Being grateful doesn’t come easy especially when it comes to keeping our armed forces being suitably paid and rewarded for what many will call outstanding service to the nation. Over the years there has been a consistent drop in the pay and prestige of the armed forces. And not just the armed forces, there are others such as doctors, engineers teachers ,vets and a whole corundum of professionals who feel that they do not get the due regard for what they are worth to society .. I must emphasize on ‘worth to society’ for can we imagine a society without doctors, vets, teachers, soldiers, carpenters, plumbers, vendors selling their wares at our doorsteps? The answer is a plain NO. Every profession has its place in the fabric our world. And yet there are those whose self centered attitude has led to our nation being the way it is today . For more than 60 years, we have floundered around reposing our trust in a select band of self proclaimed mandarins whose only claim to fame is passing 9 exams in one go and than being installed as high priests of the temples of government. When I look around me, I find it difficult to digest that in 60 years this is all the progress we have made. What happened to the taxes that my parents paid dutifully? And why did they pay? Somewhere in the hope that I would have a better world! I don’t see things changing and hence I donot see reason in paying taxes to a government which is for them, by them! Their answer has often been that politicians are the problem. Yes they are, but to what extent?
At the end of the day it is the bureaucrat who facilitates the politician, if he says no, he is shunted out but what of the man who replaces him? Is he not of the same creed? Than why does he bow? The answer to this form of dengue lies deeper and is worth probing.
Of the numerous institutions that the British left behind, the Armed forces stand out as having passed all challenges enroute with flying colors. The strict sense of duty and discipline leads many an armyman to unflinchingly sacrifice his life, leaving behind all that is dear to him for a cause he will in all probability not live to see fulfilled. Putting ones life at risk ,leading a group of men to their deaths is an outstanding example of strength of character ,that singular quality found largely missing when we look around for reasons to the corruption and self centered attitude that so overwhelmingly encompasses other so called institutions . If we were to put aside the training and ethos imparted to new entrants to the armed forces, that being common across institutions, it is largely the process of intake that governs the selection of individuals with high strength of character. For the armed forces, it is the Services Selection Board interview, a grueling residential test of a week which checks a candidate on a variety of merits such as leadership skills, interaction with others, selflessness, courage, attitude, all other than academic. The test makes prospective army officers go through very close inspection on a number of parameters and fooling the invigilators for a day may be possible at best, getting away with it for a week is well nigh impossible. Having been through it myself, I can very clearly see why the army gets the best in terms of officers who have never fallen short of standards while it is just the other way around for the bureaucracy inspite of its much touted entrance examination. Academic merit counts for nothing if it comes at the cost of strength of character. Unfortunately, over the years the bureaucracy has gained clout and power most certainly at the expense of other professionals in society. The intake to the army is at an all time low, ask any doctor or engineer what he wants further in life and the answer more often that not would be a place in the Civil Services. This is so because all around us , bureaucrats have sought to further themselves at the expense of others .As an example, in
That we must act fast is underlined by problems that we face today .Frequent power cuts , poor traffic management , inept public dealing ,the list is inordinately long . Take frequent power cuts on account of increased demand. Increased supply is the answer. But that requires vision and planning which did not come about. Why? Do we not plan our personal finances? Is it too difficult to foresee the rise in demand overtime? Mere common sense is required to come to such a conclusion! Who did not do his job and why? Most certainly because he/she was not accountable, all too comfortable within the glass houses (read VIP status) conjured up with public money and unbridled power and lacking strength of character to rise above self service. This is but one example of so many that exist , of shocking complacency on the part of the people who claim to be the most meritorious.
If we are to progress as a nation , we must ensure that individuals that make up the institution of the high and mighty bureaucracy are men of infallible strength of character, the kind who will collectively stand and not bow to politicians and place service above self .
The answer to the achievement of such an objective lies in making all recruitment to govt service through the armed forces. Once , an individual has spent say 8-10 years in the army , has proved his strength of character in battle ,has unflinchingly put his life at risk at the drop of a hat, he can be moved to civilian service . How many of us would believe that such an individual would indulge in the merry making characterizing our present set of administrators? For he who does not value his life, certainly will not value money or power! Such a step will also raise the prestige of the army and will ensure entrants to govt service imbibe discipline, morality and service above self before they get there.
