Civil services are the means of governance, and any attempt to dilute its quality can impact our competitiveness ultimately
As we prepare to march past yet another Independence Day, 68th to be precise, a very crucial question arises: what kind of India do we want to makeIJ The recent protests against the new pattern of Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) have given rise to this question. We must understand that the civil services are the means of governance for our country and any attempt to dilute their quality may ultimately impact our competitiveness. The argument that the new CSAT is biased against some sections of society is specious. The only place where success comes before work is the dictionary.
It is rather unfortunate that aspirants to the most coveted services — the Indian Civil Services — are resorting to an uncivil approach. Aspirants of civil services must realise that if successful, they will be running the country. In a globalised world order, this will call for global quality standards. And to understand the nuances of global standards, we only need to compare our performance in the Olympics with other international sporting competitions. Even as it is raining gold and silver medals for India in the Commonwealth Games 2014, we must remember how we have fared in the Olympics.
Those protesting against the new CSAT are not realising what they are asking for. Their demands, if met, may dilute the very standards of the Indian Government of the future. Any examination is the test of specific aptitude aimed at selecting the best person on the basis of some laid down criteria. As long as the criteria is uniform, arguments suggesting that the examination is biased is not valid.
Was it not that despite all odds that Indians could qualify the Imperial Civil Services (ICS) examination organised by the then British Government. In fact, it was to make the entry of Indians to ICS difficult that the Britishers reduced the age of entry from 21 to 19. Even then people like Subhash Chandra Bose could succeed.
To succeed in competition one needs to increase competence. If we want to grow, we must come out of our comfort zone. As noted writer and thinker Wayne Dyer said: “Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing, you get to choose.” In complaining that the new CSAT is biased in favour of some, people are forgetting that these ideological excuses cannot substitute hard work.
Fighting shy of competition may not help India find its rightful place in the comity of nations. We have long been promoting mediocrity. It is time we embraced excellence. The following tale from the life of Birbal, a famous minister of Emperor Akbar, may give cues to excellence. As all other courtiers were envious of Birbal because of the trust the emperor reposed on him, Akbar once tried to convince them. He drew a line on a wall and asked if it could be shortened without being touched. All the courtiers said it was impossible. The emperor then asked Birbal, who simply drew a bigger line by the side of the one the emperor had drawn and said the line was now shorter. The moral — raise the bar, don’t lower the standards.
The writer is a professor, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad (Jharkhand). He can be reached at ppathak.ism@gmail.com