<b>Letters:</b> Faulty structure

Rahul Jacob’s column, “Reforming our civil service” (January 28) is yet another piece that advocates radical reforms in civil services; its faulty structure is allegedly responsible for the woeful state of governance in India. 

The fault is chiefly lack of policy specialisation and absence of proper incentives for efficient performance. Jacob seem to confuse specialisation in an area of public policy with either specialisation in an academic discipline or specialisation in an area that operates outside a complex politico-administrative and socio-cultural context. How can the head of an international NGO, who Jacob refers to as having specialised in public policy for a decade, understand the public health issues at the grassroots level in the politically and culturally disparate landscape of India without having practical experience?

Why have those who had been advocating specialisation-based, lateral-entry-oriented radical civil service reform from his academic chamber, not initiated any such initiatives when he is in the position to make policies? 

When we get stung by a bad experience with a public organisation, we revert to armchair expertise. Those well-versed in neoliberal principles or public policy critics are often considered policy experts. Finding faults with public policy is one thing, framing and implementing effective public policy is quite another.

Mahesh K Behera | Bhubaneswar

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