Day 38 – Q 5.What do you understand by the concept of ‘dedication to public service’? Shouldn’t the civil services be considered just like any other job? Critically comment.

5. What do you understand by the concept of ‘dedication to public service’? Shouldn’t the civil services be considered just like any other job? Critically comment. 

‘लोक सेवा के प्रति समर्पण‘ की अवधारणा से आप क्या समझते हैं? क्या सिविल सेवाओं को किसी अन्य नौकरी की तरह नहीं माना जाना चाहिए? समालोचनात्मक टिप्पणी करें।

Introduction:

Dedication is the quality of being dedicated or committed to a task or purpose, thought or action. Dedication can also be said to be commitment with passion. It has emotion attached with it. 

Dedication is an important personality characteristic of an individual. In organizational context, dedicated employees work towards achieving the organizational goals. 

‘Dedication to public service’ refers to keeping public good above all and working for it even in adverse condition. 

Some examples of ‘dedication to public service’

• MG Rajamanikyam carried rice sacks on his shoulder without hesitation during kerala flood. 
• Ashok Khemka – 45 transfers in 23 years.
• Smita Sabharwal – “fund your city” project for infrastructure development. 
• Sonam Wangchuk started operation New Hope – revolutionizing education in Ladakh. 
• Compassionate Kozhikode – Prashant Nair
• Kannan Gopinathan – extraordinary work during kerala flood. 
• Armstrong Pame – People’s road
• Aruna Sundara Rajan – Headed Kudumbashree project
• OP Chaudhary was posted at the Maoist hotbed, Dantewada,

Body

In India, civil servants perform the regular administration and also play an important role in socio-economic development of the nation as a whole. The real spirit of the work of a civil servant is dependent on a moral base of benevolence to all citizens. Thus, public service is a concept that has ‘dedicated service’ inherent to it.

The civil services should not be considered just like any other job

• A civil servant may encounter several obstructions like social opposition against any programme, lack of support from political executive and complex situations that need utmost care and precautions. Without dedication to help, he/she may never be able to arrive at the best solution. For example: Schemes for promoting family planning are generally opposed in rural areas as they consider contraceptives as taboos.  Without personal assurance and dedicated outreach, implementation of the scheme may never be realised.
• Public service often entails unforeseen or sudden situations that require one to be ready and provide quick assessment.  A dedicated civil servant is aware of this and always devoted to give his best efforts in such situations.
• A true civil servant ensures that no policy or action is taken at the cost of the welfare of public at large. Devoted to public service is what ensures an officer to oversee a credible and efficient policy formulation and implementation. For ex: One’s colleagues may be involved in corruption, at the cost of a larger destruction to social welfare. Commitment to foundational values and concern for public will prevent this.
• New innovative ideas and solutions to problems are required. For example: In the remote areas of Manipur, the two villages of Tusem and Tamenglong were inaccessible with no road, connectivity and the locals had to either walk for hours, or swim across the river. IAS officer Armstrong Pame decided to get the road built, he wrote to the government of Manipur, but was refused funds. This, however, did not deter his plan and Armstrong began gathering support through social media. He collected Rs 40 lakh for the construction of the 100km road.
• In India, where a large population is poverty-ridden, many are victims of social disadvantage and vulnerability, treating civil services as just another job may not give the civil servant the required encouragement and urge to eliminate this from the society. Only when the perseverance and dedication to service is inherent, can one effectively contribute.

The civil services should be considered just like any other job

• This will encourage lateral entry and performance based evaluation in civil service. 
• Bureaucratic attitude can be replaced with democratic attitude and citizen centric governance
• HR- system can be instituted in civil service as suggested by Niti Aayog better management of human resource and efficiency. 

Conclusion

Once Dr. Sam Pitroda, said that “Biggest tragedy of our nation is that the best minds of this country are busy solving problems of the rich who in reality don’t have any problem, while the poor, vulnerable and needy are left uncared for!”.

“Public service must be more than doing a job efficiently and honestly. It must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation”. Margaret Chase Smith

Hence it can be said that ‘dedication to public service’ is necessary for civil service.