Page 10 - NIS English 16-30 April, 2026
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NATION | Civil Services Day
hether ensuring good governance or Government Liberates
implementing schemes and policies, Bureaucracy from Constraints
Wcivil servants have served the nation Over the past few years, the government has
with dedication and commitment. Especially at liberated the bureaucracy from its shackles—
specifically, the constraints of protocol and
a time when the country is moving forward with hierarchy. As you are aware, it was Prime Minister
the resolve of becoming a developed India, the Modi himself who initiated the process of breaking
responsibilities of civil servants become even these hierarchical barriers. He regularly interacts
more significant. Highlighting these responsibili- with officials ranging from secretaries to assistant
ties and their role in the journey toward a Viksit secretaries. He also holds meetings with trainee
Bharat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given officers. To foster greater participation among all
members within a department and to encourage the
the mantra ‘Nagrik Devo Bhava’. generation of new ideas, he has actively promoted
On April 21, 1947, while addressing the first batch the concept of ‘Chintan Shivirs’ (brainstorming
of administrative service officers, Sardar Vallabh- sessions) within the central government. His
bhai Patel referred to civil servants as the “steel efforts have brought about another significant
frame” of the nation. To those officers, the ‘Iron transformation. Previously, officers would gain the
Man’, Sardar Patel, offered this counsel: serving the opportunity to work in the central government
on deputation only after having spent several
citizens of the country is now your supreme duty. years serving in the states. No one had previously
He set new standards for the bureaucracy of considered the critical question: if these officers
independent Bharat. A civil servant who considers lacked prior experience working within the central
serving the nation as their highest duty. One who government, how could they effectively implement
runs the administration in a democratic manner. central schemes at the grassroots level? Consequently,
One who is filled with honesty, discipline, and ded- through the ‘Assistant Secretary Program’, he
endeavoured to bridge this very gap. Now, young
ication. One who works day and night for the goals IAS officers are given the opportunity to work with
of the country. Today, as we move forward with the and gain experience within the central government
resolve to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India), right at the very beginning of their careers.
the words of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel become even
more relevant. This is precisely why Prime Minister Civil Servants Must
Narendra Modi observes that there was a time when Be Prepared for the
the role of the bureaucracy was primarily that of a Technological Revolution
regulator, one that controlled the pace of industri- Civil servants must acquire skills that not only
alisation and entrepreneurship. But the country has enable them to comprehend technology but
now moved far beyond that mind-set. Today, we are also empower them to facilitate smart and
creating an environment that promotes enterprise inclusive governance. In this era of technology,
among citizens and helps them overcome every governance entails not merely managing existing
systems but also exponentially multiplying the
barrier. Therefore, the civil service must become an scope of possibilities. To keep pace with and
enabler – not merely the keeper of rule books, but comprehend the rapid advancements occurring
an active facilitator of growth. in the fields of artificial intelligence and quantum
physics, civil servants must remain fully prepared
ARCHITECTS OF NEW BHARAT for the ongoing technological revolution.
There was a time when one became a civil servant,
grew in that role, and continued serving in the
same capacity. But times have changed. Prime
Minister Modi states, “The vision I have for Bharat,
the dreams I see in the eyes of 140 crore Indians,
compel me to say this: You are not just civil servants
anymore. You are the architects of a new Bharat.
8 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || April 16-30, 2026
