Civil Services Reforms.

Indias first modern civil service was given by Macaulay committee in 1854. It said patronage
based system of the East India company be replaced by permanent Civil Service based on
merit through competitive entry examinations.
The report mode it very clear that first degree in arts at oxford or Cambridge University is
imperative and ICS demands only the best of the nation.
Between 1855 and 1878, more than two thirds who entered ICS were from above metioned
Universities. Thus maintain elite flavor for the service. However since 1922, the Indian civil
service Examination began to held in India.
Though Indian Civil Services (ICS) started, Indian political leaders chose to retain British
structure of a unified administrative system. Few lectures of the system were:
Entry based on academic achievements.
Training
Permanency of tenure.
Elite posts
Handsome pay
Pension plus other benefits.
Promotions and transfers.
Civil Serives In India
All India Services (AIS) Central Civil Services State Civil Services
(i)Members serve both union (i) Central Civil Services (i) Members serve
and the state only the union only the states
Note:
The posts in the Union and the state governments arfe hierarchically arranged into four
groups-Groups A to Group D
Article 312:
Constitution can empower the parliament to create the All India services in the national
interest. For such a resolution to tbe moved by the Council of states in the parliament, it
requires o special majority of two thirds of members present and voting. IAS and IPS are
deemed to tbe created according to this article.
The key objectives in Creation of All India Service are:
Preserving national unity and integrity and uniform standards of administration
Neutrality and objectivity (non-political, secular, non-sectarian outlook)
Competence and professionalism
Integrity
Idealism
There were more than 50 committees and Commissions to look into transforming Civil
Services and to set standards. The first Administrative Reforms commission set in January
1966, says (w.r.t. Civil Services):
(i)Need for specialization
(ii) Unified Grading nature.
(iii)Recruitment
(iv)Recruitment Agencies
(v)Training
(vi)Promotion
(vii)conduct and Discipline
(viii)Service Conditions.
The chronological order of Committes/commissions appointed after Independence writ
Recruitment
1951 Report on Public Administration by A.D. Gorwala
1956 Dr A Romoswami Mudaliar Committee Report
1962 Report on Indian and state Administrative Service and Problems of District
Administration by V.T. Krishnamachari.
1969: ARCs report on prsonel administration
1976: DS. Kothari committee Report.
1989: Satish Chandra Committee Report.
2001: Prof. Yoginder K. Alagh committee Report
2004:Hota committee Report.
Recommendations by above committee reports:
1951: Recruitment to all grades of Government Services should be conducted in a manner
which eliminates scope for patronage and suggested that this principle should also apply to
temporary staff.
1956 (i) Minimum qualification of University degree for higher services.
(ii) No cap on educational qualification for secretarial and ministerial services.
(iii)age limited for the highest executive and administrative services is 21-23 years
1962: This report says recruitment to class I and class II services in the state governments
and recommended that recruitments should be made annually.
1969 (i) emphasis on proper planning of personnel and cadre managements
(ii) Recruitment to the IAS/IFS and other non technical class I services should be made only
though a single competitive examination.
(iii) upper limit to take Civil Services competitive examinations raised to 26 years.
(iv) Direct recruitment to class II posts of section officers should be stopped & may be filled
by promotion of Assistants.
(v)Recruitment to clerical and other secretarial posts should be through simple objective
tests.
5. 1976: (i)two stage examination process-preliminary followed by a main examination
(ii) suggests changes in the training pattern for Civil Services.
6.1989: (i)employment on contract basis
(ii)Government employees should have the right to retain their lien for two years in case they
wish to migrate to the private sector
7.2001: It says testing the candidates in a common subject rather than on optional subjects.
8.2004: (i)Introduction of aptitude and leadership tests for selection.
(ii)Probationers may be allowed one months time after commencement of training to
exercise their option for services.
Commissions/comittes appointed w.r.t Training
1. The Report on public Administration by A.D. Gorwala, 1951
(i)Need for an adequate organization and methods.
(ii)Induction training.
(iii)Appointment of a Director of Training who shall closely monitor all aspects of training
2. The Report of Indian and state Administrative services and Problems of District
Administration by V.T krishnamachari, 1962:
(i)Emphasis that state Civil Servic e officers should also undergo a structured training similar
to that of IAS officers
(ii)Establishment of training institutes in states with the help of the National Academy of
Adminstration (NAA)
3. The First ARC: (i) Formulation of a national policy on Civil Serivces training.
(ii)Creation of the Central Training Divison in the Department of Personal.
(iii)changes in the contents of foundation courses at NAA.
4.Yugandhar Committee, 2003 It emphasized on three mid-career training programmes in
the 12th,28th &28th years of service. The training programme in the 12th years of Civil
service should be for a minimum duration of 8 weeks consisting
5 weeks of academic content and 3 weeks of study, training and exposure visits to study
best practices in India and abroad. The training programme in the 20th year of service
should be for a duration of 12 weeks. The duration of training in the 28th year of service was
not specified.
Committees/Commissions w.r.t Domail Expertise.
The First ARC
(I)Higher Civil service posts are classified into two pasts in the field and posts tat Head
quarters.
(ii)The field posts were held by the members of the functional services which induded not
only the various engineering services but also services such as accounts and income tax.
(iii)IAS should be converted into a functional service.
NOTE:
Only service that was not functional but occupied most of the higher posts in the civil
services was the IAS.
(iv) ARC recommended eight brood areas of specialization.
Economic Administration
Industrial Administration
Agricultural & Rural Development Administration.
Social & Educational Administration
Personnel Administration.
Finance Administration
Defence Administration & Internal security
Planning.
The selection of personnel to the eight areas of specialization was to be made through a
mid-carrer competitive examination.
Eligibility: All class I officers belonging to the All India and Central Services with experience
of eight to twelve years in the functional area.
Selection process: A written exam administered by UPSC and on interview to tbe conducted
by a committee consisting of the chairman, UPSC and two senior secretaries of the
Government of India.
2.Surinder Nath Committee Report, 2003:
To assign particular domains to the officers should be a key stop for their selection to the
Central staffing scheme posts. The Group suggested 11 domains.
(i)Agriculture and Rural Development
(ii)Social Sectors
(iii)Culture and Information
(iv)Natural Resources Management including Environment
(v)Energy and Environment.
(vi)Communication System and Connectivity by Infrastructure.
(vii)Public Finance & Finance Management.
(viii)Industry and Trade
(ix)Domestic affairs and Defence
(x)Housing and Urban affairs.
(xi)Personnnel & General Adminstration.
The Committee suggested that officers may be assigned to a maximum of three domains ot
of eleven domains
3.Hota Committee Report, 2004
Domain assignment should be introduced for civil servants to encourage acquisition of skills,
professional excellence and career planning. It has also recommended for posting of joint
secretaries, Additional secretaries and secretaries should be carried out through domain
assignment, competitive selection and matching of available skills with the job requirements.
Commissions/committees appointed w.r.t. Efficiency
1.Gopalaswam: Ayyangar Committee Report,1949
(i)Department should be identified with a Secretorys charge and a minister should be
identified with a ministers charge.
(ii)abolition of separate grade of Additional Secretary.
(iii)Grouping of departments dealing with economic and social services into four bureaus.
(iv)Creation of an Organization and methods machinery.
2.AD Gorwala Committee Report, 1951
(i)Recommendation for greater understanding between ministers and civil servants.
(ii)Creation of an Organization and Methods machinery and whitley councils.
3.Appleby Report, 153
(i)Creation of Organisation and Methods machinery.
(ii)Insitute of Public Administration.
These two recommendations were implemented by Government.
4.First ARC
(i)Suitable awards to be given as incentives for timely completion of specific projects
(ii)Cash rewards for valuable Suggestions given for simplification of work
5.The Fifth Central Pay Commission, 2000
(i) Need to optimize the size of the government machinery.
6.The Expenditure reforms Commission, 2001
(i)Down Sizing of the government staff strength.
(ii)Reducing the increasing salary bill of the Government of India.
7.Hota Committee Report, 2004
(i)Use of ICT
(ii)e-governance.
(iii)Transformation in the process of decision making.
Commission/Committees w.r.t Accountability
1.santhanam Committee: (i)Constitution Central vigilance Commission and administrative
vigilance divisions in all departments and major organizations of the govt.
(ii)Rules to govern conduct of Civil Services.
(iii)Changes in IPC.
(iv)On Completing 25 years of service or 50 years of age, a government servant may be
retired without prescribing any reason, if the government thinks it fit.
2.The First ARC:
(i)Performace budgeting.
(ii)Establishment of two institutions Lok Pal & Lok Ayukta.
Lok Pal: An institution to deal with complaints against the administrative acts of minsters and
Secretaries to the government at the center.
Lok Ayukta: An institution to deal with complaints against the administrative acts of ministers
ans secretaries to the government at the state.
3.Hota Committee Report,2004:
(i)Amending cettain sections in the Prevention of corruption Act and code of Criminal
procedure to protect honest civil servants.
(ii)Code of Ethics.
(iii)Each department should lay down and benchmark Services.
(iv)Public evaluation of performance.
Committees/Commissions appointed w.r.t Performance Appraisal:
1.The first ARC:
(i)Performance record be used instead of confidential Report.
(ii)The Civil Servant should document his/her entire work during a year and submit to
higher/reporting officer and this should be part of performance record and graded
accordingly.
(iii)three categories in performance report: fit for promotion out of turn, fit for promotion and
not yet fit for promotion.
(iv)Only 5 to 10 percent of the Civil servants engaged in work of a similar nature and of the
some level in any organization should be given the grade fit for promotion out of turn.
(v)Adverse remarks should not be communicated to the Civil servent.
Conclusion:
Though numerous Committees were appointed to revamp, there has been only petty
changes in the system. It is still to be awaited to witness proper & shin gent Civil Service
reforms for effective functioning of the nation.