Making a Difference , livre ebook

ALOK RANJAN

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: THE IAS AS A CAREER
PENGUIN BOOKS

PENGUIN BOOKS
Contents
Preface
Foreword
1. Challenges and Opportunities of the IAS As a Career
2. Preparing for the IAS: Selection and Training
3. Life in the Districts
4. Working with the State Government
5. Working in the Government of India: A National and International Perspective
6. The Chief Secretary - Leader of the State Bureaucracy
7. Myths and Realities about the IAS
Epilogue
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Copyright
PENGUIN BOOKS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Alok Ranjan got his BA (Hons) degree in Economics from St. Stephen s College, Delhi and MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A). He subsequently joined the IAS in 1978 after securing the fourth rank in the country. He was allotted to the Uttar Pradesh cadre and served with distinction in various assignments in the State Government as well as Government of India before superannuating as Chief Secretary to the Government of UP in 2016. Throughout his career, he served with dedication and integrity.
He has previously published two books: The Collector Today and Towards Adult Literacy in India . He writes a fortnightly column for the Millennium Post and regularly contributes articles on issues of public policy and governance to The Economic Times, Business Standard and Hindustan Times . He is an acclaimed public speaker and thought leader. The Lucknow Management Association recently presented him with the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to public service.
Praise
This former UP Chief Secretary s book provides an insider s unique perspective on the IAS, its vital role in public administration and development, and how he personally made a difference. A truly enlightening read
-Parameswaran Iyer, IAS retired, Ex-Secretary, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India
The IAS can still make a difference. There couldn t have been a better person to write on the subject because Alok Ranjan made a big difference in his career, rising to become the Chief Secretary in UP. Brilliantly articulated
-Anil Swarup, IAS retired; Ex-Secretary, Education, Government of India
This book is for all those members of the Indian Administrative Service who have worked with dedication and integrity to make a difference to society.
Preface
My dear friend and colleague of many years, Alok Ranjan, decided to pen his thoughts and his ideas delineating the role of the Indian Administrative Service, which came into existence post Independence, as a successor service to the British Indian Civil Service. The result is this book that he has aptly titled Making a Difference: The IAS as a Career .
The title itself gives an indication of his motivation behind writing this book. He wants the members of the service to dedicate themselves to making a difference to the lives of the people whom they are serving. This was unlike the aim the British had creating the Indian Civil Service (ICS). The officers of the ICS were mandated primarily to maintain law and order, and to ensure continuation of the British rule. The Indian Administrative Service, on the other hand, was created not only to maintain law and order but also to promote development, and ensure welfare of all sections of society in a democratic environment. And this is what the author of the book emphasizes. The IAS officers should not behave like rulers but act in the spirit of being of service to the citizens.
Alok has given examples from his own career, of how development schemes were framed in consultation with the stakeholders, and not arbitrarily imposed from the top. He would go to the villages himself, discuss the problems faced by them and then come up with solutions. This is what we call participatory administration.
Alok, while reviewing the present environment in which the Civil Servants are working, has brought out how decision-making has been stymied because of the four C s, namely the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Courts, and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). People are afraid to make decisions and prefer to be rule bound rather than take initiative even in emergencies like natural calamities, floods, earthquakes, etc. The civil servant would prefer to write notes on files, not based on what he thinks is right, but anticipating what the boss wants.
Alok has narrated his experiences both as a field officer, as well as working with the State Government and the Central Government. As a District Magistrate (DM), he is the eyes and ears of the government. All the various departments of the government working in the field look to the DM for help, whenever there is a problem. The police also work in close coordination with the DM. The DM is a protective shield for all the field agencies. But his leadership depends on the initiatives he takes in effective implementation of government policies and ensuring coordination amongst them. In the days of the British rule, the post of the District Magistrate was supposed to be the most powerful position in the entire Empire.
But as Alok rightly points out, the IAS of today should not try to compare itself with the ICS. The world at that time was different from what it is today.
The IAS, however, remains the most coveted post for the young people of today. In the initial years after Independence, the glamour of the erstwhile ICS attracted youngsters to join the service. After finishing university, as graduates or postgraduates, they would try their luck not once, not twice but three times to get into the IAS or the other Central Services. As the upper age limit for taking the IAS exams was increased, the applicants would try their luck repeatedly till the upper age limit was crossed. The author has rightly pointed out that increasing the age limit is neither good for the applicants nor for the government. With upper age limits, the years of service are reduced and it becomes difficult to mould the officers.
Working with politicians is not easy. They expect you to implement the orders they issue, irrespective of whether it is within the law or the relevant rules. However, as the author correctly points out, it is the duty of the Secretary to point this out to the minister and persuade him to withdraw such wrong orders. As Alok states, more often than not, the minister or the Chief Minister, as the case may be, if properly persuaded, will withdraw those orders.
The author has worked as Secretary to three Chief Ministers of UP. The fact that he was not labelled as any party s man speaks volumes about how he worked impartially and within the rules. Every minister or Chief Minister prefers those officers who can give him the right advice. They realize that if the department functions well, it is they who get a good reputation.
The author has highlighted three cases in which, because of his initiative, the projects were executed within the timeframe and without cost overruns. The most talked about is the Agra-Lucknow expressway, where due to his constant monitoring and advice, land acquisition for the entire stretch was completed in record time without any major legal hassles. This was because of a mutually workable partnership between him as Chief Secretary and Sri Akhilesh Yadav as Chief Minister. Similarly, the project of Dial-100 took off most effectively.
Alok Ranjan s career shows that an IAS officer can succeed if he works with complete dedication, empathy and a desire to do good for the people at large.
YOGENDRA NARAIN
Retired IAS
Ex-Chief Secretary, UP
Ex-Defence Secretary, Government of India
Foreword
I have written this book five years after my retirement from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) after serving for thirty-eight years and having enjoyed every moment of it, despite the occupational hazards, moments of frustration and the times things did not go according to plan. In balance, it is the memory of achievements, public service, making a difference, touching lives and acting as a change agent to transform society, that gives one the feeling of having had a worthwhile career and inner contentment. I feel this service gives you the opportunity to genuinely work for the common man and make life better for society. But I am worried that the service is at a crossroads and facing a lot of criticism and challenges for which, to a large degree, they themselves are responsible. Somewhere down the line, the IAS officer has got caught in the trappings of power and lost sight of his real goal of public service. This book aims to bring out the diversity, the opportunities and the challenges of a career in the IAS and also a roadmap of how an IAS officer can make a significant contribution to the Indian citizens. The IAS has to look within and reinvent itself, if it has to survive. It has to respond to the changing needs of the modern society and the challenges of the twenty-first century. The IAS has the calibre to do so and it has to keep its focus on professionalism, competence, creativity and integrity.
I am thankful to Mr Yogendra Narayan, under whom I worked when he was Chief Secretary, UP and then went on to become the Defence Secretary, for writing these kind words in the preface about me, this book, and about the IAS. He was one of the most remarkable officers I have served under and from him, I have learnt the art of keeping a smile on my face in any situation.
I also thank my seniors and colleagues for their good wishes and the inspiration that they have given me to write this book.
No words are sufficient to express my gratitude for the support, motivation and inspiration that I got from my wife Surabhi, and children, Shivam and Shikhar, to write this book and share my thoughts with the world around. They were always a part of my journey in the IAS and shared in my joys as well as my sorrows.
This book can be a great guide to the millions of young boys and girls who