The central government's proposal to increase the age of retirement by two years to 62 could be a retrograde step if implemented. Leave aside the timing, the very thought of this step in the current context of the state of the economy could prove fatal. The country, facing inefficient employees at all levels in government departments, cannot afford to be blind to this trend. The government should use this crisis to overhaul the system. Honest and efficient officers should be incentivised and the inefficient ones should be replaced by young and professional candidates. Extraordinary situations require radical solutions, which the government can do by reducing the retirement age to 45 years or 15 years of service for new entrants. Only those employees who have excelled in their job could be considered for a five-year extension. This way we will get quality service from government servants and our bureaucracy will be free from the stigma it suffers in the international arena.
Naresh Saxena New Delhi
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