Is it a service if it does not serve?

Apparently, a survey by the Pew Research Center found that 87% of Indians have a high opinion of the Prime Minister, rising to 89% in rural areas. People have hopes that Mr Modi will be able to generate greater prosperity by making the economy grow faster. Unfortunately, he has to depend on our civil servants, who have been repeatedly rated the worst in Asia, to implement his policies. There are no takers for vacant posts of joint secretaries at the center. This is apparently because morale is very low among the top civil servants, who are from the Indian Administrative Service. This is because Modi wants them to come to work on time and deliver results when they would rather be playing golf at the exclusive Delhi Golf Club where there is a 40 year waiting list for membership. Poor fellows, imagine having to work for huge salaries, perks and pensions. Not just that, Mr Modi wants them to be politically neutral and the government has dusted out an old rule to enforce retirement for those deemed useless. Oh dear, next he will be demanding honesty as well. Why would anyone want to be a civil servant in India, where you have to suck up to criminal politicians, teach them how to loot the exchequer and collect bribes for them, if you could not share in the spoils? Those who masterminded the 2G, Commonwealth Games, mine allocation and various other scams want gratitude from politicians of those parties who benefited. Demand for civil service posts are highest from states with the highest crime rates. So high is the demand that only 0.36% of candidates are selected for the 24 arms of the civil service, compared to 0.5% in 1997. It is shocking that we, the citizens, are not even aware that there are so many types of civil servants. No wonder we get no services for the taxes we pay, making our lives miserable. Desperation leads to unusual forms of protest, as when a man threw snakes into an office in UP, causing panic. There are honest civil servants but they are harassed by being repeatedly transferred, denied promotion and sometimes even killed. The IAS fellows know that they are despised so they are insanely jealous of the armed forces who are still respected in India. Civil servants have been blocking higher pensions for the armed forces for around 40 years, despite Supreme Court orders. They even sparked panic in the Congress government in 2012, when they started rumors about an army coup, when 2 divisions were moved towards Delhi on a routine exercise. Most join the civil services, not to work, but to enjoy a permanent job with enormous powers and the scope to make lots of money on the side. The only answer is to link any pay rise to efficiency and to recruit top secretaries from the private sector on contract. Better still get rid of the IAS, which is a continuation of the Indian Civil Service of the British, and behaves like a colonial power. Good riddance.