The Vice-President, Shri M. Hamid Ansari today called for out-of-the-box thinking on quality and content issues pertaining to our higher civil services. He was delivering the second lecture of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Lecture Series on Governance in New Delhi today. The lecture series aims at providing a forum for raising issues of contemporary relevance to governance and public administration. Shri Ansari said that the higher civil services in the country, therefore, must be role models of elite behaviour upholding the Rule of Law. This is not a homily; it is part of our constitutional scheme of things and a professional and moral obligation of a civil servant to the nation and to the citizens, he said. He felt that the issue of life-long cadres for All India Services, reluctance or inability to serve adequate period of careers outside the cadres whether at the Centre or other States, equitable access to posts covered under the Central Staffing Scheme, and possibility of lateral access into and out of the civil service are issues that could benefit from such out-of-the-box thinking.
In his welcome address, the Chairman, UPSC, Prof. D. P. Agrawal said that the changes introduced in the Preliminary stage of the Civil Services Examination from this year are based on the principle of equity in as much as they will provide equal opportunity to the candidates from diverse educational and social backgrounds. “We are also in discussion with the Govt. of India about an alternative method of selection for induction into All India Services from the State Services”, he said.
Prof Agrawal said that to tackle the enormous challenge of time-bound processing of more than 15 lakhs applications that it receives every year, the Commission has introduced the system of online application for the candidates, which has been receiving an overwhelming response. “Encouraged by the positive response, the Commission has recently introduced hundred percent online applications for the Engineering Services Examination and the Indian Forest Service Examination. Recently, UPSC also conducted successfully one online recruitment test at different centres in the country. Based on the experience from this experiment, the Commission may, in future, introduce online examinations and tests for other selections as well”, he informed.
The Chairman, UPSC, stated that in order to minimise deficiencies in the proposals received in the Commission, a number of workshops have been organized by the Commission for the officers concerned from different Ministries/Departments. “In the same context, a Single Window System has been introduced, whereby a preliminary scrutiny of the cases is done at the time of receipt itself. I am happy to mention that this initiative has shown positive results in disposal of the cases”, he informed.
Taking note of the fact that in most of the developed countries an independent authority audits all selections made by different authorities, Chairman UPSC felt that it may be worthwhile to adopt such a system in our country also.
Prof Agrawal said that the emerging dynamics of governance call for a fresh look at the issue of permanent appointment in the civil services vis-a-vis the outcome-based performance. “The life- long job security provided to government servants perhaps brings in an element of complacency and inertia. There should be in-depth assessment of performance of the officers at various stages of their career to weed out dead woods at an early stage in order to have a civil service that is nimble, efficient, impartial, accountable and above all honest”, he remarked.
Prof Agrawal said that in order to share and learn from the experiences and best practices of other countries, the Commission has entered into bilateral partnerships with Public Service Commissions of Canada and Bhutan. An MoU is likely to be signed with the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission of Afghanistan also, he indicated.
Prof. Agrawal observed that over the years, the Government of India have excluded a number of civil posts /services from the purview of the Commission, invoking proviso to Article 320(3). Considering the purpose and spirit of the Constitutional provisions, he urged upon the Government of India to bring all such civil posts/services back within the purview of the Commission.
Prof. K.S.Chalam, Member, UPSC delivered the welcome address and Shri Alok Rawat, Secretary, UPSC proposed the vote of thanks.
Courtesy : PIB
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