They also discover that many who are getting rewarded aren’t the ones who actually perform. But there are those who are always alert, optimistic and looking for opportunities even in the gloomiest of circumstances.Īs the officers go out of the Academy into the hurly-burly of administration, they witness their seniors in all hues, shapes and sizes. Perhaps this indifference enables them to lead a blissful existence. However, what baffles the new entrant is that some who are competent are withdrawn and reticent, irrespective of the circumstances. Given the nature of the selection process, there would rarely be a grossly incompetent civil servant. When the market demand is for the pliable and the corrupt, they prefer to remain in hibernation. The young civil servant also witnesses another set of bureaucrats who may, at some point of time, be lying in cold storage though they are extremely competent, decisive, disciplined and helpful. Fortunately, such specimens are few and far between but being highly visible, they create a doubt in the mind of a young entrant.
In a climate of total domination by the political master and the absence of self-respect amongst some bureaucrats, these ‘virtues’ are a preserve of those who appear totally spineless before the powers-that-be but choose to roar and bite spitefully when they interact with lesser mortals. Haughtiness and supercilious behaviour were attributes of ‘brown sahibs’. More so because the ‘master’ expects similar servility from other bureaucrats and, when it is not forthcoming, the ‘unaccommodating’ bureaucrat is shown the door. Their commitment to the master is an embarrassment to the rest of the bureaucracy. Some bureaucrats do behave as if they are not civil servants but true servants of the ‘master’ they serve. There are, however, a number of bureaucrats who are forthright and believe in expressing their opinion even if it means transfers or harassment, including suspension. He sees that endorsing the views of political masters is rewarding in terms of future career prospects. The young civil servant soon discovers that it pays to be politically correct.
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