A career in Civil Services affords a rare opportunity to serve one’s society and nation. As a civil servant you become an integral part of Public Administration or Government’s Administration which constitutes the very backbone of the Government, be it the Union Government, State Government or Local Government.
Today, in a modern, democratic and Welfare State, civil servants, as a part of administration, play a multifarious role in furtherance of the cause of society. They carry out developmental functions, regulatory functions, quasi- legislative functions, adjudicative functions, emergency functions and many more associated functions.
Broadly speaking, depending on their rank, position, nature of services and role assigned by the Government civil servants are involved in ‘policy implementation’ and ‘policy formulation’ as well on the part of the Government.
Civil Servants begin their career working in the field agencies responsible for implementation of policy, plan, programmes and projects of the Government at the grass root level and in the process they are made to learn the ‘dynamics’ of administration- citizen interface. Gradually, in the course of time they are elevated to the position of ‘policy makers’ in the Government. As you know, how the Secretaries in the Government wield so much of power and influence in the Government and directly influence the decisions of the political leadership at the top thanks to their vast experience in administration and governance.
It is to be noted, therefore, that a civil servant in his career get an opportunity to deal with wide range of subject matters which affect the lives of millions. They look after public health, education , internal and external security, infrastructure, agriculture, industry, irrigation, environment, energy management , science and technology, women empowerment, child development, culture, diplomacy and foreign trade to mention a few.
In the wake of ‘increasingly globalizing’ world, the operational domain of civil servants have undergone mind boggling expansion with new set of challenges and great opportunity to learn from all around developments .
It is said that by the time a civil servant retires, he is found to have visited several ministries from ‘culture’ to ‘agriculture’.
A career in civil services, therefore, is a rare opportunity to play different roles in furtherance of the cause of society.
