Introduction

The article published in the editorial section of The Hindu Newspaper talks about a recent parliamentary address where Rahul Gandhi criticized the absence of SC/ST officers in framing India’s 2024 Budget, highlighting the underrepresentation of marginalized groups in key government roles. The article attributes this to upper-caste dominance and the late entry of SC/ST officers into civil services. It suggests fixed tenures to improve diversity in senior government positions.

Article Explanation

In July 2024, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, highlighted the issue of underrepresentation in India’s 2024 Budget, which included only one officer from the minority community and one from the Other Backward Classes (OBC). This lack of representation highlights an imbalance in the policymaking process, as policies might be skewed or out of touch with the needs of the disadvantaged if the very people who experience economic hardships aren’t part of the decision-making.

The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, responded by pointing out shortcomings within the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, which are linked to the Gandhi family. This type of exchange is common in politics where politicians sometimes engage in “political tit-for-tat”—an exchange of accusations to score points instead of addressing the real issue.

The article then dives deeper into the core problem of underrepresentation in civil services. In India, the civil service is made up of government officers who hold key decision-making roles in various departments. These are the people who implement and often shape government policies. Out of 322 senior officers, only 16 belonged to SC groups, 13 to ST groups, 39 to OBC groups, and a large majority, 254 officers, were from the general category. This underrepresentation at the highest levels of the bureaucracy means that their perspectives and needs might be overlooked when important policies are being crafted, such as the national budget.

A major reason why SC, ST, and OBC officers are not adequately represented at senior levels of government has to do with the rules around civil service exams and promotions. SC/ST candidates are allowed more flexibility, with the exam being taken until they are 37 years old and have unlimited attempts. OBC candidates have an upper age limit of 35 years and can take the exam up to nine times, while persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) can attempt until 42 years old.

A proposed solution to this problem is fixed tenure for civil service officers. Instead of retiring people based on age, the idea is to let them serve a fixed number of years in the civil service, regardless of when they joined. For example, if every officer is guaranteed a career of 35 years, then SC/ST officers who join later will still have time to reach the top levels of government before retirement. This proposal would ensure that SC/ST, OBC, and other marginalized groups have equal chances of holding senior positions in the government and contributing to greater social justice in civil services.

In conclusion, if Rahul Gandhi is genuinely concerned about improving the representation of marginalized communities in the government, he should push for the formation of a committee that includes SC/ST, OBC, and PwBD members. This committee could evaluate new ideas like fixed tenures to ensure that civil service careers are more equitable and that policies reflect the needs of all segments of society. This way, we can work toward a more inclusive and fair system where everyone’s voices are heard, particularly in crucial decisions like the national budget.

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The Editorial Page of The Hindu is an essential reading for all the students aspiring for UPSC, SSC, PCS, Judiciary etc or any other competitive government exams.

This may also be useful for exams like CUET UG and CUET PG, GATE, GMAT, GRE AND CAT

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