Despite complaints of falling standards and
relatively lower salary, Indian Administrative Services continue to be preferred
option for majority of youths as these provide with visible &
invisible perks, social status and benefits with 100% job security, which remain
totally incompatible with their private sector counterparts, according to The
Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
In a Survey carried out by ASSOCHAM on Have
Civil Services Lost their Charm with Advancement in Liberalisation, 80%
of 300 young executives opted for placement in corporate sector and responded to
the Survey said, “IAS, IFS, IPS go on drawing the best available talent in
them contrary to surfacing impressions that flight of talent has shifted more
towards private sector with fast advancing liberalisation”.
The assertions that civil services are loosing
their sheen and lustre are totally malicious and disparaging as every aspirant
cannot withstand the rigors of layers of civil service examination, said
ASSOCHAM President, Mr. Venugopal N. Dhoot.
Releasing the Survey, Mr. Dhoot said, “65% of
executives, however, felt that since other channels for employment have opened
up, particularly in information, communication and technology as the wave of
liberalisation has advanced but it would be wrong to conclude that the first
grade talent is being attracted in these sectors and it is the only second hand
talent that is opting for civil services”.
Over 70% said that private sector does offer
handsome package to young and bright executives for career making in which
certainty for sustenance is always missing and it has a negative impact on
personality making. While, in civil services, confidence building is a
regular exercise as a result of continuous learning process with no element of
uncertainty befalling any civil servant.
70% of respondents, however, regretted that
impressions have been gaining ground that mediocrity has been prevailing in
civil services. This is totally false and that private sector has been
attracting brains cannot be substantiated with facts as for vast majority
of young men and women, getting into civil services still remain the first
priority.
55% of respondents have blamed the system for
discouraging brighter and brilliant young men & women for opting for civil
services due to often reported interventions of politicians in civil servants
day to day routine life as this could be one reason which amount to
demotivation.
75% of executives argued that private sector does
pay them higher salaries with lot of perks but
the sword is always hanging over their heads in case their
non-performance is noticed and the element of job security is hardly there as no
one in private sector is too sure that he will be able to retain his job
despite working hard and long period of time.
Majority of executives that took part in the Survey
were unanimous in endorsing a suggestion that Directorate of Audio Visual
Publicity which normally comes out with government advertisement should
occasionally print what the civil services are all about to attract talent in
it. A special drive is called for to fuel and ignite youngsters interest
in the civil services for reasons that they carry high growth prospects, decent
conditions for jobs particularly for those that have honesty of purpose.
A suggestion was also mooted during the survey
period saying that each state headquarter should have academy to train young
boys & young girls for career making in civil services. These academic
institutions should be entirely be managed by state governments with proper
funding facilities and also facilities for giving stipend to those that belong
to vulnerable section of society and cannot afford literature that go into
preparation of civil service examinations. With the suggested move in place, the
contribution of each state in the list of successful candidate for civil
servants will enhance and that candidates from metros alone will not be there
among successful candidates for civil services.
It may be mentioned here that Indian administrative
services which came into effect slightly before India obtained her freedom
continued to be cynosure for young and bright educated youth for many
decades but from 1992-93 onwards, it was somehow felt that the brighter and more
intelligent young populace have been preferring other professional avenues in
corporate sector rather than concentrating in making priority career in Indian
adminsitrative services, commented Mr. Dhoot.
The Survey also concludes that in the last couple
of years, forward looking states in terms of intellectual input, their
percentage in civil services has declined substantially. Demotivation and
general apathy of good and educated lot towards civil services in the absence of
right publicity exercise has been the primary cause for this.
