This refers to Vivek Rae's article "Lateral entry into the civil service is not a good idea" (February 22). In seeking to "restore the balance" in what he terms as "a one-sided debate" favouring lateral entry into senior government positions, Rae has overstated the case for the civil service retaining monopoly over these positions. The thrust of his argument for maintaining the status quo seems to be that the extensive field experience acquired by civil servants is not only indispensable for holding important policy-making positions, but also directly translates into policies that can be effectively implemented on the ground. That argument overlooks the fact that relevant experience and domain expertise are often not available at senior decision-making levels inter alia due to limited tenures of bureaucrats in particular postings and a seniority-based approach to promotion.
There is no doubt that the civil service is in need of urgent reform. According to a recent report by Goldman Sachs, real reform of the civil service, which includes setting up a merit-based system and inducting external experts, could "add nearly a percentage point annually to India's per capita growth". The prerequisite for any such reform is a change in the mindset of the bureaucracy. As a starting point, it may do well to recognise that there exists considerable expertise outside government that can be usefully tapped to ensure better governance. The way forward, thus, lies not in treating lateral recruitment as an exception, but in providing a proper framework for lateral entry into government that takes account of legitimate concerns of career civil servants, while providing a level playing field for lateral recruits.
Shweta Hingorani New Delhi
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