After just two weeks of joining the Indian Administrative Service, in September 2019, a Karnataka IAS officer S. Sasikanth Senthil resigned from the services. He cited disillusionment with the state of democracy in the country.
“I have taken this decision as I feel it is unethical for me to continue as a civil servant in the government when the fundamental building blocks of our diverse democracy are being compromised in an unprecedented manner“, he writes in his resignation letter .
This is just one of the many stories of disillusionment that IAS officers experience once they join the service.
IAS is one of the most coveted jobs in India. Every year lakhs of students sit for the exam but only around 100 of them finally get the most desired job out of all the civil services i.e. Indian Administrative Service or IAS. Despite such a low success rate of 0.01%, many aspirants give as many 5 or 6 or even more years of their life and put everything at stake just to prepare for this exam. We all know the reasons for this- the perks and benefits that the service gives like status, power, salary, job security, lifetime pension, respect in society.
Then why is it that so many officers leave this prestigious service especially after toiling for many years and surviving the long and arduous preparation that the exam requires?
Why do some of the crème de la crème of the country get so disillusioned once they enter the services?
- Inflexibility in cadre choice – An officer is asked to give preferences in the 5 regional zones that the country is divided into and based on vacancies and the preferences of the officer, one is allotted cadre. The allotted cadre is rarely the desired cadre of the officer. So, even after you succeed in this examination, you might not get a cadre of your own choice and might have to work in the same place for many many years.
- Rural posting- The life of an IAS officer is not always as easy and comfortable as it is made out to be. Many times they’re posted in far flung areas where even very basic facilities like water, internet, etc. are luxuries. So, anyone who cannot and doesn’t plan to survive a day without a Starbucks coffee can think of choosing some other career path.
- Family life – Officers in administrative services across the levels and at various points in their career hold huge responsibilities. For most it may be very normal to be overstretched with a 7-day workweek, and unending work hours. Having a desirable family life can be tough for anyone with such a hectic schedule. Unless someone is lucky to land up in a relaxed posting, the nature of work and the strenuous schedules of the service is bound to take a toll on one’s family and social life.
- Freedom- The Constitution of India itself provides for several limitations that can be put on freedom, including fundamental rights, of the civil servants. The All India Service Conduct Rules, 1968 bar any kind of government criticism. There are restrictions and limitations, even on buying immovable properties and investing / trading in the stock market.
- Frequent transfers- It is a well-known fact that officers are subjected to frequent transfers, especially the honest ones. Those who do not choose to remain in the good books of their political superiors can see themselves unable to work in one area for long and that can negatively impact anyone’s job satisfaction.
- Political interference- Even though IAS officers are government “servants”, part of the permanent executive, expected to remain politically unbiased, it is rarely possible to resist all the political influence that they’re subjected to. The officers are subjected to frequent transfers or they are demoted if they don’t cave into the political pressure.
- Generalist nature- Unlike other jobs, where people get specialist knowledge in at least one field, IAS officers rarely get that opportunity. Even though the overall work exposure is good, their knowledge mostly remains only generalist.
- Corruption and red tapism- According to the Corruption Perception Index, which measures the perceived levels of corruption in the public sector, India ranks 80th out of 180 countries. No honest officer can stay immune to corruption that is so rampant in the public administration. A simple project can take years to get clearance unless government officials at various stages are bribed. All this is bound to frustrate any honest officer.
The above thoughts are not meant to scare an aspirant from choosing the career path of a civil servant but to ensure that anyone who plans to be a part of the services should have realistic expectations as to what it entails.
Komal is an English literature student with a keen interest in economic developments and politics amongst others. She is a part of Research & Content team at HrNxt.com