Changing Indian Bureaucracy?

Last week I had been to Central Secretariat in New Delhi. I had an appointment with a senior official at one of the ministries in the North Block. I am focusing here on a widely held notion about Indian bureaucracy.

Generally, Indian bureaucracy generates less inspiration more awe among the Indian people. I am using the term in a broader sense. Inherited from the British colonial system, Indian bureaucracy is not very much admired by the Indian public. I may be wrong in my assessment, but that is how I read the public perception. There is a widely held notion that bureaucracy reeks of corruption, sloth and red-tapism. I am not saying that there are not dynamic bureaucrats, or there are not progressive minded bureaucrats, but the general sense prevailing in India is bureaucracy is not people-centric. The associated state paraphernalia with bureaucracy and its feudal prestige contribute to such a notion. Prime Minister Modi’s argument last year that it was not necessary on his part to remind the bureaucrats to be punctual adds to this image of bureaucracy.

There is a widely held belief in the grandeur of a bureaucratic job. Parents in backward Indian states dream of their children joining IAS or some such job. Seldom parents dream of their children to be an astronaut, or an architect, or a professor. I do not blame parents for their dreams; I blame the bureaucracy-worshiping Indian tradition, rooted in its colonial past. I think India should take a leaf from the developed countries.

The colonial culture still persists. Upper level bureaucrats have sirens in their cars. They have red lights on the top of their cars, generating much fear, rather than respect, in the minds of the common people. Contrast this to Tony Blair’s trip to London airport few years back to catch a flight. He was then serving Prime Minister of UK. His car was stuck in the traffic and he missed the flight.  Who are more developed politically and economically – India or the developed countries? In India, the colonial trappings are very much visible though it is no more a colony. The colony is gone, but the colonial mentality persists.

It is not a surprise to come across a bureaucrat who is haughty. The swanky office space of the bureaucrat, the belongings in the office, telephones and computers, and the lower staff rushing to take orders or snubs or the visitors sitting or standing in queue outside office adds to the grandeur of a bureaucratic office. I have few interactions with bureaucrats, and those interactions were not unsatisfactory, but as a keen observer I have found these colonial trappings creating awe and generating needless pomp.

I very much insist that I have nothing against a bureaucrat as a person. There are many bureaucrats who are doing great jobs, and even sacrificing their lives in the pursuit of honesty and integrity. I salute them. Again, I am not against bureaucrats or bureaucracy. It is very much necessary to run a democratic welfare state like India. But, I am against the prevailing bureaucratic culture.

After my visit to the Indian ministry, my perception was challenged. Though my perception has not totally changed, I admit that my visit has impacted my perception. I am not saying that Indian bureaucracy has changed, or the colonial mentality is gone. But after my visit, I believe that things are improving, and there are rays of hope.

I entered one of the gates of the North Block, and then went through the security check. The security people were welcoming, and I found them vigilant with a smile on their face. Then I went to the reception, and waited for the call to meet the higher official. While sitting on the reception, I could see lower officials carrying files, some officials carrying huge packs of files, with paper markers sticking outside. I wondered why in a digital world the officials need to carry so many files. Why does not India, which is known for its expertise in information technology, digitalize its bureaucratic functioning with a strong network that can control hacking? This would save time of file carrying officials, and engage them in other works which can be more fruitful. The routing of these files takes a lot of time, and while a file moves from one table to another table corruption creeps in the process. Why can not there be a better system? Is it necessary that India should follow the system that was developed in the 19^th century? And if this is the bureaucratic system in the central government at New Delhi, one can imagine the situation in far off places.

 A clerk came down to guide me to the senior official. I had arrived little earlier than the scheduled time. But the senior official was nice enough to agree to meet me before the schedule. She ordered coffee for me. We had a meeting for about 45 minutes. She was forthcoming and friendly. She responded to all my queries with a smile. We also had some casual discussion. After the meeting, I thanked her, and left the office.

The meeting with the senior official, and the ambiance in the ministry, challenged my perception about Indian bureaucracy. Is Indian bureaucracy changing? I know it is very difficult to generalize my experience, and apply it to the whole system. There may be other ministries, or other bureaucrats, who typify the traditional perception. Or, there may be a contrast between the levels of bureaucracy. Further, there may be a difference in bureaucratic cultures at central, state and local levels.

But, my experience last week was a novel one. I wish it is replicated in case of others.