Friday, September 07, 2007

We Will Make a Difference

Ravi had done his B.Tech from IIT Kharagpur. He had topped in all his classes and now he had the option of going abroad or taking a job with a fat pay package. But then he had other plans. He was fascinated by freedom fighters. He dreamt of Gandhi calling for Dandi march, Bhagat Singh leading the revolutionaries and Nehru promising life and freedom for India at independence. Like them, he also wanted to do something for his country. He chose to be a civil servant.

Dharma belonged to a backward community. He was poor and had suffered caste discrimination throughout his childhood. But he refused to submit. He wanted this to change, not only for himself, not only for his village but for the entire nation. For this he saw a clear path, civil services.

Shirin was a physically challenged girl. Most of her life she had heard sympathetic talks. But she wanted dignity, and she also wanted the society to change its perception about her. She wanted to prove that she was equally capable and can contribute equally in the development of nation. She cracked the civil services.

All these are imaginary names. But there are many Ravi’s, Dharma’s and Shirin’s in the 81st foundation course at LBSNAA, Mussorie. About 300 probationers have gathered in the academy here from all over India. They belong to different regions, religions, castes, sects etc. They have different educational backgrounds and different exposures. They have many other stories too. But they have one common dream, to work for India.

Many wonder that why lakhs are attracted for this job which offers the toughest competition in the world and still offers a meager salary compared to the private sector. In the era of globalization many people thought civil services will lose its sheen. They gave it derogatory names like Babudom, or the big fat clerks whose only aim is to put red tapes. But to their utter surprise, a recent survey rated civil service to be the most coveted job in the country. It still attracts the youth who want to work directly for the country.

And no one can agree to it more than we probationers at the institute. All of us suffered the shortage of electricity, bad roads and inadequate infrastructure. We stood in queues in government departments and at times felt harassed by the slow system. But then, instead of cribbing about it, we decided to change it. We believed in what Kennedy said “Ask not what your country has done for you - ask what you can do for your country”. And we chose to do our bit by becoming civil servants.

We, in the 81st foundation course believe that we are the steel frame of India. We agree that civil services need a lot of changes. It has to be lean and thin, responsive, corruption free, efficient and effective. It has to deliver to the common man. But we also believe that it has the most important role in the emergence of developed India.

In the first issue of our journal, we take a pledge that we will make a difference. Things will change in India and we will transform the image of the Government. We do not predict a revolution but we will devote our lives in making our motherland a developed nation. That is a solemn promise of all Ravi, Dharma, Shirin and others like them present in the 81st foundation course.

PS: This is an article sent by me for LBSNAA magazine. The benefit of a blog is that even if it is not published in the magazine, I can have the solace of getting readers for this in my blog :)

21 comments:

Unknown said...

nice one..
you grabbed the essence called India.. There is variety, there is difference, there is entropy but yet there is unity and commonness

thoughts may differ paths may differ but the aims and goal remains the same, contribute persevere and preserve.

I dont agree to the school of thought that by going for private sector job or going abroad you don't contribute , but yes direct contribution is visible . The goal should be to colour the world around in the colours of "Indianness , Love and Brotherhood" you should decide the way though!!

Shailesh said...

Very well said..oh sorry very well written!

AS per name of your blog you have delivered the right essence "Just Simple.."

Anurag,I may sound a little dumb, but I really want to say that from last few days I have accepted you as my "Guru" just as what Eklavya did.

I really have not met u personally, but the whole personality of you could be graphed from all your blogs and emails.

You are a true person, a strong Indian with a wonderful heart.

May all your deeds in future be focussed so that you remain to be a true "Indian Idol" to me.

Saagar said...

If only what all you said would become true in future !!

Just Simple said...

@Rahul: I completely agree, everyone contributes, be he abroad or in private sector. But in civil services, contribution is more direct.

@Shailesh: I am not at all that great, so choose a better ideal :)

Anyways thanks for the appreciation.

@Sagar: We will try our level best to make it true

Chandana said...

It's a very beautiful piece of writing...so much more beautiful because I feel the genuinity of every word :)...keep writing...ur posts r rejuvenating breaks frm the routine...

Anonymous said...

hey nice work. it truly is amazing, the diversity of people coming to the Academy - such a long road from the haughty ICS days!

Just Simple said...

@Chandana: I am happy that it looks to e genuine :)

@Darius: Yes really a long way from ICS, but we have to go a long way still

Anonymous said...

hey anurag, well written!...keep it up...

Anonymous said...

hey anurag, well written!...keep it up...

Sudipta Chatterjee said...

We need more people like you! Very well written --- hope all your dreams translate into reality!

Just Simple said...

@Joydeep: Thanks a lot

@Sudipta: I will try my best to turn them into reality :)

Unknown said...

Dost,you have got a flair for writing.Reading ur blogs has become one of my hobbies.Keep it up

Anonymous said...

Hi Anurag ,

I hope yours will be lead article in the journal. And we are privileged to read it first.

I don’t know whether all your batchmates share the same concern ,ideals and motivation that u have towards the motherland. Perhaps u r real work starts once u enter the field administration . I hope u will sustain the above attributes in the later years of u r service.

Just Simple said...

@Saurabh: Thanks a lot, do keep coming back to my blog :)

@Hari: Yes, I will try my best to keep this spirit alive and you know what, most of the persons here share my concerns.

Rajesh Hanbal said...

Anurag, Found your blog interesting. I am an IT professional and an IAS aspirant as well.

I have always been curious to more know about LBSNAA, the schedule there, the profile of the probationers and the different "professional" gossips!

Please do write about all this once you find time amidst the tight schedule.

Just Simple said...

@Rajesh: Thanks for visiting my blog. As LBS is now my life, so you will certainly find many things about LBS in my blogs.

And since blog is in public domain, I dont think I can have much of 'professional gossips'. Though you will certainly find it here but I will not call it as such :P

You know we are taught to be careful with words :)

Unknown said...

Hi,
U have posted a nice writeup which will definitely kindle a revolution if it persists.
India having been ruled for more than 200 years by varied nations definitely calls for an integrated effort of all for its progress.And for that surely we need to fight away the social ills of our society dominantly corruption.
Lord Macaulay had made a statement in British Parliament when he had visited India before britishers conquered. to break the very backbone of India which is her cultural and spiritual heritage. To make Indians believe everything foreign and english is superior..to break their self esteem and conquer them. The fight of ego abates the positive dev...communal fights mar the unity..self-interests mar national dev....what's left?
It's high time we all awake to work for India's dev. to save it from dark future.
I sincerely wish people like u never succumb to the predicaments and use honesty with tactics to try setting the things right as is said "Bureaucracy actually runs the country." Amen!
hope to read more such articles and have open discussions.

Anonymous said...

Salutes !!

Anonymous said...

This is a very inspiring piece. However, I will like you to honestly answer this question. How will you avoid corruption? Will you be absolutely corruption free knowing that it would mean that you are given irrelevant postings and ignored in promotions etc, when the people will make your every move difficult.
Because when you are not being corrupt in the same machinery, you are antagonizing huge parts of it, right from the top.

Now, I am not saying that it is impossible but what I am trying to ask is that what is the way you would figure ( or may be have already figured ).

Please note that this is not some kind of an attack or anything. I am really trying to find an honest answer here because I am a civil service aspirant and I struggle with this question whenever I think of my future in the services.

-Veda

limca said...

hi anurag this is the first time i read ur blogs,absolutely remarkable writing skills there........but may i play the devil's advocate here.we all came in to make a difference but who is letting u do that.i have had 5 SP's in 6 months most lasting for days one who lasted longer was due to elections.we r supposed to provide an environment for development by maintaining law & order but u hardly even r able to know the roads of ur distt when u r transferred let alone managing crime.there is rivalry amongst the IAS &the IPS,both of them clinging to power,wanting to outdo the other in pleasing the political bosses and score a point above the other.and these mind u, r the same people who were in the foundation course who thought of working together and making a difference.u may say i m cynical but the truth is we may convince ourselves that we make a difference, and we may ,to a very small no. of people ,but calling ourselves the steel frame where we r a bunch of spineless underperformers and do not even compare to a rotten wooden frame.

Saurabh Rai said...

I Salute to the passionate spirit..
& wish eternity to its integrity..