Read the following paragraphs :
“ (1) No person who is a member of a civil service of the Union or an all India service or a civil service of a State
or holds a civil post under the Union or a State shall be dismissed or removed by a authority subordinate
to that by which he was appointed
(2) No such person as aforesaid shall be dismissed or removed or reduced in rank except after an inquiry in
which he has been informed of the charges against him and given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in
respect of those charges provided that where it is proposed after such inquiry, to impose upon him any
such penalty, such penalty may be imposed on the basis of the evidence adduced during such inquiry
and it shall not be necessary to give such person any opportunity of making representation on the penalty
proposed”
Surprised ? These are contents of Article 311 of Indian Constitution which is source of issue even
bigger than corruption. One may think what can be bigger issue than that of corruption in India. Think
hard and you will find that is an issue of competency and attitude of government servants.
How many of us have observed that the clerks and Babus working in government are just not fit for the
post that they are holding? (Forget being overpaid) How many times we have noticed the difference
in service delivery (yes, government is in business of delivering services to citizen) between govt.
Department and private firms, and concluded that private enterprises are faster & better in service
delivery.The issue with corruption is that it requires additional money on part of citizen to get the work
done. But at least the work gets done. But when you are faced with problem of incompetence and
indolence despite readiness to pay money the work simply doesn’t get done. This is even worse than
corruption.
This may not be a cause of concern if there is reducing or minimum interaction /interference for public.
Look at our everyday life and we are running to how many government offices. Income tax, sales tax,
RTO,Ration,Election,Universities, Revenue & land records, Police, Traffic etc. There is government at
almost every mode of life and you don’t have choice not to come across. Can you recollect few
instances where you have felt like going to government offices ? Generally we feel that it is pain to go
to government offices. Because we are being treated as if we are asking for some favors and we are at
mercy of government officer, whether our work will get done today, tomorrow or god knows when. It
would be waste of time on your part if your fight with the dead and insensitive system (read: people
with either incompetence or wrong attitude ). And even if you win you will get at most the service with
delay which was your basic right. Because of necessity you might plead to get your work done, even at
cost of spending money (corruption), but in most of the cases the experiences are not so good.
Every person who has held top positions in government enterprise, will tell you that their key
concern is that of finding competent person with correct attitude for work. Forget government employees
even politicians will accept that find such right people and to get work done is challenge.Such outdated
provisions cannot help under any circumstances to deliver good governance. If your soldiers are weak
and demoralized no general can win the war. Such archaic rules prevent higher authorities to get the
work done from lower rank government officials.
Because of this protection given to the government servants, majority in India craves for government job.
Because its like a lottery of assured fix income and increment irrespective of work. It is simply unimaginable
in private sector. It becomes even more lucrative with implementation of 6th Pay commission. The article
provides them unnecessary and outdated cover for their incompetence and lazy attitude. For the issues and
problems of corruption there are laws which if properly implemented properly can tackle corruption. But for
incompetence and indolent (lazy) attitude there is hardly any provision to tackle it.
Take an example which I came across in recent newspaper. Some junior clerk in education board has not
reported since 7-8 years to his new place of posting. He would have been obviously intimated
informally and formally thereafter many times. Still after 7-8 years the secondary board gives a public notice to
that clerk in a state wide daily, ‘to join the duties or else stern actions will be taken against him as per rules’.
What the hell? After 7-8 years also you are still serving notices that too by spending public money? If as a
individual you would have employed such person will you do that and wait for 7-8 years ? He should have
been terminated much earlier and his post must be filled. But still in case of government servants
because of this article and its provisions, removing a person from government service is toughest task
for any officials.
We need to see this issue also in right perspective. I am not against the pay-packages / perks offered to
government officers. They are necessary for dignified life and mental peace so that the employee can put
in all its efforts. Nor all government employees are incompetent. As a thumb rule people say, as per
rule of 80:20, 20 % of employees really do major work and rest 80 are just piggy riding. But in present
government scenario this ratio seems to be 95:5. This is not acceptable. It demoralizes those 5 % who
work and clogs the system and makes it inefficient. And this environment might also deter the fresh and
dynamic talent to get in to government services.
Today, issue of corruption is getting extensive coverage. There is a wave in media against anti-corruption.
But I think along with our systems need to be more sensitive towards incompetence / indolence in
government services.Because these factors have a huge latent costs in terms of inefficient and poor quality of
works and services provided by the government. And on the top of it the outdated provisions and spirit
of Article 311 does not bode well for any change in current system.
Today in age of professionalism wherein we are expecting excellent customers services thanks to competition
and private enterprises, the government services stick out like sore thumb. It is high time that the new
government re look at it’s “HR policies”- Rules for Hiring - Rewarding & Firing needs to be redefined.
If we spend private money we expect 100 % satisfactory services, In case of government it is the public
money (and we are public), hence we have a right to expect satisfactory services from our government
servants. Its time that before implementing any new reform we reform the very own workforce which is going
to implement new policies. Why any political party has made this an agenda for election ?
“ (1) No person who is a member of a civil service of the Union or an all India service or a civil service of a State
or holds a civil post under the Union or a State shall be dismissed or removed by a authority subordinate
to that by which he was appointed
(2) No such person as aforesaid shall be dismissed or removed or reduced in rank except after an inquiry in
which he has been informed of the charges against him and given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in
respect of those charges provided that where it is proposed after such inquiry, to impose upon him any
such penalty, such penalty may be imposed on the basis of the evidence adduced during such inquiry
and it shall not be necessary to give such person any opportunity of making representation on the penalty
proposed”
Surprised ? These are contents of Article 311 of Indian Constitution which is source of issue even
bigger than corruption. One may think what can be bigger issue than that of corruption in India. Think
hard and you will find that is an issue of competency and attitude of government servants.
How many of us have observed that the clerks and Babus working in government are just not fit for the
post that they are holding? (Forget being overpaid) How many times we have noticed the difference
in service delivery (yes, government is in business of delivering services to citizen) between govt.
Department and private firms, and concluded that private enterprises are faster & better in service
delivery.The issue with corruption is that it requires additional money on part of citizen to get the work
done. But at least the work gets done. But when you are faced with problem of incompetence and
indolence despite readiness to pay money the work simply doesn’t get done. This is even worse than
corruption.
This may not be a cause of concern if there is reducing or minimum interaction /interference for public.
Look at our everyday life and we are running to how many government offices. Income tax, sales tax,
RTO,Ration,Election,Universities, Revenue & land records, Police, Traffic etc. There is government at
almost every mode of life and you don’t have choice not to come across. Can you recollect few
instances where you have felt like going to government offices ? Generally we feel that it is pain to go
to government offices. Because we are being treated as if we are asking for some favors and we are at
mercy of government officer, whether our work will get done today, tomorrow or god knows when. It
would be waste of time on your part if your fight with the dead and insensitive system (read: people
with either incompetence or wrong attitude ). And even if you win you will get at most the service with
delay which was your basic right. Because of necessity you might plead to get your work done, even at
cost of spending money (corruption), but in most of the cases the experiences are not so good.
Every person who has held top positions in government enterprise, will tell you that their key
concern is that of finding competent person with correct attitude for work. Forget government employees
even politicians will accept that find such right people and to get work done is challenge.Such outdated
provisions cannot help under any circumstances to deliver good governance. If your soldiers are weak
and demoralized no general can win the war. Such archaic rules prevent higher authorities to get the
work done from lower rank government officials.
Because of this protection given to the government servants, majority in India craves for government job.
Because its like a lottery of assured fix income and increment irrespective of work. It is simply unimaginable
in private sector. It becomes even more lucrative with implementation of 6th Pay commission. The article
provides them unnecessary and outdated cover for their incompetence and lazy attitude. For the issues and
problems of corruption there are laws which if properly implemented properly can tackle corruption. But for
incompetence and indolent (lazy) attitude there is hardly any provision to tackle it.
Take an example which I came across in recent newspaper. Some junior clerk in education board has not
reported since 7-8 years to his new place of posting. He would have been obviously intimated
informally and formally thereafter many times. Still after 7-8 years the secondary board gives a public notice to
that clerk in a state wide daily, ‘to join the duties or else stern actions will be taken against him as per rules’.
What the hell? After 7-8 years also you are still serving notices that too by spending public money? If as a
individual you would have employed such person will you do that and wait for 7-8 years ? He should have
been terminated much earlier and his post must be filled. But still in case of government servants
because of this article and its provisions, removing a person from government service is toughest task
for any officials.
We need to see this issue also in right perspective. I am not against the pay-packages / perks offered to
government officers. They are necessary for dignified life and mental peace so that the employee can put
in all its efforts. Nor all government employees are incompetent. As a thumb rule people say, as per
rule of 80:20, 20 % of employees really do major work and rest 80 are just piggy riding. But in present
government scenario this ratio seems to be 95:5. This is not acceptable. It demoralizes those 5 % who
work and clogs the system and makes it inefficient. And this environment might also deter the fresh and
dynamic talent to get in to government services.
Today, issue of corruption is getting extensive coverage. There is a wave in media against anti-corruption.
But I think along with our systems need to be more sensitive towards incompetence / indolence in
government services.Because these factors have a huge latent costs in terms of inefficient and poor quality of
works and services provided by the government. And on the top of it the outdated provisions and spirit
of Article 311 does not bode well for any change in current system.
Today in age of professionalism wherein we are expecting excellent customers services thanks to competition
and private enterprises, the government services stick out like sore thumb. It is high time that the new
government re look at it’s “HR policies”- Rules for Hiring - Rewarding & Firing needs to be redefined.
If we spend private money we expect 100 % satisfactory services, In case of government it is the public
money (and we are public), hence we have a right to expect satisfactory services from our government
servants. Its time that before implementing any new reform we reform the very own workforce which is going
to implement new policies. Why any political party has made this an agenda for election ?