TENDULKAR ON DHONI ‘August 31, 2020 Young men and Paes ece ue Ted backgrounds are cracking the UPSC ONT ge ele numbers and breaking down barriers CS aoe iat)Outlook tment ace a, oman on Spe one “at Se ‘TSeen mer to oe along ner hs pts She a tpn or concrete pe 20604 se ratetooetnstecineacen Force acres ectgtmonsacon Frsimccion ti vesnedmanoctoniasan ars, POINT AND SHARE ‘Now, open Outlook magazine on ‘your smartphone instantly. Point your phones scanner on the ‘codean align tin the frame You wil be guided instanty to our website werwoutlookindia.com ‘hiss useful to share ourstores on ‘social media or eral them. B ounces aueus 1, 202 COVER STORY The days of the stodgy, Anglophile civil —_ servant are gone—aspirants ftom villages and underprivileged backgrounds are making a mark in the UPSC exams. We explore how they are changing the prestigious civil services. 10 | HERDING THEIR FLOCK [4 LeTTeRs Both the BIP and TMC are poaching leaders from 7 POLIGLOT ‘ther parties in the run-up to the 2021 West Ben- 52 LADOLCE gal elections vita 54 DIARY 36 | RIDE THE BULL | How to secure your investments and get the most returns amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. Cover Design: 46 | AFLASH OF THE ETHEREAL Deepak Sharma Pandit Jasraj helped us see the folk airs that float Photograph: behind the music grammarian’s regime Tibhuvan Tina Customer Care =a SertaHyperlink InfoSystem 2 #1 India's App Development Company Having 300+ Expert Developers Go Digital With Us 8+ 3300+ 24/7 Years of Experience Apps meveloped Support 160 0+ 23 00 + Websites Designed Happy Clients Have an idea? nasa We provide the best digital IT Solutions such as Mobile App Development, : Web Development, Blockchain Development, Salesforce Development, a AR/VR App Development, IoT, Al Solutions and many more. ® +91-9925014191 ‘& www.hyperlinkinfosystem.com Hyperlink InfoSystem 8 info@hyperlinkinfosystem.comLETTERS = 1792020 omer ture provideuswitharich as depicted in posters all ze storehouse ofstories waiting over Ayodhya. tobe told and retold, with sometweakshereand there. 0A Ourmythological figures. _-M.N. Bhartiya: The story of packed in appealing covers Ram remains popular because and sleek pages or popping _it is realistic and practical. We from mobile screens in digital Hindus worship many things avatars hold us in their thrall. either for their usefulnessor The credit forthatalsogoes in recognition of their tothe painstaking research destructive power. We pray to work ofnovelists,theirin- _theearth, moon, stars, rivers, sightful interpretations, their food, trees, serpents and of flights of faney and their con- course, stones. Ram is more temporary prose. Asfor Ram, — thanamere od. He had many he has ridden the chariotof constructive and destructive Hindutva ascendaney to oce- capabilities as well as exper- upy our zeitgeist. Asreligion tise regarding how and when takes on apolitical colour, the to exercise them. The power ‘messiahs resurrect in all their that is not used and demon- triumphal glory toregale us. strated losesitssheen, Just as Ram could destroy his ene- DEHRADUN mies, he also had love and Rakesh Agrawal: Yes, the affection for his people. No new generation will cer- ‘one could cheat andbetray = = = tainly be bowled by this new _him;his identification of his mythological tale where the friends and foes was foolproof. Immortal Saga giant guardian is carrying _‘Inourera,the attributes of awayhis kid, Ramlalla tohis our prime minister are very Jong-lost magnificent palace, much akin to that of Ram. wexnow M.C. Joshi: This refers to your cover story Rami Retold (August 17). The immortal saga of Ram hasbeen told and PUNE retold many times—not only in India, but C.K, Subramaniam: also in other countries, especially in This refers to Desert Southeast Asia. Amish Tripathi’s view Storm (August 3). Sachin that Indians never get tired of orbored —_Pilot has quelled his with stories of their deities is authenti-_rebellionand the cated by the tremendous popularity of Rajasthan government and devotion for Ram, asean beseen in remains safe. But for Ramileelas every year. Devdutt Pattanaik —_howlongis anybody's had interesting insights about characters guess. The partyhas full-time president and the from mythology and the difference beeninturmoilsinceitlostits vice-president is not authorita- between fiction and myths. Also, agree _votebanks Ithasn’tbeen able _ tive enough tohold the fort. If with reader Sumit Mishra’s letter (August toplaythe numbers gameand Rahul Gandhi continues toact 7) about your cover tories dominating _holdon toits lock in Goa, ‘unreasonably, the outcome of the magazine and the need for more vari- Karnataka and Madhya ‘the 2024 parliamentary elec- ety. He has rightly said that your readers Pradesh. The scenewasset for _ tions will be nodifferent. While come from various backgrounds and setback in Rajasthan, but they _ instability continues o plague none want to become experts. We want managed to trumpit. ‘the party, Gehlot cannot be avariety of stories. Congress's infightingisrespon- written off—for nowt least. sible forits debacle—no other ON E-ManL party can be blamed for its BANGALORE ‘Vijai Pant: Ourepics,folklore and cul- losses. Thepartyiswithouta HN. Ramakrishna: This 4 ouriooeauous a. 2020LETTERS eee refers to Hanging By A Thread (August 17). The Supreme Court correctly ‘maintains that priesthood is ‘open to all Hindus as longas they comply with agama shastras, Agama traditions are unique to our temples. With alternative opportuni- ties available, people from other castes are not as enthusiastic about becom- ing priests. With all the affirmative action support- ing them, 1am surprised some of them aspire to become priests, For the Brahmin community, the traditional priestly class, hing a priest is not mone- tarily viable, more so during the pandemic when temples areeither closed or few dev- tees are visiting, With ittle ‘orno income, itis their lives that hangby a thread, Many households have stopped inviting priests for weddings orother religious functions due to the fear of contagion. Except for some popular temples, the vast majority of shrines in India are impo erished. The priests there, whether Brahmins or from other castes, find it ard to eke outa living MUMBA Bholey Bhardwaj: This refers to Ethnicity Leaking ‘Red (August 17). The polities ‘of parochialism and ethnie- ity eventually leads to vio- lence and mayhem, Itleaves the poorest at the receiving tend, often rendering them jobless and homeless. The idea of India as aland forall its citizens must be upheld. Inmany states, such as Maharashtra, parties have sacrificed innocent lives or livelihoods forexpedient political gains. Bengal has ahistory of people settling there from all over the ‘world and living in har- ‘mony. It must not follow in the footsteps of ‘Maharashtra. Itis sad to see parties play the ‘son of the soil’ card. They should instead use their energy and enthu- siasm to fight China and Pakistan, mumeat Ashok Goswami: This refers to Cast Of Distrust (August 17). Amritsar and Lahore were big trading centres before Partition as well. The distance between the two citiesis around 40 km, less than the distance a resident of Palwal covers, when travelling to Connaught Place in Delhi. With widespread trust deficit and terror- ism abetted by Pakistan, resumption of trade seems tobe a distant cry. People who depended on this trade have been hard hit because alternate job and business opportuni- ties these days areas scarceas water on the moon. Both countries are losing heavily on trade, cultural exchange and travel opportunities. Open borders and free trade would have changed the fortunes of Pakistan, just as ithas been beneficial for India, Bhutan and Nepal. ‘The trade deficit, however, ‘can only be bridged once the trust deficit is taken care of. wexNow Nitin Majmudar: The uni- lateral transfer of Sushant Singh Rajput's case to the CBIraises questions about constitutional ethies. Tt proves the Orwellian axiom FROM THE ak Roo os Pidow, Saint Mathieu, Cras, AN November 231928 My dene Joye With regard co this Literary experiment of yours 2b 8 considerable thing because you are a very considerable man and you have in your crowed compeeition a mighty genius for expreasion which has escaped dlceipline. But T doc think tt gees anyvhere. You have curned your back on com ‘son men on their elementary nenls and their restricted ine and intelligence, and yeu have elaborated, What ie the rosuld? Vast riddles Your last two works have boon more ‘amusing and exciting to write than they will ever be to ‘read Take me as a typical common reader. Do T get much pleasure from ehis wre Na Do I feel I sm gereing some thing new and iluninating as Ido when Lead Anrep ddeadful translation of Faviovs badly veiteen book on (Conditioned Refleued Na So I as Who the hell is this “Joyce who donands so many vaking hours of cho few chow tere T hive arf ll to Live fr a.peoper appeectarion of Kis dquizks and fancies and flashes of rendering? ‘AIL this from ay point of view, Pechapa you are right and am all wrong Your work is an extracrdinary experiment land T would gp out of my way to anv ft from destructive or restrictive fncerruption. It has its believers and its fol- Tiseing. Lat thon rejoice in ir To no it is daad end. My warmest wishes t you Joyce, Tl Slow your banner any nore then you can Sllow mine But the world ie wide fand there Le room for both of us to be wrong, Yours, RG Wette @ Dead End Excerpt ofa letter from H.G, Wells to James Joyce regarding the latter's last novel Finnegans Wake that all people are equal, _against powerful politi- but someare more equal _cians, senior bureaucrats, than others. Ifthe person _ business tyeoons and oth- who committed suicide ers ended in acquittals at were aVidarbafarmer ora trial or appellate courts, suburban Mumbai street _Indiais a union of states hawker, the ease would and the Constitution has have been closed inamat- _ assigned certain subjects to ter of days and the filecon- their jurisdiction, such as signedto the recordroom. law and order and police The case casts aspersions_ administration. The unilat- onthe competence, integ- eral transfer of cases to the rityand impartiality ofthe CBI isan assault on states’ Mumbaipolice. The CBT _ autonomy. It isa cause of has few convictions toits concern toall citizens who credit, Amajority ofcases _value democratic morality. zona aurioce &The home ministry has ordered the withdrawal of 10,000 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) from Jammu and Kash The forces were moved to the region in August last year when the Centre abrogated Article 370, Despite the move, many of the forces deployed last year remain in the Valley. {An FIR has been filed against Ankhi Des, Facebook's irector, public policy, India, South and Central Asia, and two ‘thers for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, Dass in the news after a report by The Wal Street Journal claimed that FB refused to apply hate ‘Speech rules ta certain BP leaders. ‘The Supreme Court deciared that ‘money collected for the PM CARES Fund need not be transferred to the National Disaster Response Fund. In response to the demand, it said that the plan prepared by the government under the Disaster Management Act was sufficient For COVID-I8 also. Anatomy of a Riot ‘Ajay Sukumaran in Bangalore 'O sooner had the August Il mob response was guarded. So, leaders from Sarmieneees aermes atanee aes Seer the highest vote share in TN. ‘So what had gone wrong? A Facebook Murthy’s nephew P. Naveen touched off the riotous scenes in which a mob_ police stations and torched vehicles on the street. But various undercurrents in eens ae (SDPD, some of whose members are ie cooce police for letting the situation get out of hand by delaying Naveen's arrest. “It's ‘GROUND ZERO Rot police patrol a street in the violence-hit area of Bangalore the BJP'sploy to point to SDPT or other organisations to divert attention from the governments failure,” said SDPTs Karnataka president Mohammed Ilyas ‘Thumbe. While its local leader Muzza- mil Pasha has been picked up, the ‘arrested also includes the husband of ‘a Congress corporator. ‘Murthy hasdistanced himself from ‘Naveen, telling reporters that he had cut coff'contact with his nephewadecade ‘ago. But Murthy is also a relative new- ‘comer to the Congress—having joined the partyin 2018 afterleaving the Janata Dal (S).So, while suggestions ofa tussle among Congress leaders are doing the rounds, the JD(S) leader and former chiefminister H. D. Kumaraswamy also tossed in the phrases ‘nepotism’ and “family feud? while tweeting about the probable causes ofthe incident. ‘The Congress, pointing tofact that its ‘own MLA wasa victim ofthe attack, says none of ts workers were involved in ‘oting, The party has set up afaet-find- ing committee to probe the incident, and has demanded that the government ‘appoint.a judicial inquiry. Incidentally, the BJP sent a team to vist the vio- lence-hit area; while BJP leadersare blaming both Congress and SDPI, the point they are highlightingis that a Dalit ‘MLA was attacked. Karnataka CMBS. Yediyurappa said the government intends torecover the ‘cost of damage to property from the riot- cers—it will approach the high court for the appointment of aclaims commis- sioner to assess the damage. A special investigating team has been set up to fast track the probe, the CM has said.Help from the skies, AnIAF helicopter rescues aman who was left stranded atthe Khutaghat dam in Chhattishgarhis Bilaspur. The man was rescued aftera 16-hour ordeal. ©)POLIGLOT SNAPSHOT Power Panch in Odisha An elected member stands accused of misutilising her powers ‘Sandeep Sahu in Bhubaneswar When Odisha CM UES Naveen Patnaik announced on April 19 that sarpanches would get district collectors’ powers to help fight COVID-19, little would he have imagined the destruction it would ‘eause a couple of months later. On August 11, Hemakanti Munda, the ssarpanch of Salebhata panchayat, ‘Bolangir district, wielded her ‘authority to requisition bulldozers and ‘demolish six houses. The houses were being built for poor adivasi families under the Prime Minister's Awas ‘Yojana-Grameen (PMAY-G), “L alongwith my husband anda few other members of the village committee, demolished the houses as the government has granted me the powers ofa collector,” she told anews channel. Her husband, Mohan Munda, and she were arrested on August 16 ‘The demolition drive has rendered six families homeless. “With no roof over our heads, how will we survive?” asked one of them. They claimed that they had not violated any rules while constructing the houses allotted to them under the PMAY-G. Enquiries on the ground by Outlook corroborated their contention that they had started According to the rulebook, sarpanch can be suspended if they are in jail for two consecutive days. Home Truth Sarpanch Hemakanti ‘Munda (left) was suspended for demolishing houses built Under PMAY-6 in Ocisha's Bolangir district construction on vacant government and only after the panchayat and block administration allotted land to them on the recommendation of the local tehsildar. “We received two instalments under the PMAY-G, which was enough to start the work, but not enough to complete it, We had to borrow money fromallocal moneylender to makesure the construction work did not stop midway. But everything has now been reduced to rubble,” said another. ‘Based on a complaint filed by the affected families, the Loisingha police registered a case against the 10 people who oversaw the demolition. A team led by DSP Ranjita Singh produced Mohan and Hemakanti in court and sent them to jail after their bail plea was rejected. The other eight named in the FIR are absconding. ‘But what made the sarpanch, an adivasi herself, demolish the houses of fellow adivasis? Reports suggest that petty polities was at play—the son ofa former MLA instigated the sarpanch to act against the six families because they supposedly did not vote for the candidate he backed in the last lection. He is among the eight people absconding sinee the incident came to light recently. “According to the rulebook, a sarpanch gets suspended if they are in jal for two consecutive days. Thus, ‘Munda is all set to lose her powers, including the ‘collector's power’.In such an event, the naib sarpanch presides as the acting sarpanch. Sources say the powerful political family backs the naib sarpanch and the demolitions could well be part ofa plan they hatched for the naib sarpanch to take over.When the Flock Loses its Way Ashwani Sharma in Shimla 10 says.a margdarshak \ A ] (guide)—a term coined by the BJP toallegedly sideline party elders like IK. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi—does not wield influence in the party or the govern. ‘ment? Shanta Kumar, a two-time chief minister and BJP veteran, proves speculation to the contrary wrong, Kumar is known for speakinghis ‘mind—bluntly. In response to the 2002 Gujarat riots, Kumar, then a Union min- ister, said that fhe were the CMof the state, he would have resigned (Narendra ‘Modi was the Gujarat CM then). ‘Whetherit was the multi-crore Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh, allegations of corruption against the BJP government in Himachal Pradesh in 2002-2003 or the Bangaru Laxman tape scandal, he did nothesitate to raise his voice. Asthe ‘Kamataka party in-charge, he took a stand against CM BS. Yediyurappadue brevis toallegationsof corruption and nepo- tism against him in 2010. After the BJP attempts to unseat gov- ernmentsin Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, Kumar hasbeen lecturing the party on ‘moral’ polities. “The BJP has deviated from value-based politics. It pains me how state goveraments axe being destabilised even though the BJP faces no challenge as the Congress ison the verge of collapse,” he said. ‘These days, Kumars working on his autobiography in his hometown. Palampur. During the pandemic, he decided to strietly observe social dis- tancing and advised al visitors to keep a distance, So, it’sno surprise that hegot annoyed when newly inducted cabinet minister Rakesh Pathaniaand ‘the state BUP unit's new presi dent Suresh Kashyap knocked athisdoors to take his bless- ings and margdarshan for their new innings. After Kashyap ‘tured out to be the primary contact of Sukh Ram. Chaudhary, another minister ‘who tested positive four days after his swearing-in ceremony, Shanta Kumar went into isola tion for 14 daysand outright re- fused to meet leaders. One wondersif former Himachal (CM Prem Kumar Dhumal was following inhis footsteps when healso went intoa L-day quarantine after a meeting with Pathania, Kashyap and food and supplies minister Rajinder Garg. ‘Thakur also publicly snubbed chief minister Jai Ram Thakur for not adher- ing to social distaneing norms—his tour in Kangra attracted huge crowds wher- ever he went. “There is anced to observe not just 100 per cent, but 200 per cent social distancing and all precautions against the spread of COVID-19” Kumar said. Some speculate that his chiding ‘compelled theCM to wind up his tour andreturn to Shimla. Afterall, whocan refuse to tread the marg (path) shown by the margdarshak.2 8 ®@ Former india crick-_| Filmmaker Nishi- | Indian cricketer Chariots OF Fire star | Ex Karnataka cricket- eterand UP minister | kant Kamat, pest | Suresh Raina, | Ben Crosshas died | er and veteran curator Chetan Chauhan | known fordirecting | 33,has retired from | aged 72. The actor por- | G. Kasturiran- has passed away of | the thriller Drishyam, | itemational cricket. | trayed British Olympic | aN died on August. Covid-related.com- | has died after battling | Part ofthe team that | athlete Harold Abra- | 19 atthe age of 89. plications. He was 73. | liver Kamat also made | won the 2011 World| hamsin the 1981 film, | He was also the vice Chauhan played 40 | several other ims in- | Cup.Rainascored | which won four Oscars | president of KSCA. and Tests and scored 2.084 | cluding the action film | 5615 uns from 226 | including best picture. | the BCCI curator. He runswith atop score | Forceand theInfan | ODisand 768 runs | He also acted in the _| played for Mysore in of97vs Australia | Khan-led Madaani in 18 Tests. Star Trek reboot the Ranji Trophy.ata MixedShots ™ ‘A TRAUMATIC MOO-VE? ‘Sop NDIAN cows have one more reason to be jealous oftheir [ ‘The latter notonly get to eat grass instead of plasticand trash salad, but also enjoy free helicopter rides, An injured cow lusuriated in this privilege as she could ‘not walk down the Klausen Pass with the thousand other ‘ow FREEDOM TO...INFECT ‘cows in her herd. The migration to the lower Alps isan annual event called ‘Bodenfahrt. A farmer said the experi- ‘ence may have been traumatic for the ‘cow; though in photos, she seems to ‘beenjoying the lovely alpine view. ‘Hopefully, next year cows won't start faking injuries to get ajoyride. A cow’s-eye view of the Alps, anyone? OMAR it ewes: (Coes cicie ara coits Narre Dom A Sonos sutscatotve pop ayo tno andsuning Tey motes Ooverd ara tea tommcts coin aces tac report cacoreny tomar dota he pe Tres eoos one rl eyo ten mismo eyo we FIRST, they caught tin farts ‘and now in urine—seems ike no bodily excretion is safe from coronavirus’ tentacles. While it might seem like a middlingproblem (afterall, somebody is more likely to sneeze on you than, well.), the issue lies with urinal flushes. Due to the interaction between gas and liquid particles, the virusean hitch rideon aerosols released from flushing. Toilet bowis also generate aerosols, though not to the extent of urinals. Lest your jump to conclusions, the solution isnot to stop flushing toilets, but to weara mask in the restroom. ILLUSTRATIONS: SAAHIL, TEXT BY ALKA GUPTA AND SYED SAAO ARMED HUJACK WITH INTEREST A FTERa bus owner died, the financier who had lent him. money panicked that his family members would default on the loan. So he did what any rational individual ‘would have done—he hired ‘loan recovery men’ who intercepted the bus, forced the driver and conductor to deboard and drove off with the 34 passengers. The bus was going from Gurgaon to Madhya Pradesh and the men ‘hijacked’ itin Agra. After the driver and condue- tor went to the police, the UP govern- ment claimed thatall the passengers were safe. Their whereabouts or that of the bus, though, are not known. @ PREMATURE BABY, MATURE CUPID TITTLE Cobie wasborn 10 weeks early in King’s Mill Hospital, Mansfield, UK. But despite his tender age.he hetped his dad, John Sellors, pop the question to his mother, Sian Stafford. The nurses werealso in on. the plan. They called Sian to have alook at Cobie after he had been taken offhis breathing machine. ‘She didn’tnotice the ringand the note, ‘Mummy, ‘willyou marry my daddy? until John interjected swith “Ithink Cobie wants you to knowsome- thing”. That's when she spotted the message and accepted his proposal.BENGAL/POLIITICS Turncoats: An Open Season As Trinamool embarks on an aggressive rehabilitation and induction drive, BJP keeps looking for poaching opportunities ‘Snigdhendu Bhattacharya in Calcutta EHABILITATION of the Ri Sagrada proces, yut it arrives with abang. The ‘Trinamool Congress's July 28 ann- ‘ouncement naming Kunal Ghosh as a state-level party spokesperson is one sueh. Not only is Ghosh, ajournal- ist-turned-media honcho-turned. politician, a prime accused in the Saradha chit fund scam, he also tried ‘to drag party chief Mamata Banerjee into the scam—one of Bengal’s biggest political scandals. The TMCallso inducted in the party expelled CPC leader Ritabrata Banerjee and ChhatradharMahato, who once led the Maoist-backed Lalgarh ‘movement during 2008-09, but it was Ghosh’sinduetion that struck political observers most. Speaking to journalists, some TMC leadersexplained the layered message in Ghosh’s reinstatement (he ‘was suspended for six yearsin 2013):if ‘Mamata could take back Kunal Ghosh, no party deserter was untouchable. Indeed, there were prior indications, Ghosh’s return to favour came barely a ‘week after Mamata’s July 21 call to des- crters and disgruntled leaders to return tothe party. Soon after, Biplab Mitra, the ‘TMCS former Dakshin Dinajpur district unitpresident who had joined the BJP in June 2019, returned to the TMC. On ‘August6, former'TMC minister Humayun Kabir, who fought the 2019 Lok Sabhaelectionson.a BJP ticket, also returned to TMC. Ithas been asteady trickle since then: over the first half of August, Hema ‘Chaubey returned to the TMC from the ‘Congress in West Midnapore, TMC's former district vice president Bishnu Mahato returned from the BJP in Purulia, former Congress assembly poll ‘candidate in Bankura Arun Pathak. Joined up and so did social worker ‘Chandra Sekhar Kundu in Asansol, West Burdwan. At the panchayat and booth level itwasa veritable backslide: dozens of workers and grassroots-level leaders joined the TMC from the BJP, the Congress and the Left. “People are joining or returning toour party inspired by Mamata Banerjee’s de- ‘velopment-centtie polities and inclusive political approach,” says TMCsecre- tary-general Partha Chatterjee. According to political analyst Maidul Islam, the TMC's induction drive is ‘aimed at increasing its voteshare to en- sure victory in the case of aclose, nearly bipolar contest with the BJP in which the Left and the Congress, whoare likely New oaths 4 Trinamool induction event in Purulia, where several BJP leaders joined it Facing page. A BIP protest against TMCBENGAL/POLITICS tofight together, would have littleeffect. “TMC bagged over 43 percent of polled votes in the 2019 LS elections. This was about four percentage points above its 2014 Lok Sabha election voteshare and ‘about one percentage point lower than, the 2016 assembly election voteshare. Evidently, despite the loss of Lok Sabha seats (TMC lost 14 seats tothe BJP, ‘which got 18 seats in 2019) their core ‘support base was not damaged. Now it ‘wants to increase the voteshare by a few more percentage points,” Islam says. In July, the TMC reorganised its state steering committee, the state work- ingcommittee and the youth wing. Ttis expected to announce new panelsat all the state's 348 blocks by August-September. ‘ABJPstate unit member says the party is closely monitoring the ‘TMCS reorganisation drive, which is expected tocreatea new group of malcontent leaders. “Leaders who would see their influence reducing inthe TMC would mostly try to contact us” says a BJP state unit vvice president. Ghosh’s induction seemed to have ‘another use for TMC: ereatingan air of mistrust around Mukul Royin the ‘BUR. Over the past month, widespread talk about the possibility of Roy return= ingto the TMC forced the former ‘Trinamool heavyweight to publicly re- fute the rumours, Ghosh is known to enjoy a cordial relation with Roy, once Mamata’s right-hand man. After joining BJP inNovember 2017, Roy dealt the ‘TMCa rude blow in 2019 by gettinga sit- ting TMC MP.afour-time MLA anda youth leader to defeet—all three won the Lok Sabhaclections on BJP tickets, After that success, Roy got TMC MLAs Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya, Subhranshu Roy, Biswajit Das, Dulal Bar, Monirul slam, Sunil Singh, Wilson Champramari and ‘Sabyasachi Dutta tojoin the BJP. By appointing Roy as chairman of the election management committee forthe 2018 panchayat polls, 2019 Lok Sabha ‘elections and 2020 municipal polls (postponed due to Covid-19), the BJP central leadership has made his impor- tance quite clear; he's expected to get the post for the 2021 assembly polls too. “Mukul Roy wants to create an airof mistrust within our party with his defee- tion drive, We wil tryto create an air of mistrust around him in the BJP. Itisno secret that Roy, while being backed by ‘the BJP central leadership, does not hhave a good rapport with most state unit, leaders,” says a TMC Rajya Sabha MP. Yet, the rumours die hard. On August 13, barelya few days after Roy rubbished all speculations about a return to the ‘TMG Kunal Ghosh said, "People are abusing me or trying o land Mukul Roy in trouble. Let him swear on his grand- NE aa Editor, Special Projects, ‘Outlook | JOINUS ON 7] _f @outlookindia You Tate @outlookmagazine on August 26, eebepedbetat eh 6:00 p.m.., ENVIRONME! UNDER'STRESS Towering Inferno The draft Environment Impact Assesment has triggered outrage for watering down earlier provisions to protect the fragile ecology Puneet Nicholas Yadav HE intertwined issues of "Tiina climate change rarely make for popular discourse. Jargon-ridden lecturesat symposiums, technical research papers or declaration of global goals.at international conferences by political talking heads make this ‘expansive axis difficult for the public to navigate, leave alone comprehend. Itis, ‘thus, significant that the draft Environ- ‘ment Impact Assessment (EIA) 2020 notification put out by the Centre received an unprecedented 18 lakh recommendations and suggestions from ‘common people and activists. ‘The mandatory process for inviting ob- Jections and recommendations to the proposed changes in the BIA framework ended on August 11, the deadline set by 14 ouriooeasousr the Delhi High Court. The court had set the new deadline after dismissing pro- testations from the Union ministry of environment, forestsand climate change, which wanted the consultation process closed on June30, just over three months after the draft to replace the existing EIA 2006 was placed in pub- licdomain on March 12, Ifthe massive publie response—and outrage—against the draft BIA 2020 has created a record of sorts the preceding ‘months ofthe consultation process were Green activists believe that EIA being is imple- mented ina shoddy manner. Hellfire The of blowout in Baghjan, Assam, has left a big dent on the surrounding ecology. noless ordinary. The draft evoked a sharp political response from the ‘Congress, with Sonia Gandhi writing lengthy op-ed in a national daily detail- ing the pitfalls of the proposed frame- ‘work. Congress leader and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh too found an unlikely pen palin incum- bent environment minister Prakash Javadekaras the two exchanged letters ccounteringeach other’s contentions on. the notification and posting them promptly on Twitter forall to see, There wasalso the obtuse episode of the Delhi Police issuinga notice to NGO Fridays for Future India, invoking strin ‘gent charges under the draconian lawful Activities (Prevention) Act, followinga complaintby Javadelar about the organisation flooding his email ‘with comments on EIA 2020. The police later withdrew the notice, claiming that the slappingof terror charges was an ‘inadvertent error”.On Javadelar's complaint over the clogging of his inbox, ‘websites of three environment aware- ness groups—Fridays for Future India, Let India Breathe and There Iso Earth B—were also blocked, Moreover, four high courts were approached by peti- tioners raising various objections to the consultation process and the govern-ENVIRONMENT/UNDER STRESS ment’s refusal to provide translation of ‘the notification in languages besides Hindi and English. Evidently, there is somethingabout EIA 2020 that has led ‘the public unlike earlier environ- ‘ment-linked policy framework. It wasin the backdrop of the Bhopal ‘gas tragedy of December 1984 that India got its first comprehensive legislation on the environment—the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Though many countries had, by then, already begun. expanding their policy frameworks to include regulations for projects that have a direct impact on the environ- ‘ment, itwas not until 1994 that India notified its first ETA norms. Simply put, the EIAs an essential regulatory frame- ‘work that identifies the impact a pro- posed project would have on the ‘environment at large and the immediate ecology of thesite in particular. Itis ‘meant to bean impartial assessment of the benefits ofa proposed project as also its negative consequences, based on sci- cntificsurveys and consultations, Green activists believe that the ELA is {implemented ina shoddy manner and, at best, provides governments and ind- ustry legal protection to exploit natural resources. Industry leaders and sections within successive governments haveal- leged that the EIA prevents speedy clearance of projects, and promotes rent-seeking by corrupt politi- ciansand bureaucrats who siton clearances, ‘The EIA 1994 was replaced with ‘anew, more expansive notifica- tion in 2006, In March this year, citing the need for anew frame- ‘work that assimilates various court orders, internationally ac- ‘opted practices and innovations ofthe past M4 years, while also ad- ‘dressing emerging concerns, the Centre notified the draft EIA 2020, The storm over the modi fied ELA goes beyond the tradi- tional debate over the need and efficacy of the regulatory frame- work. Though insisting that suc- cessive governments have been Iaxin upholdingboth the EPA 1986and the ETA regulations, en- vironmental lawyer and founder ‘of Legal Initiative for Forest and Jairam Ramesh says the EIA “legitimise illegal- ity, and promote land grab” Environment (LIFE), Ritwick Dutta, saysthe “sole objective of EIA 2020 isto prevent anenvironment impact assess- ‘ment and instead wantonly grant per- missions for projects that will be ecologically destructive”. Considering that anatural casualtyofa pro-industry EIA would be India's forest cover, itis difficult to reconcile the ra- tionale behind the modifications with India's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (IND) under the 2015 Paris Agreement of creatingan addi tional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030. ‘Most of thecriticism of EIA 2020 stems from three aspects of the draft no- tification. First, the proposed modifica tions allow ex post facto environmental approvals for operational projects that haven't adheredtto currently applicable regulations. Second, a large number of activities—specified under category B2 inthe notification—have been entirely exempted from EIA. These activities in- clude oil, gas and shale exploration, cer- tain categories of hydroelectric, solar and irrigation projects, coal and mineral prospecting, small and medium cement plants, some categories of micro, small and medium enterprises all inland wa- terway projects, expansion or widening of highways, aerial ropeways in ecologi- cally sensitive areas, and specified build ingconstruction and area development projects (including the Centre's contro- versial Central Vista project). ‘Third, themodified draft notification prevents the publie from reporting viola- tions and non-compliance by project proponents, placing the onus of doingso on the violator, the competent govern- ment authority or the regulatory author- ity. Even in the event of violations being established, there is aprovision for granting approvals with conditions, in- cludingremediation of ecological dam- age. Besides, the new notification also curtails the current requirement ofsemi-annual complianee re- ports by project proponents to once ayear. ‘These relaxations arebeing brought in even though the cur- rent, seemingly morestringent, EIA regime isseen by several ex- pertsand conservationists asbi- ‘sed in favour of the industry. In two recent disasters~the gasleak atLGPolymersin Vishakhapatnam and the Baghjan gas well blowoutin Assam—it was found that violations of the EIA had gone unchecked. While Javadekar didnot re- spond to Outlook's request for ‘comments, he has publicly ° Deluge The Uttarakhand flood of 2013 was a wake-up call, activists say. suaust 21,2029 sum.906 15ENVIRONMENT/UNDER STRESS claimed that his ministry is simply codi- fyingvarious changes made tothe EIA since 2006 by the courts, and by the pre~ vious UPA regime through office memo- randums. On ex post facto approvals too, Javadekarhas maintained that sucha claim isa ‘misrepresentation of facts’, and that ‘there will only be prospective environmental clearance and heavy pen- altyfor the period of violation”. The ‘minister pointsout thatthe Supreme Court had directed that the government “cannot close down industry, but may {impose penalties/fine for violations”. Earlier this year, however, the apexcourt had ruled: “Environment law cannot countenance the notion ofan expost facto clearance. This would be contrary tooth the precautionary prineiple as wwellas the need for sustainable development.” Javadekar’s claims are contested by ‘Ramesh, during whose stint as environ- ‘ment minister ofthe then Congress-led government was often criticised for ‘making environmental clearances nearly impossible. The modified ELA, says Ramesh, will “routinely legitimise illegality, and promote land grab, not de- velopment". Now the chairman ofthe parliamentary standing committee on science & technology, environment, for- estsand elimate change, Ramesh says theneed is for the government to“pun- ish the violators”. ‘The political slgest over the ETA aside, there are harsh ground realities that the proposed modifications ignore InDecember, Javadekar had released the biennial State of Forest Report, 2019. “The report claimed that India’s total for- est cover stood at 2.67 percent ofthe total geographical area—a marginal im- provement over the 21.54 per cont re- corded in2017, though stil far from the stated target of 33 per cent. Acloser look, however, revealsa disturbing fact. In terms of canopy density the report das- sifies forests into three categories: Very Dense Forests (VDF), Moderately Dense Forests (MDF) and Open Forests (OF). ‘Though India’s total forest coveris 72,249 sq km, most oft (304,499 sq 4m) is OFmostly the result of compen- satory afforestation and urban forests planted to offset canopy destruction due toprojects in MDF or VDF areas. 1B ourene asust 32020, ‘The worst impact of BIA 2020, ifim- plemented inits current form, isex- pected tobe on the Northeast—a region the NDA government promised to pro- moteand protect with regard to devel- ‘opment and people's rights. While boasting ofan inerease in India's total forest cover, the State of Forest Report conceded that the green eover in the northeast had been steadily declining. ‘The region has ost around 25,000 sq km offorestsover the past decade “The total forest cover of the Northeast, asper the government’ data, ‘was 170,541 sqm in 2019. says Udayan Borthalzur, an activist associated with ‘Aaranyak, a Guvwahati-based social or sanisation that works on biodiversity conservation in the Northeast. “The Northeast comprisesabout eight per cent of Indias total geographical area, but accounts for 6505 per cent of the forest cover. implemented in itscur- Prakash Java- dekar says criti- cism of the EIA is a misrepresenta- tion of facts. ° Feartactor Many say that the lower Subansii project in ‘Arunachal Pradesh will led to disaster downstream, SURANIT SHARMA rent form, the BTA 2020 will be disas- trousfor the Northeast, not just environmentally, but also in terms of so- cial harmony” Earlier this year, as part of his mega Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, PM Narendra Modi declared 41 coal blocks— almost all located within densely for~ ‘ested, mining no-go" areas—open for private commercial mining with no end- use restrictionon the quarried mineral. ‘The decision had triggered massive pro- tests by activists and adivasis in danger ofbeing displaced from their lands in the forests. The government decided to ‘withdraw some of these blocks from the list, but the threat of exploitation of other forests remains. Beit the EIA 2020 or the openingup of ‘commercial coal mining in ‘no-go' areas, these decisions of the Centre appear to beanatural progression of the system- aticerosion of regulatory frameworks previously witnessed in its decisions to dilute the Forests Rights Act, 2006, and EPA 1980, and weaken the National Green Tribunal. These regulatory frameworks and institutions were sup- posed toact asa check on reckless eco- logical exploitation and provide redressal to aggrieved forest dwellers. With 18 lakh objections and recommen- dations to ELA2020—many of them no doubt similar—nowbefore the govern- ‘ment, itis evident that the threat of envi- ronmental degradation and climate ‘change has finally broken free from the stranglehold of jargon and technicalities to strike an emotional chord with the people. Will the Centre respond with sincerity or, as previously witnessed on matters ofits legislative agenda like the abrogation of Article 370 or CAA, brazenitout?Othe. Outlier > PAVAN K VARMA Dyer ee eee ole (e] THE CHANGING FACE OF LORD RAM, | WHO WILL WIN IN BIHAR, AND URDU SHAYARI eer eau = JOIN US ON ~ (ON aie ot hee eee Y August 23", Sunday, 11:00 a.m. canal Lietlepeetaal aa J rat /e Editor, OutlookJUDICIARY Ge LLLLE No reason to apologise, your honour Prashant Bhushan quotes Gandhi to defend freedom to speak his mind Puneet Nicholas Yadav "Tis difficult toexplain what really ‘went on in the Supreme Court,on August 20, asa three-judge bench Jed by Justice Arun Mishraconcluded ‘hearing arguments on the quantum of punishment to be awarded to lawyer ‘Prashant Bhushan, who was held guilty ‘of contempt of court on August 4. After spendingnearly an hour rejecting arguments for deferring pronounce- ment ofasentence pendinga reviewof ‘the conviction, the bench spent the next hour convincing Bhushan on why the court believes it shouldn't doso. Bhushan stood his ground, even telling ‘the court that he will not change his statement rejecting an apology over his “contemptuous” tweets against Chief Justice of India SA. Bobde and on the role ofthe last four chief justices of India inwhat the lawyer had dubbedas “dest- ruction of democracy”. Bhushan told the court: “My tweets are nothing buta small attempt to discharge what Tcon- sidered to be my highest duty...did not tweet ina fit of absent mindedness. It ‘would be insincereand contemptuous ‘on my part to offer an apology for... my bonafidebelict”. Paraphrasingoneof Mahatma Gandhi's quotes, Bhushan added, “Ido not ask for merey. Ido not appeal to ‘magnanimity. Iam here, therefore, to cheerfully submit toany penalty that ‘eanbe lawfully inflicted upon mefor ‘what the Court has determined tobe an offence, and what appears tome tobe the highest duty of acitizen” ‘Bhushan’s statement came shortly after senior advocate Dushyant Dave argued that the sentencing must be put on hold till a review petition in the case is filed and decided. Justice Mishra had, however, rejected putting thesentencingin abeyance. Dave's re- quest for allowinga different bench of theapex court to decide the quantum of punishment was also rejected by the bench on grounds that an impression cannot be allowed to gain ground that there was.an effort to “avoid the beneh. of Justice Mishra”. “It would be insincere and contemptuous on my part to offeran apology...” ‘The arguments by Dave and Bhushan’s counsel, senioradvocate Rajeev Dhavan, on reconsidering the verdict came in the backdrop of a massive show of soli- darity by former judges, lawyersand public intellectuals for the lawyer who has played a stellar role insomeof India’s most notable legal battles over the past two decades. The court has come in for strong criticism over what several former apex court judges, in- cluding Madan Lokur and Kurian Joseph, have dubbed variously as flawed understanding of contempt, the court's proclivity for equating individual judges to the institution ofthe judiciary and beingintolerant of criticism. Despite the barrage of criticism, the court initially looked determined to punish Bhushan without delay. Even Attorney General KK Venugopal urged the judges to not punish Bhushan. The bench categorically told Venugopal that itwas “not inclined” toeven consider his proposal Insistingthat pronouncement ofthe sentences consequential to Bhushan’s conviction, Justice Mishra said the judg- ‘ment “will be complete only when itis totally pronounced," The bench asserted that Bhushan was free to seek review and that “in the event we impose any punishment..itwillnot be activated until the reviews decided” However, the court's steadiastness dissipated after Bhushan made his statement and Dhavan explained why, inhis view, the conviction was based on flawed interpretation of the law of con- tempt. As Dhavan punched holes in the court's verdict, the bench asked Bhushan ithe would reconsider his statement made earlier during the pro- ceedings. Bhushan said this “will bea waste of the court’ time” but Justice Mishra insisted that the court “wants to give you 2-3 days time... think over; you :must think over. We should not give the verdict right away” Since argumentson sentencing have concluded itis likely that thecourt may pronounce the punishment on August 24, The controversy over its decision wil, however, go on longer.\ = Si ]EACHER’S os GLASSES On completing 15 years in Hindi movies, acting in award-winning PRESENTS movies like Paa, The Dirty Picture, Kahaani, Tumhari Sulu and the recent biopic on Shakuntala Devi WITH Outl look In conversation with Episode - 15 @OMe@outlookindia AUGUST 21, FRIDAY, i AT 9:00 PM oat eae wid @outlookmagazine Columnist & Authorai9\')3:5 Ser OF CHAN! The IAS isn't a preserve of the elite any longer. Candidates from the hinterland, often with disadvantaged backgrounds, are laying claim to its hallowed ranks Bhavna Vij-Aurora Upamanyu chatterjee, a1983-batch LAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, is perhaps the quintessential civil servant of the 1980s and 90s—the kind that flourished well into the 21st century. He went to ‘The College’, as Delhi University’s St Stephen’s college is referred to by its alumni, several of whom found their way into the civil services, giving it a tint of elitism. 20 ouncce susieCOVER STORY/WINDS OF CHANGE Chatterjee captured the zeitgeist in his novel English, August through the protagonist Agastya Sen, who after clearing the IAS finds himself posted in Madna, a small town described as “a dot in the hinterland” —a place he can’t relate to and finds hard to decipher. ‘An increasing number of civil servants, including IAS off. cers, are now emerging from these “dots in the hinterland” One such ‘dot’ is Shedgaon village in Jalna district of Maharashtra’s Marathwada region. In 2015, a21-year-old from Shedgaon, Sheikh Ansar Ahmad, became the youngest tocrack the civil services examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Son of an agri- cultural labourer mother and an autorickshaw driver father, Ahimad is currently posted as the sub-divisional officer of another “dot”—Dinhata in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar dis- triet. He is often seen walking around, fully at ease as he int- eracts with people, explaining to them the importance of wearing masks in fluent Bangla. “Learning Bangla was not difficult as it felt like a mixture of Marathi and Hindi to me, insist that people talk to me in the language and [listen intently,” he tells Outlook over the phone from Dinhata. ‘Ahmad doesn’t carry his thrice-marginalised status with sense of victimhood, “As a Muslim belonging to an eco- nomically backward family froma poor district of Maharashtra, Ihave seen all kinds of problems and hard- Not just exclusive schools, “Mussoorie, who refers to aspirants from the hinterland as ‘those living away from the GT Road. “The government re- ‘mains the largest employer in the country. The fact that as- pirants from the interiors are making it to the civil services isa very positive trend. They are not coming from Doon, ‘School and Welham. The trend of diversity will ensure a ‘more inclusive, vibrant and open bureaucracy.” Itisnot just exclusive and elite schools that are falling off the civil services map. Even the representation of higher education institutions like Allahabad University, JNU and Calcutta University has gone down considerably. Former Delhi chief secretary Shailaja Chandra welcomes the trend of increasing number of aspirants from village government schools and district colleges breaching the civil services barrier. “Itis a great moment in the country’s history and ‘ought to be celebrated,” she says, The public service is fin- ally becoming public in the real sense as people from diverse backgrounds and places take the lead "With the steady and desirable trend of more candidates from rural areas, small towns and dispersed institutions. qualifying for the IAS, the earlier charge of social elitism ‘may no longer be valid,” says former UPSC chairman, ‘Deepak Gupta. An alumnus of St Stephen's and a1973-batch 1AS officer, Gupta believes the IASstill retains an elite status within the eivil ser vices, “There must be some- ae exclusives ee See caine leet. | geomngonne |e made up his mind to be- them, even after qualifying cceaacaas, (| civilservicesmap. |) fsirsrstor clearing the state civil ser~ vicesexamination, Ahmad says he loved going to school, asit was the only way toes- cape the all-pervasive negativity around him. His father, Class 1 dropout, nearly withdrew Ahmad from school after Class 4 as he thought it was enough. A teacher dissuaded him, saying Ahmad was an intelligent kid with a bright fu- ture. His family supported him thereon, even selling off their small house in the village to send Ahmad to Pune’s Fergusson College, another hub for future IAS officers. Studying eight to nine hours day, Ahmad made it to the IAS in his first attempt. ‘This year, Pradeep Kumar (see interview),son ofa farmer from Tevadi village in Haryana’s Sonipat district, madeit tothe top of the list among nearly eight lakh candidates. Pratibha ‘Verma, daughter of schoolteacher couple from Sultanpurin Uttar Pradesh, secured the third rank. Yashaswini B, ranked ‘7 hails from Banur village near Chikmagalur in Karnataka and studied ina Kannada medium school tll Class 7. “The market takes care of those who live along the GT Road,” says Sanjeev Chopra, director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in, ‘Yashaswini had cleared the ‘UPSClast year too in her first attempt, but with rank 298, she did not get her service of choice. So she took the exam again and bettered her rank to ‘71 making her eligible for the IAS. For this year’s topper Pradeep Kumar, it was the fourth attempt. Failing the first two attempts, he had made it to the Indian Revenue Service RS) with 260th rank in his third. The lure of [AS made him take the exam again in 2019, propelling him to the top, ‘The IASis till the most significant part in the bureau- cratic architecture of governance. Gupta says it remains the premier service that provides the widest variety of experi- ‘ence possible in any job, notwithstanding the consequent generalist tag, “Several factors make the LAS almost irresist- ible: leadership positions and challenges at the very start of the career and continuing throughout; possibilities to rise to the highest positions in states and the Centre; maximum. ‘opportunity to do public service and contribute to public ‘g00d, and also to make a real difference during the many yearsin the field, and later in the making f policy and imp- Jementation of national programmes,” he adds. ‘According to Gupta, many candidates are not even satis- ust 2020 jounsone 21COVER STORY/WINDS OF CHANGE fied with the Indian Police Service PS), once considered as powerful as the IAS, especially because ofthe overt display of power through the uniform. "Now we find so many IPS probation- erson leave, trying to prepare for the TAS? he says. There also continues tobe aheavy tilttowards some states that produce more civil servants than others. ‘Though the latest break-up of figures for 2019-20 isnot available, the earlier trend shows thatthe largest number of TAS officers come from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bihar. In 2017-18, 17 candidates from Delhi made it to the IAS—surpassing larger states like Bihar (12 candidates), Tamil ‘Nadu (8) and Karnataka (6). ‘Some northern states still havea feudal culture. In avillage or small town, powerstill means the collector, ‘whom everyone salutes, so clearing the IAS is like becoming the kingpin of the ‘biradar'” says Shailaja Chandra Pointing out thata rural agricultural background doesn't necessarily mean being poor, Gupta adds: “Many come from rural landed families. For them, itis about the status, power and prestige” While diversity among those makingit tothe civil services isaweleome trend, it takes more to make the system truly inclusive. “There remains an innate prejudice against can- didates who aren't English speakers,” says a retired bureau- rat, who served on UPSC's interview panel for five years. ‘He cites an example of a woman candidate from a border village in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, "She was the daughter of ‘two beggars and studied in the local government school. ‘Seeing her aptitude, a teacher recommended her for admis- sion toa Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, She wasbrilliant in her interview. She put all of us to shame with her knowledge and pc It’s just that she was not fluent in English, with Hindi boing her preferred language of communication. While Iwasin favour of her makingitto the IASand awarded her high marks, the chairman ofthe panel, an TPS ndian Foreign Service) officer, didnot find her ‘officer ma- terial. Largued in her favouras I believed she would make sn outstanding officer, but the chairman asked me not to ‘worry, saying she would probably make it to the IRS” The panel member claims he does not know the final out- come of her interview, which accounts for 275 marks out of the total 2.025 He says the entire experience ofthe inter- view can be intimidating for anyone, more so for a person coming from asmall village. "Just walking into the imposing Dholpur House (the UPSC building) with formidable liver- {ed guards manning the premises can eave anyone over- awed," he says. The RSS has been urging the government to do away with the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), and to replace the 22 cuniooe ausust I, 200 Ceca Even now, there is an innate bias against selecting non-English speaking candidates for the IAS. interview with a psychological test: The organisation be- lieves the CSAT puts to disadvantage those who take their exam in Hindi. The aptitude test was introduced in 2011 to test a candidate's comprehension, communication and deci- sion-making skills. Devendra Singh, national convener (competitive exams) for tho RSS-afiiated Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas,says the UPSC exams must provide equal opportunity to people ofall beclagrounds without any disrimination, “Ninety percent af those who qualify the CSAT are from English medium back- ground andit is discriminatory in nature. he adds However, the ministry of personnel claims that acandi- date needs to secure only 33 percent marks in the CSAT and itis only a qualifying exam for the next level, which is the interview. As per the latest 2019 figures, of the 226 civil servants who attended the Foundation Course at LBSNAA. just eight had taken their exam in Hindi, with 315 opting for English. In 2018 too of the 270 trainees at LBSNAA. eight had taken Hindi, with 357 taking the exam in English. ‘The UPSC results announced earlier this month also show the continuing under-representation of Mustims in the civil services. Only 42—about five per cent—of the 829 candidates ‘who made it are Muslims, while the community comprisesCOVER STORY/WINDS OF CHANGE about 15 per cent of India’s population. Only one made it to ‘the top 100 Safna Nazarudeen from Kerala, with 45th rank. ‘The ministry of personnel official claims itis difficult toens- ‘ure equal representation of all marginalised sections. “Seats are already reserved for SCs, STs, OBCs, economically back- ward sections and physically handicapped. There are relaxa- tions in terms of age and number of attempts for them. We try to make the services as inclusive as possible, but seats cannot be reserved on grounds of religion,” he adds. Public policy expert Rajendra Pratap Gupta, who has been, rooting for reforms in the bureaucracy, strikes a note of cau- tion on the culture of entitlement in the civil services. “Whether you come from St Stephen's ora remote village in Munger, it doesn’t matter much after a few years,” he says. "One unwittingly becomes a part of the system when a junior, even twice the age, addresses the officer as sir or madam. The culture is deeply embedded in authority, hier- archy and entitlement. I am not very optimistic if the trend of people coming from the hinterland into the civil service will change the insensitive system called bureaucracy.” ‘While the Modi administration is trying to bring changes through steps like “lateral entry” of domain experts, he says iteannot be limited to that. “Till we have the option of lat- eral exit' for non-performance, nothing changes,” he adds. EXCEPT JHOLAWALLAHS With the highest strike rate, RSS-linked Samkalp has former students everywhere ‘an institute closely linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), hhas been training and guiding IAS aspir- ‘ants for nearly three decades with an ‘enviable success rate. While other institutes take aut boastful ‘advertisements speciled with mugshots ofits successful candi- ates, Samkalp keeps a low-profile; ithas never advertised its achievements, Running out of a nondescript centre at Udaseen Ashram in ‘eines Pahargan area, Samkaip’s Interview Guidance Programme (GP) has become a sought after course over the years. Not only ‘are tuition fees more reasonable than most other coaching insti- SAMKALP the services Inthe marking scheme of the examinations, hough, the final nt- ‘erview accounts for only 275 out of a total 2025 marks (1,750 are for ‘all papers inthe final examinations). However, it makes the vital df= ference tothe ranking. The interview mainly evaluates a candidate's personality and her ability tohandle stress and ificut situations. Joint general secretary of RSS Krishna Gopal has been adcvessing ‘successful candidates atthe felcitation function held after decla- rations of results every year since 2016, the batch that included “Tina Dabi and Attar Amit, ranking Ist and 2nd, "Yes, he comes every ‘year but as an educationist, not as.@ RSS functionary” Las quick toad. He says several retired bureaucrats are assaciated withthe institute and are part of the panel that coaches the candidates. In action to bureaucrats, the institute has on ts st of mentors ‘Krishna Gopal, RSS leades Macian Das Devi industrialist 1P. Agarwal, {ites is envabiysuocestutoo, ander goverorsogrohan end Sonal head-office and tee branches Walton are in Det they have chapter in other it- Veh Soe ‘Set-up in 1986, Samkaps founding members ies end meter towns etsang Chancgar, rained civil ince Fear Satoh Tanja aioe Ea cele aa ead ar Kn, oor Jap, il, Up wth te rentonofaneforrang the bu Luchisna and Vadodara to cater to an in- the RSS hopes fora couciacy, which was filo rdawalas, 03 creasing number of aspirants. While the in- bureaucracy with moc socially committed nd national ins- stitute and its branches offer caaching for prelims and main examinations it calculates Its success rate based on the final interview. (On an average, 80 per cent of candidates who make it tothe IAS have received coaching forthe crucial final leg of the exami- nation at the IGP. “Of the 828 total vacancies in the IAS, 480 hhave taken Samkalp’s interview programme this year. Among the top 10 candidates at the all-india level, ranks 2.3.6.9 and 10 were ‘coached here, And so were those ranked Il, 12 and 16," says Kanhaiya Lal, the organising secretary of Samkalp. Giving more deals, he says 19 of the top 30 and 66 out of top 100 took ‘coaching for the interview with them. Success rate at the IGP was 61.3 per cent last year; in 2018 it was 65.5 percent. true Indian values. Pired one” says a Sangh functionary, adding that they have siways supported the institute. ‘ith each state and cadre having civil servants who owe their success to Samkalp, the RSS hopes that, in the next 10 years, they will have a bureaucracy that will genu- inely contribute to nation-building with true Incian values. Lal says that Samkalp has helped aspirants from the disad- ‘vantaged and economically weaker sections to jin the civil ser- vvices-its fee structure isthe lowest. They even have a ‘scholarship programme which offers free training. “This ls the ‘only way to ensure the participation of milions of indians in the ‘developmental process ofthe nation. is time that the civil ser- vices were not limited to elites or those from INU," he adds. august 31,2020 cuniooe 23COVER STORY/TRAILBLAZERS ‘Ajay Sukumaran in Bangalore Giving Up Code Gave up Infosys job to serve the country Pe Ach b Ltr e Gt Karmataka FOR 25:Darshana Kumar, the decision toquita vell-paying job at Infosys wasn’t an easy one, — given the odds against clearing civil services, entrance. He'd been working for six years, in- Yashaswini B CTLsCOVER STORY/TRAILBLAZERS Riemer REO A journey from a north Kashmir village to the IAS without newspapers, computers or the internet Naseer Ganai in Srinagar WHEN Stowestshmaa rary 35, an ational excise and taxation commissioner posted in Punjab, decided to prepare for the civil services, he did not have any lofty aims in mind. “Thad no desire to become an TAS officer. AllT wanted was a job,” he says. There were few alternatives for Parray in rural Jammu and Kashmir. “When [realised that ‘openings in veterinary science could be a long time coming, 1 considered the civil services as acareer option,” he says ‘Born in Viair village of north Kashmir in alower-mid- dle-class family, Parrey studied ata village school. Later, he enrolled at high school at Nowpora village, some three kilo- ‘metres from his native place. Parray used to cover the distance ‘on foot daily. After passing the higher secondary part IL exams he enrolled fora Bachelor of Veterinary Science course. He completed the degree in 2009. “Istarted preparing forthe civil services at home. [had little exposure. Until then, my only foray into the world outside was school trip to Delhi after my Class 9 exam. [had collected some eight to 10 general-interest magazines and their con- tents were ll I knew of currentaffairs. Those days, Iwas at home. Thad no access to the internet and computer. T didn’t even have newspapers, let alone a mobile phone. Still, Iman- aged to crack the exam." In2010, despite the obstacles, Parray {qualified the UPSC examination and ranked 256. His father ‘was alineman in the power development department, a fourth-class employee, at that time. “Tn my second attempt, T got the 41st rank. Itwas fine—everyone cannot bea topper.” Unlike many candidates, however, Parray insists that coach- ing would not have made a difference to his results. “If took coaching, Lwould have ended up wasting six to eighthours every day. Tbelieve many other candidates—ahout 30 to 40 per cent who qualify for the exam—do so without any coach- ing. The need for tuitions depends from individual to individ- ual. There isno rule that you can qualify the exams only ifyou take coaching," he explains. array claims that most people who succeed in the exams are from middle-and lower-middle-class backgrounds. “Whatever your background, ifyou have the capability, think you will beable tomake it. Your financial background doesn’t ‘matter, he says. “Over time, Irealised that candidates from rural areas don’t have many options,” he adds. “And when they see that many people from underprivileged regions are suc- ceeding at the civil services, it motivates them. They think that iffothers.can do it, they too can” urconeinois cow sususr 2000 joun.eoe 25COVER STORY/TRAILBLAZERS GC. Shekhar in Chennai Undeterred By Darkness Lost eyesight at the age of five but this Tamil Nadu girl never stopped dreaming FOR Pern: Sunthar the day would aiways begin with her parents reading out the newspapers to her. And ast week the news was all about her—as the first visually challenged candidate from Tamil Nadu to have successfully cleared the 2019 UPSCexam, Havinglost her eyesight at the tender age of five, Sunthati, named after the family deity, has never let blindness come in the way of studying well and scoringhigh marks in school exams. “It was during middle school that I decided to become an IAS officer after reading about the selfless serviee of district collectors during the 2004 tsunami. may not be able to do ae- tive field work like them, but hope to help formulate policies, that would really help the people and make sure they get im- plemented,” says Sunthari, 25, who hails from a middle-class family in Madurai. Having done her entire schooling in Tamil medium she opted to write the UPSC main exam in Tamil and also chose Tamilliterature as her optional subject. “Whatever my mother Avudaidevi had read out from Tamil classics and history came back to meas I phinged into the optional, paper,” she recalled. Having attempted this competitive exam thrice before, and failing only at the interview stage the last time, Sunthari was confident that she would be able to crack it this time. She overcame her handicap by using technology like Non. 26 ouroorjaususr 1 2000 M. Purana Sunthari, 25 Tamil Nadu Graduation: English literature Present Job: Clerk in Tamil Nadu Grama Bank, Madurai Language for UPSC Main: Tamil Optional Subject: Tamil terature Rank: 226 Hobby: Music and quiz ‘Visual Desktop Access speech software that would convert any written material into audio, and she would jot down notes onherlaptop with the help of her batch mates atthe All India Civil Services Coaching Centre, a state-run centre to train TAS aspirants. “In fact, each of them took over one subject, helping ‘me with notes and research material. lowe it to themsand my parents forachieving this dream,” she says. Her father Murugesan, a salesman, says the family never saw herlackof eyesight as ahandicap, “It made us determined to helpherachieve her dream," he suid. ‘At the interview, Sunthari was askedifbanks were justified inemploying privateagents for loan recovery. She replied that such agents should only be the last resort. “Since the banks hhad done the due diligence before handing out the loans, itis theirduty to directly interact with the borrowers. The manag- ers should own responsibility for the recovery, told the inter- viewers,” she recalls Sunthari (rank 286) and Jayanth (145) from Maharashtra are the only visually handicapped candidates of 2019 and ‘would be given their home state or its neighbouring state. Asan IAS officer, Sunthari wants to contribute towards ed- ucation, healthcare and women’s welfare. “Are not all three interlinked”? Only healthy mothers can give birth to healthy babies, who, in turn, ean achieve something only through education,” she reasons,COVER STORY/" GC. Shekharin Chennai Farmer to the Iron Frame Student from small village overcame language barrier to crack the tough exams SEEING — igcontéenceand command with which 'S.Abhinaya talksin English, one would place her as acity-bred girl. But this farmer's daughter, hailing from the small village of K. Paramathi near Karur town in central Tamil Nadu, has just proved that English is not some insurmounta- ble obstacle, but only a tool that needs to be employed deftly toopen doors, In fact, Abhinaya’s entire schooling was in Tamil medium. “I studied in a government school till Class 10, and then moved toaprivate school, but did not change to English medium. I picked up English along the way by reading newspapers and ‘watching television and TedX talks,” says Abhinaya, 27. Her four previous attempts toclear the UPSC exam did little to, dissuade her from attempting again in 2019. This time she se- cured anall-India rank of 599. “Most likely I will be posted as. ‘an income tax officer, but figuringin the all-Indialistis an achievement by itself,” says this slim girl who works as an agri- cultural officer in the backward district of Ramanathapuram. ‘After passing her BSc (Agriculture), she cleared the state pub- lic service commission exam that got her the job last year, ‘even while preparing for UPSC. “Anyone else would have settled down for the state govern- ment job, but [refused to give up as it was always my goal to become an AS officer. Agriculture, education and gender equality would be the three subjects close tomy heart, what- everbe the role Tdon in my career,” she says. During the inter- view, she was asked what she would do ifshe were posted as, tourism secretary. “Havingseen how the bustling pilgrimage centre Rameswaram lacked even basic amenities, [said T ‘would bring about holistic development of major tourism centres and involve the local population so that it becomes, ‘constant source of livelihood for them. Iftourism thrived, the Graduation: 8S¢ (Agriculture) Present Job: State Agriculture Officer at Paramakuci, TN Language for UPSC Main: Fniclish Optional Subject: Political Science Rank: 599 Hobby: Books, music, Ted- talks and public speaking fishermen of the temple town could do with afallbackincome aswell?’ Abhinaya recalls. ‘She was also asked about the controversy over Rajinikanth’s remarks on Periyar and his followers garlandingan idol of ‘Ram with slippers in 1971, as the star's observation had be- ‘come a burning topic in Tamil Nadu in January 2019. “Without getting caught in the nitty-gritty, I merely said with- ‘out batting an eyelid that whatever one’s views, the religious feelings of others should not be hurt,” says Abhinaya and breaks into a laugh. Her confidencehad carried the day:COVER STORY/TRAILBLAZERS High on Confidence Himachal prodigy pursues childhood dream of becoming an IAS officer Ashwani Sharma in Shira did not allowherself any other option. “IiI do ajob, it has tobe as acivil servant. Nothing less than an IAS of- told herself when I was still in school,” recalls Muskan Jindal, asmall- town girl from Himachal Pradesh who achieved the 87th rank in the UPSC exam. “I was sure I will erack UPSC. ‘That it's going to happen asearly as at the age of 22 and in my first attempt— this only god knew. Ijust followed my childhood dream.” Born ina modest business family at ‘Baddi in Himachal Pradesh’s industrial belt, Muskan proudly declares that be hind her success are “two gentlemen— my 72-year-old grandfather Sadhu Ram Jindal and my father Pawan Jindal”. “If someone asks me to name my role ‘model, there is no third name,” she adds. ‘Having lived in a joint family, she says: “Anyone can comeand take alesson on how happily the children—total nine in ‘our family—live their dreams. The joint family system taught me values, which are going to guide me in discharging my duties impartially asa civil servant.” ‘What adds to her credit, Muskan says, is that she achieved the feat simply through self-study with a focussed ap- proach and a resolve as strong as climbing the Mount Everest in the first go. “I didn’tagree with my peers about the benefits of long hours of studies. It’s all about quality time. Seven to eight hours and repeated revisions are enough,” she says. “And, yes, one needs to be positive ‘throughout the preparations. Eating a balanced diet and daily exercise or meditation can be a bonus. Coaching can help just 15 to 20 per cent; the rest depends on self-study.” ‘Asecond girl child in the family among four siblings, ‘Muskan did her early schooling at VR. Senior Secondary. ‘School, Baddi, She scored 10 cumulative grade points in Class 10 and 96 per cent marks in the Class 12 exams. Then she did BCom (Hons) from SD. College, Chandigarh (@anjab University) and attained fifth rank. “As still hada year to become eligible for the UPSC exam, I used the time to begin my preparations,” she recalls Feelinghappy at his daughter's success, Pawan Jindal 2 curooe ausust 2), 2: Muskan Jindal, 22 pinevarbac tes isa business family, but I was the one who put this novel idea of becoming an IAS officer in her mind right during her school days. She was prompt to grab it. Her ranking in academics and focus on studies gave aclear sense that it was going to happen one day.” ‘So hav does she see herself asan IAS officer? “There are certain key areas where I want to create my own mark. These include eradicating child labour, which I see asa big menace in 21th-century India. [have seen it while living in the indus trial belt. ts root cause is poverty. Women empowerment is onlya subject of TV debates and seminars, anda lot needs to bedone. Girls are still vulnerable to sexual crimes, harass- ‘ment and victimisation. Even the most educated girl can’t, walkalone freely. This needs a change of mindset in society first, Attaining self-esteem for myself as an IAS officer and nation-building will be my goals,” Muskan winds up withan optimistic note as her mother Jyoti Jindal, ahomemaker, embraces her at this solemn resolve to work for the poor.COVER STORY/" ZERS Practice of a Supermo She balanced housework, parental duty and an intense study regimen. Then, she struck gold Harish Manav in Chandigazh AN[ Kutstidabiva ried sccondin the uPsCem- minations in 2017 and was the topper among ‘women, Anu comes from the rural area of Sonipat in Haryana. She dreamt of becoming an AS officer, and started preparing in earnest for the UPSC civil services examination ten years after completing her ‘graduation, She started her career with a private life insur- ‘ance company, where she worked for nine years. In 2016, Anu quit her job to prepare for the exam. ‘Anu got her fabulous result in her second attempt, when ‘she was SI; she fell short by afew marks from qualifying in her preliminary examination in 2016, Mother of a four- year-old son, not only had she to shoulder all the responsi- bilities that come with being a mother and a housewife, but all that work could not keep her from 8-10 hours of intense preparation every day. Her husband Varun Dahiya isa ‘small businessman. Far from enrolling in expensive coaching institutes that push concentrated cramming down the throat of aspirants, Anu depended solely on content available online for the ‘UPSC exam preparation. “There was no newspaperin the Anu Kumari Dahiya, 33 Haryana Education: 8 Sc (Physics), MBA (/MT) ‘Work Experience: 3 years in a private insurance company Home Town: Sonipat (Haryana) Rank: 2 Optional Subject: Sociology State Cadre Alotted: Kerala village where I was preparing for my exams. A strong will is necessary to achieve somethingiin life and if yauare able to do that, nothing ean stop you from being successful,” she says. But then, behind her goingit alone was the confidence she drew from beinga bright student all along: for her grad- uation, Anu tooka degree in Physies from Delhi University; an MBA diploma in finance and marketing from IMT ‘Nagpur followed. ‘The 33-year old IAS officer of the 2018 batch won the best trainee award at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, and the President of India gold medal and certificate is atreasured possession. Anu says that the two-year trainingat the LBSNAAis a reward for the enormous amount of hard ‘work she put in, and for the support that she got from her family, especially from her 7-year-old son, Riyan. By next, month, she is likely to join her field duty in Kerala, thestate cadre allotted to her. sususr 2000 joun.ece 29COVER STORY/RETURNEES Babu Got Back What is prompting civil servants to quit one of the most coveted professions in India? Preetha Nair “T has been afulfling year for Tires teri on than afterhe quit last August. bureaucratof the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre, Gopinathan'sresigna- tion raised eyebrowsas he ascribed his decision to the imposition of restrictions in Jammuand Kashmir after the Centre abolished Article 370. ‘The government's uneasiness grew when aspate of resignations followed Gopinathan’s exit. InSeptember 2019, 1AS officer S.Sasikanth Senthil said that, itwas “unethical” to continue when the “fundamental buildingblocks of our di- verse democracy are beingcompro- mised”. The same week, AGMUT-cadre officer Kashish Mittal, who was posted inthe NITI Aayog resigned after he was transferred to Arunachal Pradesh. ‘While civilservants leaving the profes- sion for better avenues is not unusual, the resignation of two officers over ‘na- tional issues’ has once again turned the spotlight on the politicisation of the civil services and the immediate need for re- formsin thesector. Gopinathan, a 2012-batch officer says he faced immense politieal pressure to jail people with a political ideology dif- ferent from that ofthe ruling dispensa- tion. “The government even wanted to invoke the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) to harass peo- ple."he says. “Phe bureaucracy doesn't have an independent mind, Bureau- rats are like chefs. Whatever the cus- tomer orders, they provide. That's ‘what the current dispensation is doing with the bureaucracy. It’slikea sub-system existing to servea larger political or social system.” The past year has been gratifying for the former civil servant and he does not intend to return to the service. 3.0 aur.eceyaususr 3, 22 Kannan Gopinathan, a 2012-batch officer, says he faced political pressure to jail people with a political ideology different from that of the ruling party. “We saw massive people's movements across the country against the CAA- NRC-NPR. I left the service to fight for the values of the country. Ihave trav- elled across 19 states and I am glad that young people are asserting their right to democracy and dissent,” he says. Gopinathan does not get bogged down by the government's response or ques- tions regarding the outeome of the movement. He believes that history cannot be written in six months or a year, that itwill be a longhaul. Senthil, the 2009-batch Karnataka- cadre TAS officer, also does not regret his decision. Though he didn’t face political meddling in his job, Senthil felt restricted by the ‘conduct rules’, ‘which do not permit acivil servant to ‘express dissent. He says that he cannot besilent when the county is facing acrisis. Senthil is now engaged in grassroots activism. “It'san ideological fight. We have tobe prepared for the difficult daysahead. In the coming days, Imight be jailed. The ‘way out is toresist and sensitise people. Fascism has gripped the country and we have toact fast. A great people's move- ‘ment happened in December, but itCOVER STORY/RETURNEES halted because of the pandemic. Inmy 40 years, [haven't witnessed such a movement.” he says. Some civil servants admit to Outlook that the three resignations indicate arot inthe system, which needs to be recti- fied. They point out the examples of of- ficers like Harsh Mander, who quit after denouncing the government's alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots Regardless, the Union civil services con- ‘tinue to be the top choice for aspirants. ‘More thana million graduates register for theexaminations every year. Retired IPS officer NC. Asthana says that the civil services are feudal and need tobe disbanded. “Iappreciatethe ideal- ismof the IAS officers, but these are iso- lated cases. Thousands of aspirants are till toiling to get into the service. It’s the combination of prestige, recognition and. the power that lures Indians to this pro- fession. Not many join with idealistic tentions. [tis dificult to bringin changes ‘asa part of the system,” he says. ‘While many leave the service totakea plunge in politics, bureaucrat-turned politician Shah Faesal quitting polities sets abad example, says Asthana. “It showshe lacked conviction,” he explains. Inthe second week of August, Faesal stepped down as president Jammu & ‘Kashmir People’s Movement, the party hehad launched in March 2019, “Thave quit politics because I don’t want to give false hope. Rather than telling people two decades later that look, I can’tdo it, Tamdoingit now: Idon't think I can ever ‘come back to this field,” he said, In 2010, Faesal, an MBBS doctor, became the first Kashmirito top the civil services exam, He quit the service in January 2010 after serving for nine ‘years. After the revocation of Article 370, Paesal had expressed his resentment against the move, He was arrested on. August 14, 2019, a the Delhi interna tional aixport and was putin preventive custody. In mid-February 2020, the Public Safety Act wasimposed on him. He was released in June and put under hhouse arrest. Gopinathan says the system failed Faesal, “Thonour his decision. Faesal thought that he could farebetter in the political space. Again, he was showing trust in India's political system. We should have welcomed this move. Wear- rested him and put him in jail fora year like acriminal," he says. Gopinathan feels the government re- taliates against those who exited by harassing them. While there are two FIRs against him, Senthil says that he gets indirect threats andis being stopped from participating in public ‘meetings. An FIR was filed against Gopinathan in April for not reporting to duty,as directed by the government during the pandemic, “Twas asked to rejoin duty in April. Strangely, senior officers who were drawing salaries were c ows Foundation, through which he is foster- ingpeople'sparticipation in na- tion-building. He hopes to join Tamil Nadu polities soon, ‘Annamalai believes that power isa burden. “I don’t have any regrets,"he adds. “Before taking the plunge into pol- itics, I want to workcat the grassroots level and bring change. Youneed not quit in anger. You can quit looking at the bigger possibility, without taking a stand against the government.” ‘Annamalai feels that the Indian civil service needs immediate reformsand that it should emulate the US civil ser- iF Those who quit (From left) K Annamalai, Shah Feesal and Sasikanth Senthil. Resignations by officers over ‘national issues' have turned the spotlight on 'politicisation' of the civil services and the need for reforms. not asked to join, buta person who had already resigned was asked to." he says While the government's rulesstate that resignations of members from the ser- vice should be accepted, the resignations ‘of Gopinathan and Senthil are yet to be accepted. However, K. Annamalai, who quit as deputy commissioner of police Gengaluru South) in May last year, didn't have to wait forlong, The 2011- batch officer, lnownas the ‘Singham of ‘Karnataka, says thathe quit the police to pursue “public service”. Hisresignation hasbeen accepted. The 34- year-old has setupan NGO, We The Leaders vicesystem.“Even after 74 yearsofinde- pendence, the civil services continue to be the same because new energy isnot cominginto the system. Like inthe US, officers should be allowed to work for private companies for five years. Lateral entryisa welcome step,” he says. Despite the flaws, Senthil believes that civil services are the best option for youngpeople tocontribute tona- tion-building. He, however, has advice for aspirants: “We have to understand that ourallegiance isto the Constitution. If this understandingiis there, we will do agreat job”. sucust 2020 ountone 31COVER STORY/ INTERVIEW ‘Sukhbir Singh Malik, a Haryana farmer, was work- ing in his fields on August 4, when his son Pradeep Singh called to tell him that he had cleared the civil services ex- aminations. “So you have become an IAS, but did you make it to the list of top 100 candidates,” Malik asked. “Top hundred? Tam on the top, at No. 1.” Inan exclusive interview to Harish Manav, Pradeep, 29, speaks about his journey. Excerpt Did you ever believe that you would be a topper? Frankly, [had expected tobe among the top 100, but not No.1. [could not believe it when I sawmy name and roll, number on the list of suc- cessful candidates, My father left his work unfinished in the fields, came home and hugged me. People kept coming home all through the day tocongratulate me. My entire family could not sleep that night because ofan overwhelming sense of happiness. Tell us about your educa- tional background? Istudied till Class 5 ata private school in my village. Ipassed my Class 12 board examination from Sonipat. ‘Thereafter, I did my BTech in computer science from Deenbandhu Chhoturam. University for Science and ‘Technology. You had cleared the Staff Selection Commis: \C) examination earlier. What was your four-year- long journey like? After getting my BTech de- gree in 2012, Icleared the SSC examination and ‘worked as an income tax in- spector for four years. I was the first person in my fam- 22 ouncce ausue ‘A farmer's son making it to the Loy ae Cita hy LoY-B eV ivte lolol hh a ily to be in government ser- vice, so T did not want to take any risk by leaving that job to prepare for the eivil services, Apart from the ag ricultural income from the eight acres of land owned by my father, my family had no other source of liveli- hood. In 2016, I appeared in the UPSCexamination while working with the in- come tax department, but could not even clear the prelims, When I could not doit in my second consecu- tive attempt the next year, I seemed to have lost all hope. I thought it would be difficult for me to clear the examination while doing my job alongside. But after the success of Anu Dahiya, ahousewife and mother of a four-year-old kid from Sonipat, who bagged the second position in the UPSC examination in 2017, my family boosted my mo- "Civil services aspirants should keep working hard. If they do it with a sense of self- belief, nothing can keep them away from succes: rale. Thereafter, I appeared ‘again and cracked the ex- ‘amination in my third at- ‘tempt. With determination, hard work and self-confi- dence I got the top rank. How many hours did you devote to studies daily? Thave never prepared any time-table as such. [just studied without having any fixed schedule. For four years, [tried to improve my ‘writing skills ‘Was there specific question during your viva-voce that made you feel at ease? “There was one question that made me feel proud of being a farmer's son, During my half-an-hour- Jong interaction, I was asked if income of farmers ‘would be doubled by 2022. Lreplied thatiit looks diffi- cult, butitwas possible if farmers are allowed to sell ‘their produce anywhere and get more than the min- imum support price. Did you join any coaching institute? No, I didn't. Tmade my own. notes at home on my optional subject and gen- eral studies. For current affairs, alot of materials are available online these day: Repeated practice helpe me improve my creative writing skills. You have become an aver night celebrity with your success, How does it feel? A farmer's son making it to the top position in the UPSC examination is obvi ously being talked about, now. On the day of the re- sults, the number of my fol lowers on Twitter exceeded 10.000 in just one day. FRead the fll text ofthe interview ‘wrmeutoakinl om