Advantages

1. The Bureaucracy would be more experienced and better integrated.
2. The shortage in the Military of qualified people in the lower Officer ranks would be overcome.
3. There would be more than enough educated and reasonably trained volunteers for Social Service / Relief works.
4. The general population would have a better image of the Bureaucracy and greater understanding of it, as many of them would also, have served, but not been successful in their attempt to join the Bureaucracy.
5. Due to the greater exposure to the Service environment, and to an environment of service, even those who are not selected for posts in the Bureaucracy on leaving the Service become part of the general public would have also, developed greater discipline and self confidence and the right work ethic. They would also, have better appreciation of the culture and common values of people from other parts of the Country who they would have served with.

Alternately

In case this procedure is found too difficult to implement at this time, a simpler alternative can be considered. All applicants for Class I and Class II officers should be enrolled into the Territorial Army (TA) for a minimum of 4 to 5 years and posted into Field areas and if selected thereafter made to serve 2 months every year for an additional ten years, also, in Field areas ONLY, at Ranks corresponding to that of the regular Officers / JCO’s / NCO’s of their TA Service Seniority, and the reports on their performance during such service be given critical weightage in their departmental promotions etc.

Conclusion

Bureaucracy forms the framework for the functioning of any Government. It needs to be competent, impartial, disciplined and to work with high integrity and an attitude of Service before Self. It would thus be better to take the Bureaucrats from organizations where they have already demonstrated the same.

Life time employment to Bureaucrats has no great advantage to the Country. It would be better to offer contract employment with extensions/renewals based on performance and to also, allow for parallel entry into it of suitably qualified persons from other Services and even Industry, Business and other sectors.

Annexure – I: The Perspective of Bureaucrats;

I quote m’ lord the Duke of Wellington, because it is a fitting statement summing up what professional soldiers have to deal with in the Bureaucrat.

“Gentlemen:
Whilst marching to Portugal to a position which commands the approach to Madrid and the French forces, my officers have been diligently complying with your request which has been sent to HM ship from London to Lisbon and then by dispatch rider to our Headquarters.

We have enumerated our saddles, bridles, tents, and tent poles, and all manner of sundry items for which His Majesty’s government holds me accountable. I have dispatched reports on the character, wit, spleen of every officer. Each item and every farthing has been accounted for, with two regrettable exceptions for which I beg your indulgence.

Unfortunately, the sum of one shilling and ninepence remains unaccounted for in one infantry battalion’s petty cash and there has been a hideous confusion as to the number of jars of raspberry jam issued to one cavalry regiment during a sandstorm in western Spain. This reprehensive carelessness may be related to the pressure of circumstances since we are at war with France, a fact which may have come as a bit of a surprise to you gentlemen in Whitehall.

This brings me to my present purpose, which is to request elucidation of my instructions from His Majesty’s Government, so that I may better understand why I am dragging an army over these barren plains. I construe that perforce it must be one of two alternative duties, as given below. I shall pursue one with the best of my ability but I cannot do both.

1. To train an army of uniformed British clerks in Spain for the benefit of the accountants and copy-boys in London, or perchance
2. To see to it that the forces of Napoleon are driven out of Spain.

Your most obedient servant, Wellington

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