In most developed countries, being a civil servant is not cause for veneration or celebration. In much of Indian society however, to secure a government job is akin to winning the socio-economic lottery.
I remember how when I was selected to join the IRS, relatives, and people around me started to behave entirely differently. It was strange to one fine day be told things like “your life is now set”, “you don’t need to worry about anything in life now”, and the unforgettable- “congrats, you’re a big man now”.
Little did I know that the people saying such things to me were merely projecting their own desires. There was no truth or predictive power in their words. Years after joining the civil services as a top-tier group A officer, my life was far from set, I had plenty to worry about and I certainly did not feel like a big man. In fact, I felt like an insignificantly small man in a very large machine.
But this paints too bleak a picture of my experiences as an officer. There were plenty of amazing things – the exposure, experiences, learning, and access was unprecedented. The variety of exposure to different situations I had was incredible. It was a privilege and an honor to serve in the government, but as a job, it was far from what it was hyped up to be.
What is the truth? Will a government job get you what people say it does? Will it beget happiness? Will it provide the job security or prestige that you crave? The answer is it depends.
Here are the facts differentiated from the myths –
1. Myth – You will get a lot of respect.
Fact – You will get ego-massages from people who want something from you. Most people will give you positive regard to use you. You may or may not get true respect which if you do, will depend on years of reputation building, integrity, sacrifice, and discipline on your part. Even so, you certainly won’t get respect from everyone.
2. Myth – You will get a lot of power.
Fact- You will get a lot of accountabilities. Although you will get legal powers to be exercised within the bounds of rules, laws and precedence set by others before you, your actual powers will be determined by the situation, the nature of your bosses and various other factors. There will be times when you will feel powerful but most times, the real cause of it will be your rank/position, and not your inherent qualities.
3. Myth- You will get a chance to change the system.
Fact- The system will get a chance to change you. Soon enough after entering the bureaucratic system you will realize the enormity of the machine and your role as a very small one in the larger scheme of things. Depending on your posting and situation, you may be an important or a not-so-important cog, but your decision-making power will seldom be absolute- as it should be in a democracy.
4. Myth- You will get job security.
Fact- You will get job security at a certain cost. The bureaucratic system of promotions and career planning is mostly fixed with batch-wise timely progression after every few years – this rules out rapid progression through the ranks as is possible in entrepreneurial or corporate setups. As the years roll by, the priority for most civil servants becomes to keep the job secure instead of the job keeping them secure. This leads them towards a tendency to avoid taking risky decisions and to toe the line.
It is imperative to mention that the above are not musings of a sceptic or a pessimist. What’s described above is the natural progression, and a healthy one towards a more democratic, responsive, and ethical bureaucracy.
In addition, the job of a civil servant in India remains unique- in that, it begets a certain level of access to society’s underbelly which civilians do not have. The variety of experiences you can have as a civil servant is unparalleled and the vestiges of British Babudom are alive enough to give you the sense of power most people crave.
However, India is changing fast, and the job of a civil servant is too. It is becoming increasingly less suited for those who are attracted to power, prestige, and personal influence. It’s a rare privilege to be a part of the government machine which facilitates the transition of our country from a developing to a developed economy, but it is not a privilege without caveats.
– Ravi Kapoor