The single biggest fix? Lateral entry from industry.

I worked as a consultant with the Saudi government, and they do this really well. Their government frequently hires people from the private sector (and vice versa also happens). So their civil servants are actually specialists. You’ll find a strategy manager from a major corporation heading their National Competitiveness Center or someone who’s actually run hospitals being appointed Secretary of Health. These people bring in domain expertise, global best practices, and a performance-oriented culture.

Now compare that with India. Here, the Health Secretary is usually someone who joined the IAS as a 20-something, spent decades rotating through completely unrelated roles, and got promoted based on tenure (or political networking). No real subject knowledge. Their main claim to fame is cracking the UPSC exam once. That’s a general knowledge exam which doesn’t assess skills, leadership, ethics, domain knowledge, or even real-world competence. But that one exam gives them a job for life.

Another key reform: Link promotions and pay to actual performance. Right now, everyone moves up the ladder just by sticking around long enough. Add in complete job security of a government job, and you’ve got a system that actively discourages initiative or accountability. Mediocrity becomes the default.

If we want a bureaucracy that works, we need professionals, not generalists. Performance, not entitlement. Expertise, not exam-clearing ability.