NEW DELHI: An argument against engineers and other professionals joining the civil services is that an IITian who hangs up his boots once he gets into the civil service is preventing someone else’s chances to become an IITian.
“It also means criminal wastage of precious resources and funds that the government had spent on his or her education over a period of time. An MBBS or an IITian entering the civil services also means the loss of a brilliant engineer or a doctor,’’ said a Secretary to the government, who is vehemently against professionals quitting their careers to join the civil service.
Another Secretary to the government in one of the social sector ministries said a Parliamentary Committee headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had suggested to the UPSC and the Central government to reconsider allowing highly specialised professionals like doctors and engineers to compete for the civil services.
“It is high time the Government takes a position on this,’’ said the Secretary. The Secretary also pointed out that it is only in India that an engineer or a doctor can become an IAS officer. According to him, countries like France and Japan do not allow it.
But, if you ask the same question to the younger lot of IAS officers, the answer will differ with most of them finding no fault with engineers or doctors joining the system. “Very often, IITians are the best students in the country. So are the doctors. Why does one want to stop the cream of students from entering public service,’’ asked a JS with an Engineering background.
Interestingly, both generations of civil servants are against the PM’s ambitious plans to bring in professional minds through lateral entry. “He may have mooted the idea for infusing fresh knowledge into the institutions. But it would lead to a lot of heartburn within the bureaucratic system.