An interview with Bharat Chandra, IPS, Principal Secretary (Home) Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Bharat Chandra, former Director General of Police, who took charge as Home Secretary only a fortnight ago, firmly believes in the maxim that the All India Services should be just that - services rendered to the community.

Has the charm of Civil Services waned over the years, especially now in this new age of IT boom and quick money?

With everybody aspiring for the moon, someone has to aspire for the stars too. Till a few decades back, jobs and opportunities were limited only to some fields. Now, there is a huge and varied market - right from fun careers like advertising, television and media to the more serious ones. I will not put it as waning charm. The Civil Services are still a tough act to follow but now there is definitely an urban/rural divide. Not so much in Andhra Pradesh as elsewhere in the country. People are even now guided by local history, which colours the perception of the services making it different from place to place. For example, Delhi still contributes the largest number of successful candidates.

The All India Services are not merely a post or a job. It is a career made up of attitude and aptitude where 'service to the people' has to be a motto. Personally, it has been an extremely satisfying experience.

What is the single most criteria, one outstanding attribute, for selection in the services?

At the interview, we look for potential that could be developed into positive action, an evasive quality at best. So, during training, we focus on inculcating officer-like-qualities (OLQ) in the candidates. We expect decency, a sense of honour, self- esteem, and a certain humility in them. We tell them not to stoop low, not to abuse the power vested in them by virtue of their jobs, not to be arrogant and to let their actions speak for themselves. They have to learn to be responsible officers. And this comes with education, training and a sound value system.

What are the challenges faced by the IPS/IAS officers in today's changed scenario?

The Services have to be tuned continuously to meet the aspirations of the people. Aspirations which are being fuelled by the media implosion and the rapid spread of technology. What the people in the villages and small towns were unaware of earlier, they are more than aware of them now. There is this huge aspirational change in them. This has placed us in a delicate position. We have to cater to these aspirations. We have to create the skills, the infrastructure, the resources to fulfil their aspirations. Another serious problem dogging us is how to manage obsolesence in men, machine and matters. We have to learn the art of backward integration as one way of managing this.

Better management of resources and personnel, transparent dealings and right implementation of government policies - these are some of our priorities as of now.

How do officers deal with political interference?

Interference is the wrong word to use. I believe there has to be a healthy and balanced interface between the politicians and the bureaucrats. After all, the elected representatives and we are supposed to work towards similar goals. Service and power is a conundrum. We have been given power to work for the larger good of people.

Has the role of Civil Service officers changed over the years? If so, how?

Qualitatively, very little has changed. We still counsel the government, bring problems to its notice, draft and implement policies. The job has not changed. What has changed is the methodology, the skills. Moving with the times has become a prerequisite. Working in a free, democratic country has become more complex and challenging now, particularly work on field jobs.

Is it a norm for an IPS officer to hold an administrative post?

There is nothing unusual in an IPS officer holding an administrative post. In Andhra Pradesh ,Gujarat and even at the Union government, there are IPS officers who are working with the Home department. IPS officers are not necessarily bound to their department. They can and have been managing a wide spectrum of roles. It really depends on what your skills are and what the government feels you are competent at doing. The Service has undergone changes over the last few years. It has a much wider canvas and areas of specialisation now. The same goes for officers too. In my case, the state government felt that a police officer in this post (Home Secretary) would be better placed to appreciate the department's problems. There is a constant requirement to appreciate and facilitate their needs, to put forward their perspective at the government level. The division between IAS/IPS is only functional. In Andhra Pradesh for instance, the director of APSRTC and tourism and travel is an IPS man.

What kind of experiences and sensibilities as a police officer, do you bring to your present job?

My experiences as a police officer have been of tremendous help to me in all my postings. No other profession gives one as much insight into human nature as this. One sees all kinds of human depravity but this gives you a different exposure. No wonder, many of the officers turn extremely spiritual, as they grow older.

Padma Ramesh