Why we need to stop glorifying the Civil Services as a career option

The need to stop glorifying the Civil Services as a career option

Recently, I met a young man who had been preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam for the past four years but had not succeeded. Curious about his motivation, I asked why he aspired to become a civil servant. His answer: it was not his personal interest but rather his parents’ dream for him. After completing BE in Computer Science and Engineering, he had enrolled in a coaching academy and had spent around Rs. 5 lakhs but hadn’t cleared even the Preliminary Examination. While his parents believed in his potential, he was wondering whether it was worth spending another year to prepare and try again or if he should give up.

The UPSC conducts the Civil Services Exam annually to select candidates for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), among others. The exam comprises three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview, with an overall success rate of 0.2%. In 2023, 1.3 million appeared for the Preliminary Exam but only 14,624 candidates progressed to the Mains.

In recent times, there have been movies glorifying the IAS and IPS services, perpetuating the myth that a career in the civil services symbolises prestige and respect, that those who crack the exams are the brightest individuals in the country, and that these exams are exclusive to those with a high IQ or suitable for those with specific academic backgrounds such as Medicine and Engineering. They also propagate the idea that only those who attend coaching in so-called “reputed” academies can succeed.

The Hindi film, 12th Fail, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and adapted from Anurag Pathak’s book recounting the real-life journey of an individual who triumphed over extreme poverty to become an IPS, received acclaim for its powerful messages: an individual’s success in achieving the rank of an IAS or IPS officer signifies success for the entire community, and a determined individual should possess a never-give-up attitude. However, the film falsely glorifies the Indian Police Service and perpetuates the myth that attending coaching is a prerequisite to crack the exams.

There is nothing wrong with parents dreaming about their children becoming IAS or IPS officers, as civil service jobs are considered to be prestigious. However, they should be aware of the ground reality and understand their children’s genuine interests and aptitudes. The level of respect that “civil servants” receive from those in power and whether they genuinely enjoy their roles as district collectors, secretaries to ministers, or commissioners of police need careful analysis. There is a growing trend of parents misguiding their children without being informed about the reality, urging them to pursue careers for which they have no interest.

Some aspirants may be highly motivated and have a clear goal. For example, a few months ago, Divya Mittal, a 2013 batch IAS officer of the UP cadre, tweeted, “I am an IAS officer. But my journey has many ups and downs. Have left well-settled paths to struggle From IIT went to IIM. Left a well-paying London job to return Was training as an IPS and doing well. Then started afresh as an IAS…”

Critically examining the tweet, a person commented: “… But why IITians opt for civil services. Aren’t they supposed to bring technological prowess for the country. Hell lit of (a hell a lot of) money is spent by Govt to make 1 IITian.” Thought-provoking questions, indeed! It is possible that Mittal herself was made to believe that becoming an IAS officer was her best option.