December 16, 2009 Administrative Reforms Bullet Points Second Administrative Reforms Commission was set up in Aug 2005

Commission submits 15 reports ov 12, 2009! "#SC favours Aptitude $est over Civi% Service #re%im &'am A%ag( Committee Report in 2001 (ad favoured testing candidates in a common rat(er t(an an optiona% sub)ect *ota Committee in 200+ (ad favoured introducing aptitude , %eaders(ip tests for se%ection Current two-stage e'amination structure is a %egac. of /ot(ari Committee report in 1906 Backgrounder 1ar-reac(ing c(anges in t(e g%oba% econom. (ave made it necessar. to bui%d a competent and we%%-functioning civi% service and as a resu%t of recent c(anges induced b. g%oba%i2ation, countries are competing inter-nationa%%. not on%. in t(e mar3et p%ace but a%so on t(e 4ua%it. of t(eir governance structures5 $(e c(anged po%ic. of deregu%ation, %ibera%i2ation and competition (as suggested a new ro%e for t(e civi% services, emp(asi2ing t(e strategic management of t(e econom. in %ess prescriptive and more mar3et-driven approac(es5 $(e c(anges in t(e economic structure (ave raised new demands re%ated to contro% and accountabi%it. of t(e civi% services as we%% as new definitions of professiona% ob%igations5 6n addition, t(e ro%e and importance of civi% societ. organi2ations and t(e private sector in t(e 6ndian econom. and in societ. in genera% (ave increased substantia%%. over t(e .ears, %eading to t(e demand for a more participative government5 6t is in recognition of t(e above mentioned rea%ities t(at t(e Second Administrative Reforms Commission was set up in August 2005 wit( a wide ranging mandate to prepare a b%ueprint for revamping t(e pub%ic administration and to suggest measures to ac(ieve a pro-active, responsive, accountab%e, sustainab%e and efficient administration for t(e countr. at a%% %eve%s of government5 Administrative reforms is a comp%e' sub)ect5 7(i%e civi% services reforms is a 3e. component of administrative reforms 8 because t(e 4ua%it. of pub%ic service is critica% to determining outcomes 8 administrative reforms wou%d re4uire addressing a number of %ega%, structura% and procedura% issues in not on%. t(e e'ecutive but a%so in ot(er organs of government, i5e5 t(e %egis%ature and t(e )udiciar.5 #er(aps because t(ese were not compre(ensive%. addressed in t(e past b. t(e severa% commissions and committees t(at (ad been set up, t(e reforms underta3en so far (ave been somew(at incrementa% and ad (oc5 6n t(is conte't, t(e mandate given to t(e Second Administrative Reforms Commission see3s to address reforms in a muc( more (o%istic manner on issues and institutions w(ic( (ave a direct bearing on a transparent inc%usive and accountab%e s.stem of governance5 $(e commission (as t(us inter a%ia given far-reac(ing recommendations in respect of et(ics in

governance, socia% capita% and trusts, crisis management, conf%ict reso%ution, apart of course from issues pertaining to reforms in t(e po%ice and t(e crimina% )ustice s.stem, furt(er strengt(ening t(e Rig(t to 6nformation Act, empowering %oca% se%f-government institutions so t(at t(e. meaningfu%%. function as t(e t(ird tier of government and so on5 A%% t(ese reforms are interconnected and interre%ated and w(en imp%emented wou%d p%a. a ma)or ro%e in transforming our entire s.stem of governance5 Civi% services reforms itse%f encompasses a wide range of areas starting from t(e recruitment to t(e civi% services, capacit. bui%ding, s.stem of p%acements, re%ations(ip between t(e po%itica% and t(e permanent e'ecutive and most important%., t(e et(ica% va%ues t(at t(e civi% services must incu%cate5 9ecause of e'isting s.stemic deficiencies in t(ese areas, our administration in genera% and t(e civi% services in particu%ar, are perceived to (ave become wooden, inf%e'ib%e, se%f-perpetuating and inward-%oo3ing5 6t is sad but true t(at t(e civi% service in 6ndia evo3es t(e metap(ors of w(at :ic(e% Cro2ier ca%%s ;bureaucratic be(aviour<= t(e norma% association t(at peop%e (ave wit( t(e ;vu%gar and fre4uent use of t(e word >bureaucrac.>,< w(ic( as Cro2ier e'p%ains, ;evo3es t(e s%owness, t(e ponderousness, t(e routine, t(e comp%ication of procedures, and t(e ma%adaptive responses of >bureaucratic> organi2ations to t(e needs w(ic( t(e. s(ou%d satisf., and t(e frustrations w(ic( t(eir members, c%ients, or sub)ects conse4uent%. endure5< 7(i%e recommending a wide s%ew of reforms in t(e civi% services, t(e Administrative Reforms Commission (as identified and been guided b. a set of core princip%es w(ic( form t(e raison d<etre for t(e proposed reforms5 $(ese core princip%es are as fo%%ows! Setting right the asymmetry of power! $(ere is an imba%ance in t(e e'ercise of power in governance5 ?ften s.stemic rigidities, need%ess comp%e'ities and over-centra%i2ation ma3e pub%ic servants ineffective and (e%p%ess in ac(ieving positive outcomes5 ?n t(e ot(er (and, negative power of abuse of aut(orit. t(roug( f%agrant vio%ation of %aw, pett. t.rann. and nuisance va%ue is virtua%%. unc(ec3ed5 $(is situation is furt(er aggravated b. t(e as.mmetr. of power in our societ.5 $(e ;privi%eged< government position gives even t(e %ower government functionaries enormous power over most of t(e citi2ens given t(eir ab)ect povert., i%%iterac. and a %ingering feuda% cu%ture5 $(is needs to be set rig(t in an. effort towards pub%ic services reforms t(roug( sustained capacit. bui%dings and training w(ic( can c(ange mind sets5 Insulating civil servants from undue political interference : 6n a democrac., t(e civi% service (as to be answerab%e to t(e e%ected government5 $(ere is criticism, (owever, t(at increasing%. partisan intervention and cron.ism are undermining t(e ru%e of %aw, distorting incentives and condoning corruption5 $(is is adverse%. affecting t(e mora%e of pub%ic servants5 $(e re%ations(ip between t(e po%itica% e'ecutive and t(e civi% services needs to be transformed on t(e basis of mutua% understanding, respect and recognition of eac( ot(er<s distinct ro%es and responsibi%ities5 Professionalization with stability of tenure and competition ! $(ere is need to recogni2e t(e comp%e' c(a%%enges of modern administration in various sp(eres of activit.5 :eeting suc( c(a%%enges re4uire domain e'pertise and %ong e'perience in t(e sectors concerned5 $(ere is a%so need to foster e'ce%%ence in t(e pub%ic s.stem5 &'isting procedures and practices do not ade4uate%. (e%p in deve%oping domain e'pertise, nor do t(e. (e%p in uti%i2ing t(e avai%ab%e domain e'pertise5

Citizen-centric administration! $(e fact t(at t(e functioning of t(e civi% services (as an impact on t(e 4ua%it. of governance and t(us on t(e we%%-being of t(e citi2en and t(e we%fare of t(e communit. as a w(o%e is often forgotten5 $(e perception of t(e civi% services toda. is of a vast impersona% organi2ation wit(out commitment to (uman needs and va%ues5 6t is necessar. to redress t(e situation, particu%ar%. in t(is era of participative democrac., b. ma3ing t(e governance apparatus an instrument of service to t(e peop%e5 Accountability: $(ere is a genera% fee%ing t(at e'isting mec(anisms of accountabi%it. are inade4uate5 ?n t(e one (and, t(ere are a%ibis for non-performance and on t(e ot(er, competence and integrit. are not ade4uate%. recogni2ed or rewarded5 $(erefore, innovative and effective mec(anisms need to be put in p%ace to protect pub%ic mone., guarantee intended outcomes and enforce accountabi%it.5 Outcome orientation: :onitoring in government is primari%. t(roug( measurement of e'penditure against out%a.s and at best t(roug( defined outputs5 C%ear%., t(ere is need to move towards measurement of outcomes5 A c(ange in t(is direction (as a%read. started wit( t(e initia% outcome budgeting e'ercises5 6n order to engineer t(is s(ift to outcomes, ma)or c(anges in attitudes, monitoring and eva%uation s.stems, incentives and accountabi%it. measures are necessar.5 Promoting public service values and ethics ! Apart from t(e traditiona% civi% service va%ues of efficienc., integrit., accountabi%it. and patriotism, it is necessar. for civi% servants to incu%cate and adopt et(ica% and mora% va%ues inc%uding probit. in pub%ic %ife, respect for (uman rig(ts and compassion for t(e downtrodden and commitment to t(eir we%fare5 9ased on t(ese core princip%es, a set of reforms (as been suggested to cover t(e fo%%owing broad areas! a@ Recruitment and capacit. bui%ding5 b@ #%acement and transfer po%ic.5 c@ #erformance management and accountabi%it.5 d@ &t(ica% code for civi% servants5 UPSC Exams $(e 4ua%it. of governance is critica%%. dependent on t(e 4ua%it. of pub%ic servants and a ma)or determinant of t(e 4ua%it. of civi% servants is t(e rigour and integrit. of t(e recruitment process5 $(e commission (as suggested reforms in t(e s.stem of recruitment focusing on substantia%%. %owering t(e age of entr. of candidates into t(e civi% services so t(at candidates can be groomed at an ear%. age to ta3e up t(e responsibi%it. of becoming pub%ic administrators 8 a concept it (as designated as a s.stem of ;post sc(oo% grooming< of civi% servants5 $(e commission (as to t(is end, suggested estab%is(ment of nationa% institutes of pub%ic administration to run bac(e%or degree courses in pub%ic administrationAmanagement5 Se%ected centres at ot(er universities s(ou%d a%so be assisted to offer suc( graduate %eve% programmes w(ic( s(ou%d cover core sub)ects t(at are materia%%. re%evant for t(e civi% services suc( as t(e Constitution of 6ndia, 6ndian %ega% s.stem, administrative %aw, 6ndian econom., 6ndian po%it. and 6ndian (istor.5 ?n%. graduates comp%eting t(eir degrees in pub%ic administration from t(ese nationa% institutes of pub%ic administration and t(e se%ected

universities wou%d be e%igib%e to appear in t(e civi% service e'amination5 *owever, in order to 3eep t(e process inc%usive and attract ta%ent from a%% fie%ds= graduates in ot(er discip%ines wou%d a%so be e%igib%e to appear in t(e civi% service e'amination provided t(e. comp%ete a bridge course in t(e core sub)ects mentioned above at t(e designated institutions5 $(e commission (as suggested t(at an e'pert committee s(ou%d be set up in consu%tation wit( t(e "nion #ub%ic Service Commission B"#SC@ to deve%op t(e curricu%a for t(ese proposed new courses so t(at t(ese can be started ear%.5 6n t(e meantime, t(e commission (as a%so suggested ma)or reforms in t(e e'isting s.stem of civi% services e'aminations so t(at t(e concept of eva%uating aspiring civi% servants on a set of above mentioned core sub)ects wi%% become institutiona%i2ed and rep%ace t(e e'isting regime w(ic( (as a%%owed t(e pro%iferation of a (uge variet. of unre%ated and often esoteric sub)ects t(at are not re%evant for t(e pub%ics services and are not comparab%e for t(e purpose of eva%uation5 6n addition, t(e commission (as suggested conduct of t(e pre%iminar. and main e'amination eit(er simu%taneous%. or wit(in a period of two mont(s of eac( ot(er so t(at t(e present trend of a near%. .ear %ong recruitment process is substantia%%. compressed5 $(e commission (as a%so suggested %owering t(e permissib%e age for appearing in civi% service e'amination to 25 .ears for genera% candidates, 2C .ears for ?9Cs and 29 .ears for SCAS$ and p(.sica%%. (andicapped5 $(e commission (as suggested t(ese age reductions because suc( age concessions actua%%. amount to doub%e )eopard. for t(e socia%%. bac3ward students since t(eir %ate entrance into t(e pub%ic service de facto ensures t(at t(e. wou%d retire before t(e. can reac( t(e senior most positions in government w(i%e at t(e same time man. unsuccessfu% candidates end up spending and wasting a %arge segment of t(eir most productive .ears repeated%. appearing for t(ese e'ams5 $o ensure greater accountabi%it., a s.stem of two intensive reviews, one on comp%etion of 1+ .ears of service and anot(er on comp%etion of 20 .ears of service, (as been proposed to be estab%is(ed wit( t(e first review aimed at warning t(ose w(o need to improve t(eir performance and t(e second review serving t(e purpose of a fitness bar to weed out non performers5 $o meet t(is ob)ective, t(e ARC (as recommended t(at appointment %etters for new entrants into government service s(ou%d specif. t(at t(e term of appointment is for 20 .ears on%.5 UPSC favours Aptitude Test over Civil Service Prelim Exam Nov !" !##$ >"#SC is convinced of t(e need for important c(anges in t(e met(od of recruitment to t(e (ig(er civi% services t(at are t(e ve(ic%e for pub%ic service de%iver.5 ?ne of t(e recommendations made b. t(e Commission to t(e government is t(at a Civi% Service Aptitude $est rep%ace t(e e'isting Civi% Services B#re%iminar.@ &'amination,> "#SC C(airman, #rofessor D # Agrawa% said5 $(e proposa% is to (ave two ob)ective t.pe papers t(at are common to a%% candidates5 $(e emp(asis is on testing t(e aptitude of t(e candidate for t(e demanding %ife in t(e civi% service, as we%% as on et(ica% and mora% dimensions of decision-ma3ing, (e said5

>6t (as a%so been proposed t(at t(e structure of t(e Civi% Services B:ain@ &'amination ma. remain t(e same ti%% a Committee of &'perts, t(at ma. be appointed b. t(e Commission, goes into various aspects,> Agrawa% said during t(e inauguration of "#SC %ecture series on governance, in ew De%(i5 $(e "#SC c(airman said >Careers in pub%ic service (ave become more attractive in t(e conte't of a better emo%uments regime, as a%so on account of t(e c(anges in t(e g%oba% economic scenario5 $(is p%aces a responsibi%it. on t(e government s.stem to tai%or procedures and careers to suit t(e newer vistas5> $(e Commission is a%so of t(e view t(at w(i%e %owering t(e age of entr. to t(e civi% services ma. be desirab%e, interests of rura% candidates w(o ma. comp%ete t(eir graduation %ater t(an t(eir urban counterparts needs to be considered a%so, t(e "#SC c(airman said5 >A reduction in t(e number of attempts a%%owed at t(e e'amination, as proposed b. t(e 2nd Administrative Reform Commission BARC@, is (owever ca%%ed for, so as to remove t(e premium on cramming and memori2ation t(at a %arge number of attempts provides,> Agrawa% informed5 >7e (ave p%ans for introducing computer based app%ications for various e'aminations, and an ;a%wa.s on< interactive voice response s.stem over te%ep(one so t(at interface between aspirants and t(e Commission is eas., efficient, and 4uic3,> (e said5 "#SC receives more t(an a mi%%ion app%ications for a%% of t(e 1+ regu%ar e'aminations and ot(er recruitments it conducts ever. .ear5 6t recommends for appointment of about 5,000 officers annua%%., after a rigorous process of screening, testing, and persona% interview as necessar.5