Rupam AroraAIR 384 · CSE 2025 · 212 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening
Public service is the bridge between the state and its citizens. The attitude of a civil servant is the lens through which public policy is implemented on the ground.
Body · points
Impact of Attitude on Service Delivery:
- Positive Attitude:
- Promotes empathetic listening, leading to better grievance redressal.
- Increases responsiveness, accountability, and accessibility for the marginalized.
- Creates a culture of 'Service' rather than 'Rule'.
- Negative Attitude:
- Leads to red-tapism, apathy, and delay in decision making.
- Creates power distance, making citizens feel alienated and hesitant to seek services.
- Fuels corruption and biases, undermining trust in public institutions.
Strategies to inculcate Citizen-Centric Attitude:
- Value-based Training: Induction and mid-career training programs should focus on ethical values like empathy, compassion, and integrity.
- Performance Appraisal Reform: Incorporating 360-degree feedback, including citizen feedback, into performance reviews.
- Institutional Mechanisms: Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and time-bound delivery mandates (like Right to Service Acts) to reduce subjective discretion.
- Mentorship: Senior leaders acting as role models to junior officers, fostering a culture of humility.
- Sensitisation: Regular interaction with field realities and grassroots communities to help officers understand the human cost of administrative delays.
Close · a summary
Ultimately, a citizen-centric approach transforms governance from being 'process-oriented' to being 'people-oriented', ensuring the 'Last Mile Delivery' of services.
How toppers approach this question, and more on its topic: open the question.