CIVIL SERVICES REFORMS IN BRITISH INDIA

The British Raj revamped civil services in India which defined the administrative framework for many years to come. The idea was to create a firm, centralised and effective administrative system that could manage the resources of India in a better way.

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EVOLUTION OF CIVIL SERVICES IN BRITISH INDIA: A DETAILED JOURNEY

1. Pre-Mutiny Era (1757-1857):

• Governance Model: Cornwallis referred to as the father of civil services in India. As he reformed and reorganised the administration for the company.
• Administrative System: The Company had a dual system of administration. The creation of the Board of Revenue in 1772 aimed to regulate the collection of land revenue and oversee administration.
• Lord Macaulay report: The concept of merit based modern civil services in India was introduced in 1854 after the submission of Macaulay report.

2. Post Mutiny Era (1858-1919):

• Indian Civil Service (ICS) act 1861: It allows the Indian to compete at per with the Britishers in open merit based recruitment. In 1864 Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian civil servant .
• Aitchson committee 1886: The commission rejected the idea of simultaneous examination but rather proposed setting up of provincial civil services.
  Minimum and Maximum age limits to appear for the exam were to be 19 and 23 respectively.
• 1919 Indian Civil Service Act (ICS): ICS began to be held in India from 1922 onwards along with being held in London.
• Lee commission: It recommended that a statutory public service commission contemplated by the government of India act 1919 should be established without delay.
• G.O.I Act 1935: The act provides for the establishment of federal , provincial and joint public service commissions.

ISSUES OF CIVIL SERVICES IN INDIA: A DETAILED ANALYSIS

Although the civil services have played a crucial role in nation-building, India's Civil Services, specifically Indian Administrative Service (IAS) are subject to several crippling issues which weaken their impact and image. They arise from the combined historical legacies, political pressures and evolving societal demands.

1. Bureaucratic Red Tape and Inertia:

• Problem: Complex hierarchical structure and over-arching rules can also stumble due to bureaucracy getting in the way of any kind of rapid decision making or policy implementation.
• Example: Approval of infrastructure projects commonly triggers delays and cost escalation with the extensive bureaucracy layers .
• Data: As of 2018, a World Bank study had placed India at the hundredth(100^th) position among its members in terms of ease-of-doing business due to underscoring bureaucratic bottlenecks.

2. There is lack of Accountability and Transparency:

• Problem: The lack of robust mechanisms for holding civil servants accountable for their actions can lead to corruption, nepotism, and a culture of impunity.
• Example: Vyapam Scandal of Madhya Pradesh, where the civil servants have been found involved in tweaking recruitment exams..
• Data: India features low (93 out of 180 countries) in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.

3. Political Interference / Patronage:

• Issue: Political pressure and patronage can compromise the neutrality, objectivity and professionalism of civil servants affecting their functioning in making decisions or implementing policies.
• Example: IAS Alapan Bandhopadhy case in WestBengal.

4. Less Diversity or Inclusivity:

• Problem: Diversity representation in civil services i.e. people from marginalised communities are missing Which then results in a lack of sensitivity to (or for) these corresponding demographics.
• Example: The representation of women and people from Scheduled Castes and Tribes in the IAS is far less than their share in population.
• Data: The 2021 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination results showed a low percentage of women and candidates from marginalised communities selected for the IAS.

5. Poor Skills & Training:

• Problem: A new governance paradigm with specific skills and understanding of technology, data science and policy evaluation is shaping up the future of public administration. However, traditional training programs might not adequately equip them with these skills.
• Example: Civil servants may be uneducated to implement e-governance initiatives successfully, and use data-led policies.
• Data: 2017 By 2040, data has identified the need for critical professional training within civil services to address governance demands that are hardening and increasing in complexity (NIPAM Source).

6. Perception & Trust:

The civil services have been criticised for being inefficient, corrupt and non-responsive to public needs .This is a typical type case of poor execution by the Civil Services. It saps public confidence and legitimacy.

• Example: Public protest against bureaucratic delay and corruption illustrates the diminishing trust in public services.
• DATA: Those surveys also show diminishing levels of public trust in government institutions, including the civil services.

7. Problems with Decentralization:

• Issue: Devolution of functions to local bodies requires improved and responsive civil service at district & Panchayat levels , But capacity building and resource allocation at these levels continue to be poor.
• Example: The implementation of rural development programs faces challenges due to the lack of trained staff and resources at the local level.

STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO REFORM CIVIL SERVICES IN INDIA:

These constraints can be tackled through interventions in the following areas: recruitment, training and evaluation, governance etc.

1) Recruitment:

• Rationalization and harmonization of services: The existing 60 plus separate civil services at the central and state level needs to be reduced through rationalization and harmonization of services.
• Encourage lateral entry: Inducting specialists at higher levels of government will provide much needed expertise.
• Outsource service delivery: Efforts need to be made to outsource service delivery to reduce dependence on the administrative machinery. Research is needed to identify possible services to be outsourced; various PPP models should be explored to determine the best possible mode of outsourcing.

2) Training:

• There is a need to develop ongoing training and immersion modules on a district-by-district basis.
• There is a need to inculcate ethical underpinning in the civil servants by implementing Code of Ethics.
• Mid-career exams/skill assessment: It might be undertaken to evaluate and decide on future postings.

3) Evaluation:

• Institute goal setting and tracking: There is an inherent need to set key responsibility/focus areas and progressively reduce discretionary aspects to evaluate civil servants. Institute the online Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window (SPARROW) template in all central and state cadres.
• Compulsory retirement for underperforming officers: Develop benchmarks to assess the performance of officers and compulsorily retire those deemed unable to meet the benchmarks.
• Incentivization: Review existing schemes and introduce new schemes of incentives for extraordinary performance.

4) E-initiatives:

• Robust Vigilant Mechanism: Strengthen institutional mechanisms for prevention and detection of corruption. Thus, there is a need to review existing vigilance mechanisms. There is a need to strengthen implementation of a Centralized Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMs).
• Implementation of e-Office : Implementation of e-Office may be expedited in all ministries/ departments; all states/UTs may also be encouraged to adopt it.
• Prompt delivery of services: Every department should seek to simplify their processes to cut administrative delays and ensure participatory feedback mechanisms for efficient service delivery.

5) Strengthening Accountability and Transparency:

• Ensuring: Ensure that civil servants are held accountable for their actions and the decisions of which they are part.
• Good governance: It should establish independent accountability mechanisms and transparent performance evaluation systems while ensuring that any complaint mechanism is open for all.
• Example: The creation of a more-powerful Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to probe corruption cases in the civil services.

6) Strengthening Decentralisation and Local Governance:

• Investment: Invest in capacity building and resources for local governments, empowering them to effectively deliver public services and address local needs.
• Provides skill and training: This involves providing training for local civil servants, increasing their autonomy, and strengthening their financial resources.
• Example: Launching a nationwide program to train local government officials on using data analytics for informed decision-making and service delivery.