The NEET examination result scandal has once again exposed our rotten, obsolete and archaic bureaucratic system which is neither in line with the ethos of Bharat as an ancient nation nor consistent with the realities of the modern world in the face of which today’s generation is driving the present progress of this nation.
Our celebrated political strategist Chanakya had stated that crime and criminality thrive in a state where the governing structure and systems are not aligned with Dharma or righteousness. In the context of a nation state Dharma dictates systems of governance that are conducive to citizens’ multifaceted welfare and progress. The bureaucratic systems operating in our country are rooted in and based on the Indian Civil Services Act 1861 enacted by the British. The provisions of this Act were made to build an exploitative bureaucratic framework for economic plunder of India keeping Indians enslaved. How do we expect such an Act and a steel frame bureaucracy based thereon to serve this nation, politically independent since 1947?
In spite of the existence of Vigilance machineries in state and central government departments and institutions and an organised institution of police in the country, how is it that serious acts of criminality and delinquency continue to frequently hit the newsstands?
The recent incident of scandalous results of the NEET medical entrance examination in which many examinees out of a total of 24 lakh examinees secured 718 or 719 or 720 marks out of a total of 720 marks, which is practically impossible to get when +4 marks are awarded for one right answer and -1 awarded for each wrong answer. The results are a clear pointer to leakage of question papers which can happen due to criminal conspiracy by employees of the examination conducting government agency NTA and the delinquent examinees.
But the more important point is that the bureaucratic structure of our government agencies and institutions holds a lot of blame. It is a vertical hierarchy structure in which officials at senior echelons of the ladder have power without accountability. The bureaucratic structure conveniently allows the buck to be passed on. Officials at the lower rungs of bureaucracy can indulge in corruption in complicity with the seniors in the ladder with little to fear. The Vigilance departments are often complicit too and punitive procedure is long and arduous with loopholes too. And finally, the legal machinery is gravely ineffective with justice mostly delayed, often denied and even derailed.
We have to change a lot and reform a lot when it comes to our bureaucracy. The horizontal spread bureaucratic structure existing in West European countries doesn’t have the deficiency of power without accountability and is far more effective than the bureaucratic structure in our country.
Worse, our political parties are playing blame games with each other over the above controversy. Instead, they should be sitting together and working out a plan for bureaucratic reforms.
Let us carry out these reforms before it is too late.
