Whispers Forum

Your whisper in the corridors gives accurate predictions on Congress party downfall. For Congress mukt Bharat guarantee of PM Modi its must for Congress to show doors to mass leaders and retain drawing room politicians with UN (urban Naxal) mind and background and reward them with Rajya Sabha tickets. The statements from Congress stalwarts these days in and outside parliament except a few exceptions like Manish Tiwari, Digvijay Singh are more of pure leftist thoughts of jealousy and targeting corporates creating wealth and jobs for the nation than true Congress ideology. The country needs a good opposition too when it has a powerful, popular global leader in PM Modi for a few more years but the Congress from Congress (I) is increasingly being seen as Congress (V) ie Venu which ultimately is not.
S Saboo

Apropos WIC Forum dated Feb 10.The idea of identifying the constitutional functionaries like the CEC and ECs through a committee representing all national political parties, is absurd. This would lead to their further politicization, impacting independence and transparency, the sine qua non for conducting free and fair elections mandated by the Constitution. Removal of CJI from the selection-cum-search committee by changing the procedure through legislative route (brute majority) is a regressive step, making the appointments in Election Commission arbitrary and discretionary, based on pick-and-choose. Sadly, the CJI ,as the custodian of the constitution, remained a mute spectator. He has gone down in public esteem due to his inaction. Stake-holders consultation was necessary. Going a step further, the public would uphold the idea of making appointments in all constitutional bodies like the EC,C&AG, and the UPSC by the same committee headed by the PM with LOP and CJI as members. Status quo ante must be restored. The Judiciary, as one of the pillars of Parliamentary democracy, must be respected. This would further enhance the image of PM Modi in the public eye.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

There has been a continuous decline in the quality of public services delivery mechanism in the country. Thanks to deteriorating quality of civil servants, recruited by the Union and States public services commissions. The selection process is flawed, reduced to a university type examination. The aspirants from the science and technical streams get unintended advantage over those from the humanities streams. No level playing field. The perception that the candidates from the former streams are better is misplaced. Consider the following facts.
The present selection methodology is elimination-based rather than merit-based. The scheme of examinations must be re-visited both by the UPSC and the States PSCs to eliminate mediocrity in the quality of civil servants.
More importantly, the marginalised sections of society especially those from the rural areas must be given opportunities including access to free coaching facilities. At present, the benefits of reservations in services are cornered by the more fortunately circumstanced urban youths. Those in the rural areas continue to stoically suffer untouchability.
Another point. Granting endless number of attempts and increased eligibility age limits available to various categories, defeat the purpose of selections. These criteria must be reviewed so that civil servants from all categories get equal opportunity to reach the top echelons of bureaucracy.
Under the present dispensations followed by the Union and States public services commissions, the quality of selected candidates become the casualty. No initiative, no service-oriented mindsets. This leads to poor public services delivery mechanism. The weightage of marks earmarked for interviews must be increased
Concentration of decision making authority in the PMO and CMOs, must be minimal. At present, the administrative ministries especially in the States, have been robbed of initiatives in decision making. The authority lies in the hands of select coteries of pliable bureaucrats, carefully chosen by the respective chief ministers. The coteries behave like powerful bureaucrats-turned-politicians. The public services delivery act remains unimplemented with no penalties imposed on the defaulters.
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

The Civil Services Examination needs to be made tougher. The difficulty level has to increase. The reason is that modern day governance is getting more and more complex day by day and we just cannot get along with average talent in the Civil Services. The paradigm that anyone can carry out administration is a myth which has done a lot of damage in the last 70 years of Congress rule.
Vijay Kumar
Kishor Rungta relinquishes charge as CMD, FACT
Very unfortunate that an outstanding officer has not been recognized properly and an extension denied to him. The Ministry should reward such officers otherwise the morale of the organization will suffer.
K Srinivasa Rao

The absence of public information officers during the hearing before the CIC shows the degree of respect the information commission has in the eyes of the government officials. They have little regard for the commission and deny the information with impunity. The fear of the commission is lacking and the CIC must exert itself to command the respect it deserves. It must use the penal provisions in all the deserving cases without any bias. Unless the CIC exhibits that it means business, who would care for a paper tiger?
S Nankani