Civil Service and Administrative Systems
What to know
A civil service is the permanent, politically neutral, merit-recruited body that supports the political executive. Key concepts: recruitment methods (competitive examination, selection, patronage, spoils), career vs position classification, generalist vs specialist, seniority vs merit promotion, cadre systems, political neutrality and anonymity, tenure and security, and training and performance appraisal. Compare the Northcote-Trevelyan merit model, the US spoils-to-merit transition (Pendleton Act), and the Westminster versus Napoleonic/continental traditions.
Traps
- Neutrality vs responsiveness. Neutral competence means serving any lawful government; responsiveness means following elected direction. Questions test the tension, not a single winner.
- Career vs position systems. Career systems recruit at entry and promote internally; position systems hire for specific posts at any level.
- Anonymity. Officials are anonymous publicly; ministers take responsibility. But officials remain accountable to ministers and law.
- Generalist vs specialist. Generalist administration emphasises coordination and judgement; specialist emphasises technical competence. Neither is universally superior.
Worked rule of thumb
For reform questions, diagnose the system: if entry is patronage-based, prescribe competitive examination and a public service commission; if promotion is seniority-bound, prescribe performance appraisal with merit criteria; if neutrality is weak, prescribe tenure protection plus a code of conduct. Match remedy to defect rather than reciting NPM slogans.
Bangladesh link
Bangladesh's civil service is a cadre-based system with a central Public Service Commission and competitive entry; the generalist BCS cadres dominate policy while technical cadres feel marginalised. Candidate answers should note the generalist-specialist tension, promotion disputes, and periodic pay commission reforms.