Editorial
| Published date | 01 July 2012 |
| DOI | 10.1177/001955612012030vii |
| Date | 01 July 2012 |
| Author | Yogendra Narain |
| Subject Matter | Article |
EDITORIAL
This Special Issue
of
Indian Journal
of
Public Administration is dedicated
to the memory
of
Dr.
Rakesh Hooja, Director IIPA, who passed away on
7 September 2012.
It
was on his suggestion that the topic for this year's
Special Issue was decided. Rakesh was a prolific writer
on
public
administration and had vast experience in the training
of
civil servants both
in his home state, Rajasthan, as well as outside. May his soul rest in peace.
In my discussion with Rakesh it clearly came out that civil servants in
India are recruited to be members
of
a particular service. They are not
recruited for particular posts
or
positions. This generalist nature
of
recruitment undermines the competency framework under which civil
servants work.
The posts, which the members
of
a particular service will hold, are well
defined. But the individual moves from one post to another and is expected
to pick up the essential skills
of
the
job
while working. This implies that
there is always a period
of
trial and error when he is appointed to a new
job. Can the nation afford such 'trials and errors' while competing with
other nations?
Public services in India will have to deal with increasing social, economic
and other critical demands (ever more complex), cross boundary challenges
and a rapid pace
of
change. Public servants will therefore, have to build
within themselves, core competencies. They will have to update themselves
with the latest ideas, thinking and trends in a world
of
accelerating change.
A number
of
competencies are recognized as important in developing
management and leadership qualities. The public servants must understand
the socio-economic and political context in which they are operating. They
have to instinctively learn how best to formulate policy interventions that
are effective, efficient, sustainable and politically viable. They have to
anticipate change and prepare for the future.
In today's environment, the public servant no longer has the monopoly
to effect change at the national level by himself. Whether it is agriculture,
industry
or
the service sector, the public servants have to
work
in
collaboration and discussion with other stakeholders in the country. Policies
need to continuously evolve and systems must adopt to deal with changing
internal and external circumstances.
To continue reading
Request your trial