Hearing and watching the debates in the parliament and UP State assembly over the last few days on the Budget and the address of the honorable President of India and Governor respectively it struck me that, perhaps, the most important area of discussion should have been the status of education. India is a young nation with a median age of 29 and a major proportion of the population falling in the category of youth. If equity in education is not pursued as a cherished goal then we will be doing a great disservice to the nation. The road map to make India a developed nation has to put education at the very top of its agenda. If we cannot impart quality education to our youth then we will not able to provide social justice, economic development and political empowerment to all sections of society and the aspiration of India to become a developed nation would remain a dream.

There is cause for concern about the learning outcomes of our children at the school level and even at the higher education level. The greatest worry should be about our school children who evidently do not even possess the foundational literacy and numeracy skills. The recent ASER (Annual status of Education Report) 2023 surveyed youth in the age group of 14 to 18 years in which it found that the position regarding enrollment in the age group of 14 to 18 year old is reasonably good but for the 18 year old it is 32.6 % which is definitely on the lower side and means that a large proportion would enter the working age population without high school education. It is also disturbing to note that most of the young people in this age group were enrolled in the humanities stream (55.7%) followed by STEM at 31.7%. These children in the humanities stream are likely to have issues of employment in a job environment where technology is the disruptive force. Only 5.6% of the youth are taking vocational training further hindering their job prospects.

Regarding foundational skills of these youth in the age group of 14 to 18 about 25 % cannot read a standard II level text in the regional language. Only 43.3% can do simple division and only a little over half can read sentences in English and most of them do not understand the meaning of what they are reading. The functional application of knowledge is also not of the required level. The survey strongly brings out the point that the youth is not being equipped with essential knowledge and skills. The report clearly focuses on the point that India will not be able to make full use of its demographic dividend as these young people will not be able to contribute according to their innate ability.

The above survey report regarding the youth in the 14 to 18 age group suggests that the Governments both at the centre and the states will have to take remedial teaching packages for them so that they come up to the desired level. This will call for a reorientation of teaching at the secondary school level. If this is not done then these children will not be in a position to pursue higher education without which it is not possible for India to become a knowledge economy and becoming a developed nation would remain an unfulfilled dream. It is also important that facilities for science education increase and in accordance with the national education policy 2020 (NEP) more youth opt for vocational education so that they become employable. My view is that as brought out in the NEP the youth should be encouraged to take cross functional courses and not be pursuing only humanities or science. Students of humanities need to have full exposure to computers and related courses so that they do not become victims of digital divide. In fact courses in coding and basic computer knowledge should be introduced from the class 6 level.

The aim of the NEP is that the GER (Gross Enrollment ratio) which is currently at 26.3% should be raised to 50% by 2035. This is not only a laudable goal but also essential for India’s development. However if the level of students at the secondary school level is qualitatively so poor then how will they become feeders to the higher education stream?

Incidentally, if we take the ASER report of 2022  regarding age group 6 to 14 There is an improvement in the  level of enrollment at early childhood and primary educational level but the learning outcomes leave a lot to be desired.  The worrying part as that the children’s basic knowledge of arithmetic and language is still very poor and the alarming thing is that it has declined over the 2018 level. This can be attributed to the damaging effect of the pandemic. For instance the proportion of children of class 5 who could read a class 2 level text fell from 50.5% in 2018 to 42.8% in 2022. Similarly the children in class 5 who could do simple division questions have fallen from 27.9% in 2018to 25.6% in 2022. These children require special attention in the form of summer school or extra classes. My personal experience with literacy programmes has been that there are a lot of volunteers amongst the senior school and college going boys and girls at the village level and city level who can be roped in to provide this remedial education. In fact, I have often felt that students in institutions of higher learning should be mandated to adopt primary schools to improve the learning outcome at that level.

It is clear that the quality of education being imparted at the school level do not fulfill the criteria of either equity or quality. A mission approach which does not work in silos and with specific parameter of learning outcomes to be achieved within a specified time frame is the need of the hour. The political will to do this is essential and this should be a major narrative in the manifestos of the political parties. Administrative leadership and making quality teachers available along with using modern techniques would be required to implement things at the ground level where the real problem lies. Education is the single most important factor which will push India into the take-off path to be coming a developed nation and make this century rightfully an Indian One.

“We also make policy” is exactly what it says in the cover of the book that it is an insider’s account of how the finance ministry functions. Subhash Chandra Garg had a long and varied experience of working in the finance sector. He worked as principal secretary finance in the Rajasthan Government, he was executive director with the world bank and then secretary economic affairs and secretary finance to Government of India. He definitely has the pedigree to talk about issues that the finance ministry handles and the various pulls and pressures that it is subjected to. He has gone in great detail to describe how major economic decisions were taken during his tenure. The tussle between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the finance ministry is very succinctly brought out in both its professional as well as personal aspects. Urjit Patel the then RBI Governor is depicted as zealously guarding the autonomy of RBI but this very concept of autonomy is interpreted differently by the finance ministry and RBI. Personal ego clashes add to the cauldron.

Subhash was initially in support of demonetization but subsequently felt that the initial objective of eliminating black money was not achieved. An interesting snippet seems to suggest that Mr. Arun Jaitly the then finance minister did not have an inkling about the announcement of demonetization though he later fully supported it. Subhash Garg is very much in favour of the electoral bond scheme
which he feels makes the process of donation to political parties more transparent and he is of the view the Supreme Court should not interfere with it.The matter is sub-judice before the Supreme Court and let us see how the honorable court views it.

Subhash is very candid in his appraisal of his colleagues in the finance department and does not mince words about those whose working he did not like. In dealing with issues Subhash comes out as an officer who speaks and writes what he thinks is correct even though it may be against the general thinking around and even contrary to the directions of the top which includes PMO.
The spicy part of the book is about his strained relationship with the new finance minister Nirmala Seetharaman which ultimately led to his transfer from the finance ministry and was the main cause of his seeking voluntary retirement. He had an excellent relationship with the earlier finance minister Mr. Jaitly.

Unless you are very interested in the intricacies of the working of the finance department, certain sections of the book appear to be a little to detailed and do not make easy reading. It is, however, a very welcome and useful addition to public policy literature.

I just finished reading “Dethroned-Patel, Menon and the integration of princely India” by John Zubrzyck This book gives a remarkable insight into the story of how the over five hundred princely states were integrated into India at the time of independence. One was aware of the stellar role of Sardar Patel and his secretary of the states department Mr. V.P Menon in making the states sign the instrument of accession in favour of the Indian dominion but this book reads like a thriller. The intricacies that were involved in the process are fascinating. Patel and Menon coaxed, cajoled and used subtle threats to make the princes agree to make their state a part of the Indian union. Hyderabad, Bhopal, Junagadh and some of the Rajput states were the most recalcitrant. The Nizam of Hyderabad declared himself independent and it required army intervention in the Garb of Police action to make him buckle down. The Iron will of Sardar Patel and the negotiation skills of Menon made this impossible situation a reality. Nehru also was fully involved in making the states accede to the Indian union but he was a pacifist in his approach as opposed to Sardar Patel who did not shirk from twisting the arms of the princes who were acting difficult. The book brings out that contrary to the claims this process of accession and so called Police action was anything but bloodless.

The author does show Lord Mountbatten in a favourable light with which I personally do not agree but I guess western authors have this predilection. The book shows that the Kashmir issue was taken out of the purview of the state department. Incidentally, about article 370 it says that initially all members of the Congress working committee barring two were opposed to it. However, Nehru who was abroad made an emotional plea to Sardar Patel who then used his stature to make all members of CWC agree to article 370.
The book also has very interesting and amusing anecdotes about the eccentricities and peccadilloes of the princes. The remarkable fact is that despite the extravagance of the princes and their addiction to a hedonistic life of some of them they were very much respected by their subjects.

The book is an interesting read for all those who are interested in the contemporary history of India in particular to the momentous events of India getting its independence. For those interested in this subject I would suggest they read the biography of V.P Menon and also the book on reorganization of states written by Menon. I read these books sometime ago and they are the source material for “Dethroned”. Incidentally, for those who may not know V.P Menon was not an ICS officer but started his career as a stenographer in the home department.

Indian independence

Sardar Patel

V.P. Menon

Integration of princely states

Indian Union

One felt very comfortable reading Naresh Nandan Prasad’s autobiography as the terrain traversed by him was very familiar to me as he was my colleague in the Uttar Pradesh cadre of I.A.S. Naresh served in U.P. , Uttaranchal, Government of India and in International organizations. Naturally he has a very rich and absorbing tapestry of experiences to share which makes the book a very interesting read. Naresh comes out from the pages of the book as anything but a small cog in a large wheel. In different postings he left his indelible mark by his initiative, creativity and positivity.

The book starts from his training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration at Mussoorie where he had a great time just like most of us. I can fully connect myself with his sentiments when he says that the days spent at Mussoorie are the best days in life. Endearing and enduring friendships are built and there is an immense sense of contentment and joy. Of course, for Naresh the memories would be sweeter as he met his life partner Anjali at the academy.

The remarkable thing about Naresh is that he took every posting in a positive light even if he had experienced initial disappointment. He made the most out of every chair he occupied confirming the belief that it is the officer and not the assignment that matters. There is immense potential in every job that one gets in the I.A.S to serve the people and bring about transformative changes. I was particularly impressed by the courage shown by him in getting the Etawah elections countermanded on grounds of unfair electoral practices even though the Chief Minister of the state was contesting from there. It is all the more significant considering that he was in the secretariat of the same chief minister before being posted as D.M. His integrity drew a grudging statement of praise even from a difficult person like Mr. T.N Seshan the Chief election commissioner. The more remarkable thing is that the chief minister concerned did not carry any animosity towards him.

More than the brilliant work he did as vice chairman Kanpur Development Authority it was his successful crusade against corruption in the authority which is worth appreciating. His creative side is evidenced in full bloom in the work that he did as principal secretary Tourism, Government of Uttaranchal. He made a mark in his Government of India assignments also and then spent more than a decade at an international organization at Geneva. The organizational politics that he experienced at Geneva makes interesting reading and only goes to show that human beings are the same everywhere. Naresh had more than his fair share of jealous bosses and colleagues during his career.

Civil servants particularly I.A.S officers would love reading this book. The style and flow of the narrative should attract other readers also especially those interested in leadership and public policy.
It is sad that Naresh is no more with us. His life story as sketched out in the book will remain with the reader for a long time.

Civil servants in general and IAS and IPS officers in particular would welcome the decision of the Honorable Supreme court in the SLP filed by the State of Uttar Pradesh on the matter of personal appearance of officers being desired by the honorable courts in contempt matters or to assist the court. The specific cause of action were two orders of the division bench of the High court of judicature at Allahabad relating to the exercise of criminal contempt jurisdiction and the practice of frequent summoning of Government officials to court. It had transpired that in the matter relating to post retirement benefits to honorable Chief Justice and Judges of High Court, the high court had issued certain directions and finance department of UP Government had not complied with them and had instead questioned them. The high court had directed that officials of finance department present in the court be taken into custody and had issued bailable warrants to ensure presence of the Chief Secretary and the additional Chief Secretary in the court on the next day. The honorable Supreme Court said that the invocation of criminal contempt and taking the Government official into custody was not warranted. It concluded that the conduct of the high court in frequently summoning officers to exert pressure on the Government under threat of contempt is impermissible.

The honorable Supreme Court also framed SOP’s on personal appearance of Government officials in Court proceedings. It was of the view that in most cases instead of calling the officers the issue could be addressed through affidavits and other documents. Only if it is felt that specific information required by the Court is being deliberately withheld by the concerned officer then there is cause for calling for the personal appearance of the officer concerned. It has been my experience that going to the Court when summoned often leads to spending the entire day in travelling and in the process. The Supreme Court has said that as the first option the Court should allow the officer to appear before it through video conferencing. This would definitely save a lot of valuable time. The Court further said that as far as possible a specific times lot should be kept for addressing matters where the personal appearance of an officer is mandated. It also said that the Government officials participating in the proceedings need not stand throughout the hearing. These are also very welcome directions as often officers have to wait the entire day for the case to be heard and most often they are not even provided a chair to sit on. In a lighter vein I recall that a senior officer of the secondary education department of UP was called by the Court so often that he actually set up a table and chair near the Court and disposed of  official work as he would have to wait for his case to be heard for the best part of the day.

Recently there have been instances when officers have faced comments by the Court on their dress or demeanor. This has been most unfortunate and has demoralized the senior officers. Supreme Court has viewed this tendency with concern and said that during the course of the proceedings no oral remarks with the intention of humiliating the officials will be passed. The Supreme Court has further added that the courts shall refrain from making comments on the physical appearance, educational background or social standing of the official appearing before it. It advised the court to cultivate an environment of respect and professionalism. The officers and the members of the judiciary are respected representatives of the executive and the judicial arm of a democratic Government respectively and I feel it is essential that there is mutual respect between them. I personally remember the numerous occasions when I had to travel from Lucknow to Allahabad to be physically present in the court and this often amounted to a loss of more than one day. Further had it not been for the consideration shown by a very amiable joint registrar protocol of the High Court one would have had to spend the entire day standing inside or just outside the Court.

The orders of the Court must be complied with and for this the senior officers of the Government should be held accountable. Very often non compliance or not taking action on time is a result of negligence of the junior officers of the department concerned. I used to handle this by having a register of all Court orders maintained in my office even when I was Chief Secretary and one official was specifically made responsible for monitoring time bound action. I used to personally review this register once every fortnight. This kind of a practice should be followed by all senior officers. Sometimes I discovered that there used to be collusion between the person who had got the orders from the Court and the lower level officers in the secretariat. The officers would not put up the matter before their seniors deliberately for obvious reasons and wait for notice of contempt from the court. The idea being that the moment a contempt notice comes the officers concerned hurriedly try to comply and no time is left for serious examination of the order and consider making a review application or going in appeal. The answer to this lies once again in very detailed monitoring by the senior officers and fixing responsibility on the junior officers if they have deliberately avoided putting up the matter for necessary action.

It is also true, as the honorable Supreme Court has observed, that there is a process involved at the Government level in complying with Court orders. Wherever there is a financial involvement the concurrence of the finance department is essential and often higher orders up to the level of the Chief Minister have to be taken. The courts must give reasonable time for compliance of their orders. Also, as the honorable Supreme Court has pointed out the Court should not take it adversely if the officer comes back to the courts with the request for review or modification of order. The point that should be understood is that hardly any officer would willfully disobey the orders of the court. The Supreme Court has put this in perspective by observing that the concerned court should evaluate instances of non compliance taking into account to procedural delays or technical reasons. It should give appropriate extension if required to facilitate compliance.

These SOP’s issued by the Supreme Court will go a long way in allowing the officers to carry out their work with integrity and without any sense of undue fear. The officers must also show respect to the court orders and monitor them personally. A relationship of mutual respect between senior executive officers of the Government and the judiciary will certainly make for more effective Governance .

Dust seems to have settled on the furious debate that was triggered by the statement of Sri Narayan Murthy that the Indian youth needs to put in seventy hours of work every day if India is to realise its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. The intent behind what Mr. Murthy said is quite clear and I agree with his thought process. Nothing in life is achieved without persistent and dedicated hard work and if India is to keep its date with destiny then its leaders, managers and officers have to put in a lot of effort.

Many leaders from the corporate world came out vociferously in support of the statement made by Mr. Murthy. On the other side of the spectrum a lot of young managers were critical of this comment as they felt that this kind of a work schedule will not leave any time to do anything else and completely destroy the work life balance. Incidentally, I was addressing students at a reputed management institute and I deliberately raised this issue about the statement of Mr. Murthy. I was surprised to find that the students were almost in unanimous agreement that seventy hours of work every week is neither possible nor desirable. They felt that this would seriously undermine the concept of work life balance and lead to early burnout and disruption of family life and even lead to physical and mental health issues. On the other hand I had a discussion with some senior level corporate managers who not only strongly agreed with Mr. Murthy but also were very critical of the younger generation’s attitude towards work.

I feel the statement has not been appreciated in its proper context. Seventy Hours was just a number indicating that a lot of hard work has to be put in by the youth. It does not in any way say that one has to ignore one’s responsibility to the family or health or any other aspect of life. It is simply talking about having a commitment to one’s work and emphasizing a truism that there is no substitute for hard work if an individual or a nation has to progress at a rapid pace. It is true that average working hours per week in the western nations is lesser than that prevailing in India. In fact a country like France works 35 Hours a week whereas the corresponding figure for India is about 48-49 Hours. It is thus true that Indians are working harder than their western counter parts. However, it is also a fact that the productivity of the Indian work force is much less and also that we are, as a nation, at a different level of economic development. The managers in developed countries assign great value to leisure whereas India has not reached the stage where it can factor leisure as a necessary part of life.

Having established the significance of putting in hard work I must point out that it is important not only to work hard but to work smart. If the time is not managed properly and the work is not efficiently organized then any number of hours will not lead to better results. The idea is to get the maximum out of the effort made because this is the only way to enhance productivity which is the essence of the problem facing India today. This requires a culture of developing leaders and not only managers. Of course, efficient management of human, financial and technological resources to achieve the desire goals is necessary but the current disruptive environment requires all our corporate managers and civil servants to perform at a different level and with a far greater degree of dynamism and responsiveness. They must inculcate the qualities of leaders. A leader must have a vision for the organization or his department and have the capacity to align all members of his team with the goal. She should have the ability to motivate and inspire her team members to a higher level of performance. A culture of prompt decision making is the need of the hour and the capacity to translate vision into reality. All this is possible only if the leader possesses excellent communication skills and has positive problem solving approach. The leader must be willing to take initiative to drive new ideas and encourage creativity in her team members. The leader today must not only be aware of the rapid technological changes taking place around her but also be able to understand them and harness them for the benefit of her organization. The leader to be more productive must realise that it is people who should use technology and the fact that people skills are of paramount importance for the leader to be able to promise a better future for all. This requires the human resource in the organization to be motivated and happy.

Happy employees are always more productive and this is where it is necessary to see an employee not merely as a human resource but in a holistic manner as a human being. Qualities of emotional intelligence and, in particular, those of empathy and compassion are required to make each member of the team feel valued and given the self belief to perform at his best. This means that the issue of work life balance needs to be addressed in a positive manner because a human being can not be made to perform like a machine. There is a trend in many organizations to put excessive pressure on the managers by setting impossible deadlines and creating a toxic work culture. This leads to mental health issues due to stress and anxiety and eventual burn out which is detrimental not only for the manager but also for the organization. Besides, an organization must give time and space for a manager to grow by developing his innate strengths and learning new things. The time must be given to sharpen the saw for better results. Moreover, creativity requires a manager to be away from the constant pressure of daily work and think freely. This is possible only if the work environment is conducive to development of new ideas and the manager also is feeling inner peace and harmony to be able to think creatively.

The question, then, is not about the number of hours of work put in but the results that you get out of the work. Greater and better results are possible if the work culture is participative, creative and non-hierarchical. India has a young work force and it must reap the demographic dividend if it has to join the group of developed nations. It must get the best performance out of its youth. This is possible only if the work culture is congenial and work force enthused about its work. We need a happy work environment to make the work force more productive and propel the organizations and the country to a faster and higher track of growth.