The Hindu Business Line : Role of generalists

MY piece "IAS for ever?" (Business Line, October 7) has not gone down well with some serving and retired members of the IAS. They feel it is one-sided, giving only the negative side of the Service and has ignored its contribution to national integration and its role in helping the political establishment in the formulation and implementation of policies.

Also, in their view, generalists continue to be relevant in any system of management, as evidenced by the fact that even in the US, which sets much store by specialisation, they are the preferred choice for many top positions in technical and financial institutions and business enterprises.

I am glad to put the record straight. The justification for generalists in public administration arises on two counts.

First, technical expertise alone does not determine the effectiveness of persons occupying leadership positions. In fact, the closer one moves to the top slot, the less scope there is for technical skills and the greater the demands on the person's capacity to communicate, motivate, coordinate, inspire and get the best out of those who work with him.

His success in these respects is conditional upon his being free from prejudices, as also any tendency to play favourites, and his ability to see all sides of a case and keep the mind open for fresh ideas.

It is not that specialists are inherently devoid of these attributes or will be unable to acquire and cultivate them with proper training and orientation. However, these qualities are expected to come naturally to generalists who are groomed to be broad-band personalities from an early stage enabling them to take a holistic, rather than a restrictive, approach.

In advising the political class on policy and legislation, one has to present the issues intelligibly and convincingly, without resort to jargon and technicalities. If a Minister himself has no clear understanding of the basis of a proposal, he cannot defend it cogently to the people or the legislature.

An experienced and perceptive generalist, aware of the political compulsions and constraints, makes it easier for him to comprehend its pros and cons. Happily, administration is getting the best of both the worlds with the entry of a significant number of technical persons into the IAS nowadays.

B. S. Raghavan

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