Is it Worth it to spent 3-4 Years for government Jobs like UPSC or SSC?

It is wrong to say that you spend just 3 years for getting a government jobs in India after succeeding in the competitions conducted by UPSC or SSC.

In fact, most of the candidates who clear the UPSC civil services fall in the age bracket of 26 to 28 years, with the average age being 26.9 years.[1]

The candidates for the UPSC/SSC must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university/ institution to become eligible for the exam. However, the knowledge acquired by you during your degree course is of no relevance for your job.

For example, I did my B Tech in Mechanical Engineering and then M Tech in Machine design at the time of my selection before I got into IRS.

My knowledge of Engineering hardly was relevant for my job (IRS), which makes no distinction between an Engineering, Medical or Arts graduate for allotment of any service under civil services.

Hence, most candidates spend 4–6 years in higher education after secondary education before they are selected for a government service.

Since the maximum age of the UPSC/SSC is 32 years for General Candidates with extra age relaxation for SC/ST/OBC, there are many candidates who are selected at the age of even 35 years.

You are thus spending almost 10 years of your life post secondary schools on the average to get into the government service.

What a colossal waste of youth energy and precious resources of the government and the parents in a poor country like India?

India certainly deserve a better system for the selection of candidates for government jobs.

In order to have a better system for recruitment, we can learn some best practices from other countries.

When I was an Additional Director at National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN) in 2009–2011, we had an exchange program with the officers of Russian Customs.

In Russia, they select the officers for Customs right after their secondary level at the age of around 17 years. These young people undergoes 5 years of training in their Government college and get specialized degree for the taxation and Customs. On the basis of their performance, they are selected by the government for the jobs. If they are not good enough or they prefer, they get the jobs in corporate sector where they work as a customs clearing agents/brokers.

In India also we must select the students for government jobs straight after their secondary (10+2) education. They may then undergo 4 years of degree course in ‘Government Administration (GA)’.

• The first two years of GA course shall be common in which the candidates may acquire general knowledge and skill.
• In the next two years, the candidates shall develop specialization on different departments like police, taxation, audit, administration etc. The selection of their specialization should be based on their performance in the first two years.

After they graduate, they can join the civil services of State and Centre based on their performance in their BGA (Bachelor in GA) based on their rank and choice. These posts can be Group B or C level posts in government.

After working in the government for 2–5 years, the candidates can go for Master’s degree in the Government College of Administration. Thereafter, based on their successful completion of course, they could be appointed at Group A level posts (IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS etc.)

• The government appointments should not be for more than 20–25 years or 50 years of age, and their performance must be reviewed by an independent agency after every 5 years.
• Only those who are found to be excellent must be promoted at senior level (Commissioner, DRM, IG etc.) and allowed to work upto the age of 60 years.

If we want the government services to be efficient, effective and honest, we have to select the right candidates at young age so that their mind can be moulded with the right set of values and good work culture.

We can’t afford to waste so much of the life of our young people and the resources of the nation for selection of government jobs by following the process which may be fair in selection, but actually have no relevance for the jobs that the candidates are required to do in government once they are selected.

Let most selections of government jobs be done right after secondary level and only a very small number of jobs (like of Engineer, doctor etc.) be done after the graduation.

If we select the right candidates for government services at the young age, we can provide good and honest governance, save huge amount of resources of the nation and expedite the development and prosperity of our nation.

If such a system is introduced, there shall be no wastage of time and energy shall take place and there shall be no need of any backup plan.

Note: These are the views of ex IRS officer Mr. Awadhesh Singh