Finding Sixteen (16 ) qualifiers in this year’s civil service list is though a proud moment for the people of Jammu & Kashmir but low intensity reversal of some healthy trends which had developed in recent years is also quiet visible in this year’s results announced by Union Public Services Commission just a few days ago. Never forget that had there been no reservation for STs and SCs the no of civil service qualifiers from Jammu & Kashmir would have been around six (6) but not sixteen. The trends show that some districts which had developed a good trend in civil service examinations in yesteryears have drawn a blank this year. For instrance from Kupwara the home district of the likes of Shah Faesal and Bilal Mohi Ud Din not even a single aspirant has qualified this year’s civil service examination. Similarly from Srinagar the home district of many civil services toppers of yesteryears including the likes of Syed Abid Rasheed Shah and Sheema Nabi Qasba just one aspirant has cracked this year’s civil service examination. For some good reasons atleast three aspirants of Jammu though placed down in the merit list have qualified this year’s civil service examination. What matters the most is the fact that barely six qualifiers have higher ranks in the merit list likely to pave the way for their placement in first best three services, i.e, Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) on the basis of the preference they have indicated . It is also a fact that more than ten qualifiers due to their low ranking in the All India merit list are likely to find their placement in allied services like Indian Revenue Services, Indian Income Tax Service and Indian Postal Service etc.etc. Result matters if qualifiers inspire youth but results don’t matter if youth are not impressed by those who qualify civil service examination because of their compromises in professional conduct and behaviour. Unfortunately the professional conduct and behaviour of the top civil service qualifiers has not been neither exemplary nor impressive enough to attract the youth towards civil services. Unfortunately most of the qualifiers of recent years have focused more on the appeasement of the power wielding politicians and very less on performance in discharge of their duties which has a direct bearing on sustainable development and delivery of public services both within and outside Jammu & Kashmir. Let the civil service qualifiers of the recent years read the writing on the wall and understand that they have failed to become the sources of inspiration for the youngsters due to their misconduct in discharge of their duties and the reasons. With intensity of the interest for civil service dying down from year to year it has been proved beyond doubt that though youth were impressed by the performance of the civil qualifiers in yesteryears but they are not impressed well by their conduct and behaviour in discharge of their professional duties. The civil service qualifiers of yesteryears have unfortunately set a bad trend of wasting much time in uploading video their field visits on social media sites and focusing less on the implementation of developmental programs and delivery of public services. Unfortunately for the second consecutive year most of the Deputy Commissioners of the Kashmir districts have left big chunks of funds unutised despite the fact that roads are in shambles, hospital and school buildings are not completed in given timelines and quality of work in developmental works in not upto the standards of public satisfaction. True it is that focus on execution of developmental works and delivery of public services by the civil service qualifiers of yesteryears would surely inspire youth to choose civil service as their career but the practices of appeasement of the people in power by them haven’t inspired youth to choose civil service as their career but instead such bad trends have further reduced the already reducing interest of youth in civil services who now see a better future in medical and engineering services.
“Though the success of this year’s civil service qualifiers shows the growth of potential and talent in each and every region of Jammu and Kashmir, but situation has also thrown up a challenge to them to change the trends and tendencies of public service both within and outside Jammu & Kashmir. After all Civil Services is not the place where the worlds. Careers are also built in health Scienes, Engineering Law and other streams as well where public service is more challenge than the civil services”.
People may agree or disagree but fact remains that quitting of IAS an elite service by Shah Faesal for joining politics and his return to elite service in a very unpleasant way has changed the perception of youth about civil services in Jammu & Kashmir and most of the youth believe that people in power don’t let the ideas of good governance grow in the country’s march to sustainable development. True it is that onus of restoring the institutional and administrative neutrality lies on the politicians holding reigns of power in both the states and as well as at the centre but it is also fact that civil services qualifiers can restore the interest of youth in civil services if they shun the bad practices of appeasing people in power and tend to show neutrality in the conduct of their duties. Though the success of this year’s civil service qualifiers shows the growth of potential and talent in each and every region of Jammu and Kashmir, but situation has also thrown up a challenge to them to change the trends and tendencies of public service both within and outside Jammu & Kashmir. After all Civil Services is not the place where the worlds. Careers are also built in health Sciences, Engineering, Law and other streams as well where public life is more challenging than the civil services.
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