Civil Service Redux

Many in our class belong to the cadre of workers known as civil servants, employed by various federal, state and city agencies. Jessica’s recent post referred to the subway ad for DC-37, one of CUNY’s several unions. We are a strange breed. Though the pay scale is typically not as high as what is found in the private and perhaps even the nonprofit sector, the feature of potential lifetime employment and next-to-free benefits may be a clear plus. And as we’ve discussed, it is also very difficult to terminate an employee, though not impossible.

I was chuckling while reading the Tummala chapter “Higher Civil Service in India” that described the astounding amount of intricate organizational details of the Indian Administrative Service. (Sounds like CUNY.) Based on the British system but molded to reflect cultural needs, this structure surely played a role that helped build India’s capacity and accelerated its role as an economic powerhouse. This is in marked contrast to the experience of many African nations.

Much like the Baruch XMPA program and the French Ecoles, India’s Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration trains new recruits and furthers the professional development of seasoned civil servants through a variety of administrative programs. It is also curious that Indian civil servants have restrictions on engaging in political activity, unlike what we see in New York – for example, our unions are key to mayoral victory in the polls.

India has a rigorous hiring process – imagine taking eight tests, each lasting three hours! And this is just the beginning. Following the recommendations of the 1980 Mandal Commission, India also has developed an affirmative action policy to insure both diversity and mobility within the ranks, a way to redress past wrongs due to class, caste or gender discrimination. One current legislative item proposes to increase women’s representation in Parliament to 33%. Sharad Yadav, an elected official from the Janata Dal party, has vowed to consume poison if the women’s bill is passed – can you guess the responses to his threat: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Will-kill-self-if-womens-bill-passed/articleshow/4621042.cms

As India moves into the 21st century, additional restructuring of the bureaucracy will undoubtedly occur, bringing about changes similar to those seen in other countries. One key finding of India’s Fifth Central Pay Commission, set up in 1994, recommended that civil servants change from “mere controllers and regulators…into catalysts, promoters and facilitators…” (p. 223).

Maryann McKenzie