Civil Services Reforms

Why Do Civil Services Reforms Become Inevitable?

Every institution must evolve with:

• Changing socio-economic realities
• Rising public expectations
• Technological advancement

Indian civil services were designed in a colonial administrative context, but today they operate in:

• A democratic polity
• A market-oriented economy
• A digitally connected society

Therefore, reforms are not an attack on civil services; they are necessary corrections to preserve their relevance, credibility, and effectiveness.

Recent Initiatives to Promote Efficiency and Accountability

(a) Mission Karmayogi – National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (2020)

Mission Karmayogi marks a paradigm shift in how civil servants are trained.

Earlier approach:

• One-time training at induction
• Little linkage between skills and roles

Mission Karmayogi introduces:

• Continuous learning
• Role-based competency framework
• Emphasis on attitude, ethics, and professionalism

The objective is to create “future-ready civil servants” who are → Efficient, Citizen-centric, Accountable

(b) Delayering and Delegation in Decision-Making (2024)

In November 2024, the government directed all ministries to ensure that → Decision-making layers do not exceed four levels

This reform targets → Bureaucratic delays, File stagnation, Diffused responsibility

It strengthens → Speed of governance, Clear accountability, Outcome-oriented administration.

(c) 360-Degree Feedback Mechanism

Traditional appraisal systems often suffered from → Subjectivity, Hierarchical bias

The 360-degree feedback mechanism evaluates senior civil servants through → Superiors, Peers, Subordinates

This enables → Holistic performance assessment, Behavioral accountability, Ethical self-correction

(d) Lateral Entry of Specialists

Recognising the limitations of a purely generalist system, the government introduced lateral entry into senior positions.

Purpose:

• Bring domain experts from economics, technology, infrastructure, etc.
• Improve policy quality and implementation

This reform seeks to balance → Administrative experience, Technical expertise

(e) Good Governance Week – Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore

Good Governance Week, celebrated every December, aims to:

• Resolve public grievances
• Improve last-mile service delivery

The 2025 theme, Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore, emphasized:

• Taking administration to the grassroots
• Enhancing transparency and responsiveness

(f) AIS Rules Revision and Fixed Tenure

Frequent transfers undermine → Neutrality, Policy continuity

To address this:

• All India Services Rules were amended to provide fixed tenure
• States like Maharashtra enacted legislation mandating minimum 3-year tenure

This protects officers from arbitrary transfers and strengthens institutional independence.

Doctrine of Democratic Governance and Public Trust

Core Idea:

Democratic governance cannot function without public trust in civil servants’ integrity.

Article 311 protects civil servants not as a privilege, but to ensure:

• Fearless decision-making
• Rule-based administration

Dimensions of Trust in Governance

(a) Trust and Compliance

When people trust administrators, compliance increases—especially during crises.
For example, COVID-19 guidelines saw higher compliance due to trust in health authorities.

(b) Policy Implementation

Public participation improves when civil servants are trusted.
The success of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was driven by credibility at the implementation level.

(c) Corruption Deterrence

Integrity-based administration → Strengthens accountability, Discourages corruption

The Second ARC repeatedly stressed ethical governance as the backbone of reforms.

(d) Public Service Commitment

Dedicated civil servants elevate democratic institutions.

A classic example is T. N. Seshan, whose strict enforcement of electoral rules restored faith in Indian democracy.

Supreme Court’s View on Cadre Allocation

The Supreme Court clarified that:

• Successful candidates do not have a right to demand a home cadre
• By opting for an All India Service, candidates agree—with eyes open—to serve anywhere in the country

This reinforces:

• National character of All India Services
• Federal integration
• Professional commitment over personal preference

Major Committees and Commissions on Civil Services Reforms

(a) First Administrative Reforms Commission (1966)

Chaired initially by Morarji Desai and later by K. Hanumanthaiah.

Key contributions:

• Emphasised specialisation
• Advocated lateral entry at senior technical positions

(b) Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2005)

Chaired by Veerappa Moily.

Major recommendations:

• Restructuring Civil Services Examination
• Performance-based appraisal
• Code of Ethics
• Lokpal and Lokayuktas
• Capacity building and continuous training

It forms the intellectual foundation of most current reforms.

(c) T. S. R. Subramanian Case

In T. S. R. Subramanian v. Union of India, the Supreme Court held that:

• Civil servants are not bound to follow verbal instructions
• Orders must be written to ensure accountability

This ruling strengthened:

• Rule-based administration
• Bureaucratic neutrality

(d) Examination-Oriented Committees

• Kothari Committee (1976): Introduced the three-stage exam (Prelims–Mains–Interview)
• Satish Chandra Committee (1989): Introduced Essay paper; increased interview weightage
• Y. K. Alagh Committee (2001): Proposed comprehensive restructuring
• Hota Commission (2004): Advocated domain specialization and higher age limit
• Khanna Committee (2010): Led to introduction of CSAT
• Baswan Committee (2016): Recommended lowering upper age limit

These committees shaped the selection philosophy of civil services.

Concluding Insight

Civil services reforms in India are not about dismantling institutions, but about renewing them.

A modern democracy requires civil servants who are ethically grounded, professionally competent, technologically enabled, and constitutionally loyal.