Pains and pleasures of government service

A young officer in the revenue department posed a question the other day, 'How much money does one need?' Apparently sounds naïve but this simple question adds extra meaning when it comes from someone who has the opportunity to stash away sacks of unearned money. What he would like to impress upon you is that man does not need much beyond what is enough for leading a decent life. He is not voracious so far as earning money is concerned. Instead, he thanks his star simply because he could have a scholarship for further study abroad. And this is because of his government service. The perks and privileges he enjoys make him quite happy and moreover leave him enough spare time to pursue his other vocation of writing. He has no complaint against life or anyone because he feels his work gets appreciated and is not constrained by the many narrow and partisan considerations on grounds such as creeds and allegiance to any party or lack of it. A smart young man, he exudes confidence.

Does government service with its bossing culture not prove a little flagging at times? On this he could not be more stoic in his view. The pains and pleasures of the job have to be accepted with open arms. There is nothing wrong in being docile before the superiors. In the bureaucratic culture, a last vestige of the British colonial power, it is an axiom unlike the American system where no one likes the 'yes sir' attitude no matter even if the boss does not talk sense all the time. Official hierarchy has set norms and codes that must be followed to the letter. Yet not all bosses are equally overbearing. Some maintain the utmost etiquette without ever foregoing nicety in their behaviour. Some may consider it an ill luck if they are delivered a daily dose of rudeness. And it is not in government service alone, temper flares in the most unlikely places of apparently most enabling and sophisticated working environment.

Clearly job satisfaction is not guaranteed anywhere. The problem with government offices is that people who love work feel aghast at seeing the no-work culture all around. Then there are practices with their baneful influences that vitiate the environment. It is in this context when asked if he feels uncomfortable at being in the thick of things neither law or morality approves. His curt reply is that it depends on an individual. Then he gives rather a revealing answer in that he says if good people do not take over departments known for dubious records, how will the culture change for the better? True, more and more people with unstinted records should be inducted into departments not doing justice to their names.

Now here is a man who is thinking positively even staying in the den of malpractices. Whether one has the liberty to remain unfazed and untouched by the corrupt ways is not quite clear. But about one thing there is no doubt that men like the young officer are the ones to bring about a change in the country's administration. There is a need for the political leadership to be clean in the first place and then they must look forward to putting such young officers at the helm of affairs. After all, those working at the field level or coming in touch with people through routine interactions can set a new benchmark for the administration to follow if they receive the required political support. Unfortunately politics here is not clean.

When bureaucrats at all levels will be able to appreciate their perks and privileges enough for them, life will be easier for them. Only then corruption will come down but if political leaderships impose on them tasks against their will because those are not legal or fair, things are bound to fall flat. The country has paid through its nose for the avarice of powerful and privileged men and women. Now is the time to bring an end to all these past practices and culture.