Political control of bureaucracy in India: emerging trends
By: Shastri, Sandeep.
Material type:
ArticlePublisher: 1997Description: p.28-41.Subject(s): Bureaucracy | Civil service
In:
Administrative ChangeSummary: This article relates to the working of parliamentary democracy in India in general and the administrative system in particular, is the increasing attention being focused on the accountability of bureaucracy. It has often been suggested that the bureaucracy in India is rarely subjected to any meaningful control and its powers have steadily increased with the passage of time. Public confidence in the bureaucracy appears to have hit an all time low, as revealed by a recent survey conducted as part of the National Election Study' 96, in which the bureaucracy and police received the lowest positions in the index of popular trust in institutions. Two related, though distinct, trends can be discerned in this regard. In the first place, recent controversies involving minister-civil servant relationship have raised doubts - both in the academic circles and in the public mind - as to who controls and directs governmental activity. Secondly, the increasing politicisation of the bureaucracy has seriously undermined the credibility of administration. Tensions in minister-civil servant relationship have resulted in political leaders adopting extreme positions with regard to the bureaucracy. While one Central Minister is reported to have informed the bureaucrats in his Ministry, that "[civil] servants should not speak till the master permits...[you] are not to apply your mind, you are just to do what you are told" another Minister stated, in an interview, that bureaucrats are "like servants..." [who] should not be allowed to act on their own. - Reproduced
| Item type | Current location | Call number | Vol info | Status | Date due | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Articles
|
Indian Institute of Public Administration | Volume no: 25, Issue no: 1 | Available | AR40246 |
This article relates to the working of parliamentary democracy in India in general and the administrative system in particular, is the increasing attention being focused on the accountability of bureaucracy. It has often been suggested that the bureaucracy in India is rarely subjected to any meaningful control and its powers have steadily increased with the passage of time. Public confidence in the bureaucracy appears to have hit an all time low, as revealed by a recent survey conducted as part of the National Election Study' 96, in which the bureaucracy and police received the lowest positions in the index of popular trust in institutions. Two related, though distinct, trends can be discerned in this regard. In the first place, recent controversies involving minister-civil servant relationship have raised doubts - both in the academic circles and in the public mind - as to who controls and directs governmental activity. Secondly, the increasing politicisation of the bureaucracy has seriously undermined the credibility of administration. Tensions in minister-civil servant relationship have resulted in political leaders adopting extreme positions with regard to the bureaucracy. While one Central Minister is reported to have informed the bureaucrats in his Ministry, that "[civil] servants should not speak till the master permits...[you] are not to apply your mind, you are just to do what you are told" another Minister stated, in an interview, that bureaucrats are "like servants..." [who] should not be allowed to act on their own. - Reproduced
There are no comments for this item.