Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman felicitating candidates who cleared the UPSC’s civil services examinations at the Shankar IAS Academy in Chennai on Friday.
| Photo Credit: AKHILA EASWARAN

 

Civil services officers should not fall into temptations and must avoid short cuts, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman said here on Friday.

She was speaking at a function organised by the Shankar IAS Academy to felicitate the candidates who emerged successful in the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC’s) civil services examination, 2024, and heaped praise on the Indian bureaucracy. “It is widely networked, and keeps a meticulous record. They [bureaucrats] are aware of the work done by an officer even in the remotest place,” she added.

Unlike other countries, India is frugal and sends only a handful of officers with a Minister for negotiations with foreign governments, she added.

She further said that bureaucrats should have absolute control of their job, be tech savvy and specialise in an area. They are not cut-off from the headquarters, especially now when the Prime Minister interacts with district officials once a month under the Pragati programme.

Ms. Sitharaman further said that officers from Tamil Nadu or those from Tamil Nadu assigned to other States were of “high quality”. “When you belong to that cadre, you have a natural advantage,” she said, urging the young officers to serve the State. 

Former Madras High Court judge S. Vimala said: “You must be prepared to achieve at all times,” she said, adding that bureaucrats should not expect praise for their work, for it is service to the State.

Former permanent representative of India to the U.S. T.S. Tirumurti urged the young officers to remember that “at the end of every decision, there is a human being”. 

Former Vice-Chancellor of Anna University and a UPSC member E. Balagurusamy urged the young officers to be creative, inculcate critical thinking, collaborate and communicate effectively. 

Former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan recalled her experience with the Chief Secretaries during her tenure. After a gap of 14 years, the Union Territory presented a full budget, she said, recalling the hard work that the bureaucrats had put in.

Chief Secretaries worked hard to introduce horizontal reservation for government school students in professional courses in just 10 days, she recalled. 

A.C. Shanmugam, founder of Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute, said officers should learn to speak Hindi as it would help them wherever they are posted. Vaishnavi Shankar, managing partner of Shankar IAS Academy, detailed the achievements in the UPSC and Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission.