded understanding of topics is a prerequisite for writing answers that fetch good marks.

In this article, we feature the discussion on the topic: ‘Civil Services-Changing Profile’.

Anchor: Vishal Dahiya  

Participants: 

1. Sanjay Singh, Sr. Journalist
2. Surendra Nath Tripathi, DG, IIPA
3. Upendra Tripathy, IAS (Retd.)

Context: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s special address at the Foundation Day of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA).

Highlights of the discussion: 

1. Introduction
2. Changing profile of civil services
3. Government efforts
4. Changing work culture

Introduction:

• Delivering the lecture at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar praised the positive changes in civil services in India. 
• He appreciated the change in the profile of civil administration which has become socially more inclusive by acknowledging how young talent from remote villages and marginalized communities, including young girls, are joining the civil services.

Changing profile of civil services:

• Over the past few decades, the profile of civil administration in India has become more socially inclusive, reflecting the country’s commitment to diversity and equal opportunity. 
• The government has made efforts to recruit people from different regions, religions, and backgrounds to ensure that the civil services represent the diversity of India’s population.
• With the growing emphasis on technology and digitalization, civil services have also started to prioritize skills related to technology. This has led to the recruitment of people with backgrounds in engineering, IT, and other related fields.
• The decentralization of power has led to the creation of new institutions and departments at the state and local levels. This has resulted in the recruitment of civil servants who have specialized skills in areas such as urban planning, environmental management, and social welfare.
• Civil services have become more accountable in recent years. The government has introduced measures to evaluate the performance of civil servants and ensure that they are held accountable for their actions.

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Government’s efforts towards inclusivity:

• The government of India has implemented a reservation policy that mandates a certain percentage of civil service positions be filled by individuals from disadvantaged communities, such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. This policy has helped to increase the representation of these communities in civil administration.
• The government has also taken steps to increase the representation of women in civil administration. There are now many initiatives and programs to promote women’s participation in civil service exams and to provide support to women during their service.
• Civil society organizations have helped to create awareness about the importance of diversity and representation in civil service positions, and have lobbied the government to implement policies and programs to support these goals.
• The government has invested in training and development programs to help prepare individuals from marginalized communities for civil service positions. These programs provide training in areas such as leadership, communication, and policy analysis.
  • In 2020 Govt had approved the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building also known as Mission Karmayogi. 
• The programme aims at building a future-ready civil service with the right attitude, skills and knowledge, aligned with the vision of a new India. 
• Recently three departments have been identified under this programme having the maximum interaction with people, to improve the experience of interacting with a government arm – railways, postal service and police.

Significant changes in work culture:

• The civil services in India have undergone significant changes over the years with respect to the work culture and knowledge scenario. 
• Over the years, there has been a greater emphasis on the professionalization of civil services in India. This has led to the introduction of specialized training programs, leadership development courses, and performance management systems that have helped to improve the quality of work and professionalism in the civil services.
• With the growing emphasis on technology and digitalization, the civil services in India have also started to prioritize skills related to technology. 
  • This has led to the adoption of digital tools and platforms to improve the efficiency of government services.
• The civil services in India have also undergone changes in work culture, with a greater emphasis on work-life balance. This has led to the introduction of flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting and flexible work hours, which have helped to improve the overall quality of life for civil servants.

Read all the previous Sansad TV Perspective articles in the link.

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