There are reshuffles among the top bureaucrats which badly affect the administration. Government of India is being run by 186 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers. There are 62 officers in the rank of secretary and the rest occupy secondary positions. Over the last 10 years, there were as many as 104 reshuffles of secretaries. On an average, a secretary to a department remains in that post for not more than 22.64 days. Similar are the case with others at the lower ranks. Some politicians misuse the power of transfer to, penalize the civil servants. Majority of cases are result of refusals to do the biddings of their ministers, legal or illegal.

Bureaucrats should also learn to stand up instead of giving in tamely to the whims of their political bosses. Only about 100 persons join the IAS fraternity every year. Its social base has also not really broadened beyond the well-off professional groups who can provide the best educational facilities to their children in the elitist institutions at home and abroad. Similarly, the higher administrative services of the state governments have been cornered by the children of the professional groups and rich peasants, who enjoy all the social privileges of caste and class in the agrarian society.

The actual functioning of the country’s mixed economy has opened many career opportunities for the higher echelons of bureaucrats. But the bureaucrats can exploit new opportunities only by coming to terms with opened many career opportunities for the higher echelons of bureaucrats. While in service, the bureaucrats establish a firm nexus with the political leaders for personal gains, compromising their official positions. The senior bureaucrats have secured political or semi-political positions by establishing proper links with the political leaders. Many military officers have also received similar benefits.

Earlier there was no political interference in the civil services and promotions were assured on the basis of seniority and merit. Too many and too frequent changes in the portfolios of the departmental secretaries have had a deleterious effect on the administration. Years of functioning in a particular department equips them with special knowledge of the subject and gives them an expertise which can prove to be a valuable asset for the administration. In England and France, there is not much of reshuffling of the departmental heads and secretaries. The result is that their capacity for detached and independent expert advice remains unimpaired. The fact that they have implemented policy decisions of the previous government is not considered a negative factor, nor does this disqualify them from carrying out the policy decisions of the subsequent ministry. Another unwholesome practice is the giving of out-of-turn promotions. This causes understandable resentment and frustration among other civil servants and strengthens the belief that what counts for betterment of one’s official career is not efficiency and integrity to duty, but willingness to carry out the wishes of, the political bosses. It is high time to look into the matter for better administration in the country.