‘India’s civil services are undergoing a quiet revolution’

In a small village nestled in the hills of Jharkhand, a young woman sits under the dim light of a single bulb, her smartphone propped against a stack of books as she watches a lecture on constitutional law. Two decades ago, her ambition to join IAS would have required migration to Delhi, expensive coaching, and resources far beyond her family’s means. Today, she represents the new face of India’s civil services aspirants.This transformation from an elitist bureaucracy to an increasingly representative administrative framework marks one of the most significant democratising shifts in India’s governance structure. If PM gave the mantra of “Reform, Perform and Transform”, this is perhaps a major transformation witnessed over the last decade.The civil services, with their roots in the colonial-era Indian Civil Service (ICS), were initially designed as instruments of imperial control. Post-Independence, despite reforms, the services remained largely accessible to a privileged few. The archetypal civil servant came predominantly from specific geographical strongholds – Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar and parts of UP. They were typically from urban centres, educated in elite institutions, and overwhelmingly male.For decades, this demographic homogeneity perpetuated an administrative culture that, while professionally competent, often lacked the lived experiences of India’s diverse population. This exclusivity created what’s been termed an “administrative aristocracy” – officers tasked with implementing inclusive policies though they had limited exposure to the very challenges they were appointed to address.Today, that narrative has changed. The civil services in India are becoming more inclusive, diverse, and representative of the nation they serve. At the heart of this democratisation lies technology. Proliferation of affordable smartphones, expanding 4G and now 5G connectivity, and rise of digital learning platforms have dismantled geographical monopolies on quality preparation resources.An aspirant in Manipur’s remote districts now has access to the same lectures, study materials, and mock tests as someone in Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar or Hyderabad’s Ashok Nagar. Geographical diversity of successful candidates reflects this democratisation. States previously underrepresented in civil services are now producing toppers. Haryana, which barely featured in UPSC results a decade ago, saw Pradeep Singh secure first rank in 2019. Similarly, after nearly half a century, Punjab has reasserted itself on the civil services map with multiple candidates securing top ranks in recent years.The Northeast has seen a remarkable surge in successful candidates. In 2023, Chhattisgarh contributed six successful candidates to the civil services, showcasing how regions previously at the margins are moving into the mainstream. Such diversity brings invaluable lived experiences into the administrative machinery.Perhaps the most striking indicator of change is the increase in women’s representation. From being barely visible, women made up a record 41% of the IAS batch of 2023. This upward trajectory continued in 2024, with women securing three of the top five ranks in UPSC civil services examination, including Shakti Dubey who topped the list, followed by Harshita Goyal at rank 2 and Shah Margi Chirag at rank 4. These numbers reflect a profound cultural shift.The increased representation of women has significant implications for governance. Research consistently shows that gender-diverse administrative structures tend to prioritise health, education, and social welfare more effectively. Women officers often bring different communication styles and problem-solving approaches, enhancing overall governance.Democratisation of civil services extends beyond gender and geography to socio-economic backgrounds. Increasingly, successful candidates come from humble origins – children of farmers, small traders, daily wage workers, and first-generation learners.Take the case of Garima Lohia, who ranked second in the 2022 civil services exam. Her journey from rural Bihar was a triumph of determination over disadvantage. Similarly, the success of 16 alumni from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas – schools designed to nurture talent from rural India – in a single year’s exam demonstrates how institutional support can help transcend socio-economic barriers.While earlier batches were dominated by graduates from a handful of elite institutions, recent years have seen a healthy mix of engineers, humanities graduates, medical professionals, and scientists entering the services.In 2022, 45% of the top 20 UPSC rank-holders were engineers and 40% humanities graduates, reflecting a balanced representation of different disciplines.A more diverse bureaucracy brings innovative problem-solving, increased public trust, and re-imagined priorities.Transformation of India’s civil services into an increasingly representative institution mirrors our nation’s democratic journey – complex, challenging, but steadily progressing toward greater inclusivity. India’s civil services are changing the face of India, making governance more representative of the world’s largest democracy.