Government of India

From Wikipedia:


The Indian Civil Service (ICS) for part of the 19th century officially known as the Imperial Civil Service, was the élite higher civil service of the British Empire in South Asia during British rule in the period between 1858 and 1947. Its members were appointed under Section XXXII of the Government of India Act, 1935, enacted by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

At first almost all the top 1,000 members of the ICS, known as "Civilians", were British, and had been educated in the best British schools. By 1905 5 per cent were from Bengal. In 1947 there were 322 Indians and 688 British members; most of the latter left at the time of partition and independence.

Until the 1930s the Indians in the service were very few and were not given high posts by the British. Wainwright notes that by the mid-1880s, "the basis of racial discrimination in the sub-continent had solidified". At the time of the birth of India and Pakistan in 1947, the outgoing Government of India's ICS was divided between India and Pakistan. Although these are now organised differently, the contemporary Civil Services of India and the Pakistan Civil Service are both descended from the old Indian Civil Service.

Historians often rate the ICS, together with the railway system, the legal system, and the Indian Army, as among the most important legacies of British rule in India.

As Prime Minister Nehru retained the organization and its top people, albeit with a change of title to the "Indian Administrative Service". It continued its main roles. Nehru appointed long-time ICS officials Chintaman Deshmukh as his Finance Minister, and K.P.S.Menon as his Foreign Minister.

Sardar Vallabhai Patel appreciated their role in keeping India united after Partition, and noted in Parliament that without them, the country would have collapsed.
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Peter Drucker observed many best practices of these officers and mentioned in his management book. Periodically the District Collectors used to meet with their higher officers and review the performances.

IAS officers are the Government of India. These posts may not be attractive, salary wise. But, IAS officers has been regarded with respect by the people.

They keep the country running. These kind of administrative services doesn't seem to be popular in America. The President appoints his campaign manager for the top posts.

These IAS officers are well educated; very well trained; nowadays, they also adopt modern management. Except a few; all civil service executives are of high moral value and have great integrity of character.

Earlier, around 1950s, IAS officers managed the country. Political leaders with character had been model or example for the people. People did respect the words of 1950 political leaders.

In Singapore, the leader mentioned in a radio address that; he was very much concerned about chewing gum. People chew the gum and spit it in the public place. Sometimes these chewing gum get stuck in the train doors and caused damage to public property. The next day, the shop owners trashed all their stock; people gave up the gum overnight; remember, they respected their leaders and responded to his feelings. Only later, it was made as law.

Do we have any leader now? Could anyone make a speech that; I am deeply concerned about the sexual violence on women. Could those words transform our people?

Right now, we don't have any such leader; and also, our people don't listen to anybody. So, we could manage the country only with tough and strict law.

IAS officers for day to day management of government. Political leaders for leading the nation with their character of integrity and high moral value. That would have been a wonderful India.

So, making the civil services effective is very good for the nation; for the people.

But not for any political parties.

As leader, you could either serve the nation and people;
or you could build an effective political party as an organization.

Certainly, you cannot do both.

Hitler built the top class political organization.
Stalin, Mao and other communists leaders built top class political organizations.

George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, even Winston Churchill did not build any political organizations. But they got a life; even after death; they are people leaders.

The choice is yours.

India or BJP.

Barack Obama has no such burden.
Barack Obama has no burden to build a strong political organization for his democratic political party.

Obviously, it is not business as usual in New Delhi.