An evening in Jia Sarai. One small room on the roof. Humidity at its maximum. A group of three people sitting in a circle with one smoking deeply. Room is heavily stuffed with books in all corners as well as good number of CDs in one corner. Ghazal is playing on a CD player.
The host had just cleared a state public sevices examination and was allocated minority welfare department. His guest had cleared Providend fund commissioners’ examination and was posted in Delhi. And the last one had quit a public sector job to prepare for the civil services examination.
The host had just cleared a state public sevices examination and was allocated minority welfare department. His guest had cleared Providend fund commissioners’ examination and was posted in Delhi. And the last one had quit a public sector job to prepare for the civil services examination.
Host ( now in IPS ) was curious to know whether money will come to him in sacks or briefcases in his new job. Few moments back, his father had called him up and had given his sane advises. As per his father, he should work very honestly and diligently for the first three months and afterwards he could think of making fast bucks. But, the son was not convinced. He did not understand the reason why he should let go three months’ easy money.
The providend commissioner shared his insight with the host. He said, “we at providend fund department earn money by harassing people and that we do by sitting on their files. Now with the computerisation every file can be tracked and with the Right to Information Act people can demand to know why their files are not being acted upon. At the level of centre it’s happening and it will also happen at the state level soon. So, don’t think that you can now earn fast bucks so easily.” Sharp and clear lines appeared on the forheadof the host.
The host had the final shot at the commissioner, “ Haan Saahab,why should you bother about money. You already have got Rs.60 Lacs in cash, a Kothi in South Delhi and one Honda City Car. Why should you bother.” Commissioner had had a broad smile and took a counter shot, “maleek you are still in the race of IAS.We will see how much you take.”
The commissioner got married at a South Delhi farm house where the Honda City Car was parked properly decorated. One cabinet minister also dropped in and blessed the couple though the minister in no way was even remotely related to the bridegroom.
People stashed with lots of money chase the men who qualify the civil services examination. As most of these young people come from the middle class, the power of money seems irresistible. Two years back one who ranked in the top ten was chased by many monetarily rich and eventually he fell for Rs50 Lacs,a flat in Delhi and a Car of his choice.
A research scholar in JNUwas going around with a co-student in JNU for at least four years. They were complemented for the pair that they made by their friends. The research scholar qualified a state civil service exam with a very good rank that ensured him the post of Deputy Suprintendentof Police. The High of their romance was rocked by his success as many bureaucrats, businessmen and politicians started chasing his parents. The girl’s parents also pooled in their resources and tried to compete with others but they could not match Rs.25 Lacs and other goodies that a top bureaucrat offered. The long time companion was left in the lurch.
Once there was a discussion going on in a room where the civil services aspirants shared their thoughts on new bureaucrats falling for the lure of money. One of them shared the story of his friend who was ranked among the top in the civil services exam and got into IAS.As is the pattern lots of people chased his parent including a top bureaucrat holding very high post in one of the Sate administration. Father of the young IAS officer could not resist the offer and went ahead with the marriage. Elders of the family saw the girl but did not engage her in any sort of talk. The boy never met her before the marriage. The script went deeply wrong as the girl turned out to be totally immature provoking those who had chance to visit their home to call her mentally challenged. Too late to do anything for the boy but to live with her.
Civil Services probationers have an interesting experience to share. When they reach Mussourrie for their training where for the first six months all the selected candidates of civil services undergo training and the IAS probationers undergo training for two years, the boys come across an unusual competition. The boys who get the cadre of Noth-East or some other state that they don’t like focus on girls with the cadre of their choice. This is because after the marriage the couple can be posted in one state and mostly in the girls’ cadre. Apart from this as the sex ratio is always adverse for the female, they compete for the suitable boys among the probationers.
Finding a suitable boy for female IAS or IPS officers has been found to be a nightmare for their parents. And for this reason, the Lal BahadurShastriAcademy has the record of being a centre for grooming relationships that lead to marriage. A good thing about this is that it acts as a cross cultural bridge where a boy from Kerala marries a girl from North-East or a Punjabi boy marrying a South Indian girl, its all happening there.And the cool and romantic weather of a hill station that Mussorrie has just spurs the warming of hearts.
Civil Services still attract some who stand by their words and remain unaffactedby the swarming vices always eager to catch them. An Indian Revenue services recruit stand tall among those who fall for the lure of money and power of connections with top bureaucrats. Hailing from a very poor background, he has the humility to credit his education and success to the Rajasthan government’s scholarships. His father had given his word to his friend to marry him to his daughter when he was a kid. After clearing the civil services examination, he too was chased by many as has been the case. But his father and he too kept the word given and married the same girl. A story that can be termed of the rare species who keep their words.
The parents’ dream of marrying an IAS or an IPS lead them sometime to the net of the frauds. As are some of the cases in Bihar, where people have been trapped by the cunning people who claim to have cleared the examination and got married with all the goodies with the daughters of unsuspecting parents. When they come to know of the truth, they find themselves with no options but to continue with the relations. Bihar also reports of many instances where the parents bet at the potential of the boys who just might have cleared the preliminary test or the mains’ examination and get their daughters married with hefty dowry. In rare cases, their bold decisions do turn out to be right but in most cases it’s otherwise.
It’s said that a person changes dramatically with one sight spanning few seconds at the result either on the UPSCweb site or the result pasted on the wall of the UPSCbuilding or by taking a call from someone who breaks the news on the phone. The change unfortunately seems to be unfavourable for the governance whose steel frame the constitute of. Can those who change with one incident in their lives respect the exhortation of the Prime Minister who exhorted them recently to set examples through their conducts for good governance.
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