A Masterpiece Idea But At A false Timing: government's lateral hiring

What the zenana was to the Great Mughals, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is to our political leaders at the Centre and in the states. Curiously, even the numbers match. Both the IAS and Emperor Akbar’s zenana the largest  are around 5000 strong.

The great Mughals found it more difficult to manage their extended zenanas than to conquer fractious Hindustani kingdoms. The insidious politicking and power struggles of the women in purdah are well known. 

Less well appreciated are the strength, stability and support that the zenana afforded to the emperor, as a secure haven of peace and a source of experienced, sound, well-meaning advice Ira Mukhoty exquisitely documents this aspect of the zenana in her new book Daughters of the Sun.

The only difference is that, unlike the zenana, the IAS is predominantly male. But this is changing.
The Narendra Modi government proposes via the lateral entry of 10 joint secretaries.

IAS officers have only two characteristics which others may lack. First, they are the outcome of the UPSC exam which selects just 0.1 per cent of those who apply. 

This ensures that genetically they have the required level of raw intellect. Second, they have an accelerated and time-bound promotion career path. This ensures that they will always be ahead of those in other cadres. These embedded entitlements bestow upon an IAS officer ritual status, attracts respect, and often abject compliance.

The impartial, permanent civil service as a source for leadership level advice is an anachronism, for three reasons.

First, politicians today need bureaucratic advisers who have “skin in the game” they prosper with the politician zenana style and go down with the politician they support.

Second, the explosive force of the knowledge economy and the range of new sovereign interventions call for total immersion for extended periods in a chosen area of work. This is alien to the way the IAS is managed and trained for general management purposes.

Third, skilled help does not come cheap. The pervasive private sector provides the demand for top-level skills where the government can never hope to compete for talent. Only saints would give up private sector options and choose to work in the government.

Expectedly, the contractual top-level hires will be selected only where both ideologies and objectives match. This makes sense for both sides. The entrants and the government know that without an inside track with the political leadership, they would simply run out of time before achieving anything.

This flags BSP supremo Mayawati’s point of how to ensure that brilliant Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates do get a fair chance. At present, there is no caste quota for promotions in the Government of India for the elite services. The quota applies only at the time of recruitment. Currently, only two per cent of all joint secretary-level positions have been advertised for lateral entry. But in future, if lateral entries increase to, 25 percent of all positions, the caste quota issue will need to be managed head on.

Lastly, the process adopted for lateral contractual positions must be differentiated from the existing process for internal appointments. Advertisements for contractual positions must specify the required mix of minimum educational requirements and particular work experience, along with the exact job description. Transfer from one specific position to another, during the contract, must not be allowed, to avoid gaming and to protect the incumbent.

The Narendra Modi government’s move to open the doors for external, top-level skills is extremely welcome. But, loads the dice against persons of outstanding talent applying for this opportunity. Even the best house help is risk averse and abhors untimely disruptions.