M A I L B A G

Govt shouldn’t rehabilitate retired officers

Swati Chaturvedi’s front-page report “A government job is forever” (July 25) was indeed laudable. Undoubtedly, successive governments at the Centre and in the states have been giving jobs to retired officers, perhaps because of their experience.

However, the country is not devoid of talent and those next in the hierarchy, given the opportunity, will do the same job as effectively and efficiently as their senior colleagues who have attained superannuation. We have Ministers and Secretaries to Government who are rotated from one department to another, but with very few exceptions, they all perform very well.

Consider an IAS officer who takes over as a bank chairman. Does he know all about loan and credit management? Still, IAS officers learn very fast and do a wonderful job. Even the Reserve Bank of India had once a serving IAS officer as the Governor. He did a commendable job in enriching the country’s economy.

Then, there are multinationals. They employ young and fresh Indian talent with hefty emoluments who earn a name for doing an excellent job. Clearly, the practice of giving jobs to anyone over 60 years must be stopped.

R.C. SUNEJA,
(Ex-CMD, New Bank of India),
New Delhi

II

“A government job is forever”. What a comedy of errors! It reminds one of Sir Winston Churchill’s prescient remarks regarding the unfolding of Indian political skyline during the debate on the Indian Independence Bill, 1947, in the British Parliament.

Countries imbued to go by meritocracy, building healthy customs, traditions and conventions mature on sound basis. Sadly, India believes in subduing merit while floating on the hollow strength of populist measures appeasing the so-called minorities etc. Fleets of commission are created daily at the Centre and in the states to accommodate the civil and judicial wing retirees, who have props. They thrive on sinecure posts ad infinitum. A sheer mockery!

Instead of economic or development programmes, the reigning programmes are religious, an oddity in a proclaimed secular state and nepotism. MPs are kept in good humour by much despised programmes, involving crores of rupees or barren foreign jaunts. Accountability is the first casualty. To sustain nepotism, common man is taxed!

V.I.K. SHARMA, IAS (retd),
Jalandhar

III

If those re-employed in the states are also counted, their number will increase manifold. This shows the bankruptcy of governance where every other day tall talk is made of rightsizing the government and adopting austerity measures.

Look at the Punjab Government’s absurd justification for buying luxury cars for ministers and others on the ground that these would enhance their productivity and ensure access to the masses to serve them better!

Re-employment is given to retirees because they are known to possess traits that are liked by their masters. They stand by their masters who patronise them in justifying their doubtful acts and, in the process, secure their continuity and more concessions. More vigorously, they wag their tails and earn more rewards from their masters. This vicious circle seems to continue at huge cost to the nation.

Dr HIMAL CHAND,
Chandigarh

IV

A country like ours cannot afford such an extravagance. Secretaries re-employed do not have any work to do. For years, they are a huge burden on the exchequer. Not only the retired Secretaries are re-employed but about 30 judges are also enjoying the same with no work.

Is there a dearth of competence and talent among the existing staff that such jobs are offered to the retirees? If not, why are they devoid of such opportunities and responsibilities? Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should put an end to such extravagance.

N.S. KHIVA,
Muktsar

CBSE plan needs a close look In its effort to reduce stress on students, the CBSE’s plan to abolish multiple Pre-Board exams and replace it with internal assessment in mathematics, science, and social sciences for students needs to be carefully examined. Internal assessment system is not good as it will make the teacher a dictator. Those students who are good at studies but not in the good books of the teacher will suffer. It will also encourage corrupt practices. Scrapping the system of Pre-Board exams is also not good as these exams help students judge their preparation level before the annual exams. SUDHA KAUSHAL, Ambala City