7(b). My 16th Posting - Joint Secretary, BCW Department

I joined the Backward Classes Welfare Department at Writers’ Buildings, Kolkata, on June 16, 1998, as the Joint Commissioner Reservation and ex-officio Joint Secretary. 

I retired from here on February 28, 2003. 

I used to look after reservations in education, and employment, for the Scheduled Castes, the Schedules Tribes and the Other Backward Classes, and matters concerning the related institutions and the commissions. 

In West Bengal, reservation in employment was vacancy-based and not post-based, as was in many other states and the central government. To enforce the vacancy-based reservation, Govt. introduced a 100-point roster identifying the points of reservation earmarked for the reserved categories according to the declared percentage of reservation. Every State Govt office and institution had to maintain a 100-pt roster separately for each class of vacancies. The nature [1] of the vacancy, when it occurred, was determined with reference to this roster.

In case of the non-availability of a suitable candidate for a reserved vacancy, the appointing authorities could approach the joint commissioner with a proposal for de-reservation if they considered such an appointment was of immediate necessity in the interest of public service. While dealing with these cases, I noticed a marked shortage of eligible candidates from the reserved categories, particularly for technical posts and the posts of College and School teachers. The stalemate in public works and education was avoided by temporarily applying the carry-forward principle to reserved vacancies.   

Under the carry forward principle [2], the related reserved vacancy was de-reserved to fill up the post by available general category candidates to meet immediate needs; reservation against that de-reserved vacancy was carried forward to the succeeding available unreserved vacancy. The succeeding open vacancy then became a reserved one. By this process, we soon arrived at a situation where all the subsequent vacancies upto a certain point became reserved for some categories of superior posts. There remained no scope for the appointment of general candidates in such posts for some time in the future if a sufficient number of eligible reserved category candidates were available during such time. That was unavoidable. It was, however, not desirable that such a situation should continue for long. But there was no option if public services were to be rendered.

The main lesson we learnt from here is that we should put more stress on education and training of the reserved category candidates rather than raising a public outcry to increase their quota. If the available reserved vacancies could be filled by those for whom these were meant, it would have gone a long way to serve them. While hundreds of vacancies for people from the reserved category remained unutilized for want of suitable candidates, what purpose it would serve by enhancing the quota on paper? But the politicians of the day have their calculations; they act with an eye to the vote bank. 

Within my limited scope, I tried during my tenure, to rigorously enforce the 100-pt roster for filling up vacancies on direct recruitment. My objective was to see at least those eligible get their legitimate due.

In 2002, while in the department of Backward Classes Welfare, I prepared a COMPENDIUM ON RESERVATION (cover page picture on the left), single-handed, using the office computer and, at times, the service of my Personal Assistant. It was a 455-page document on A4 size paper containing all the Acts, Rules, Circulars, and orders of the State Govt and the Govt of India on the reservation and other related matters concerning the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, and the Other Backward Classes. I got it printed and circulated a fair number of copies to the institutions and the individuals requiring it. I had to work late after office hours to complete this document. The idea of preparing it struck me when I found the department had no consolidated material of Acts, Rules, orders, and circulars; when needed, one had to look all around for a particular item required for processing a case. Besides, I felt it would also be helpful to those to whom these apply. 

My PA, Tapas Giri, helped me maintain my schedule in this department. I had found Tapas an earnest, dutiful, punctual, and hard-working young man at the prime of his career.

The complete book of Compendium on Reservation3, published during my time in the department, can be seen in the frame at the end of this page and can be gone through by scrolling in the frame or zooming in and reading in a separate tab by clicking on the icon at the right corner of the frame. We published this book in 2002. There have likely been modifications in matters contained in it in the meanwhile. Users desiring to use any material from it would be well-advised to consult the latest versions of the concerned portion. 

It was the last phase of my service career. During my stay in this department, I tried to enforce Acts, Rules, and Regulations in letters and spirits, the same way I had tried elsewhere. I admit, I got the full support of the Minister-in-charge and the Departmental Secretary in discharging my duty.

I worked under two ministers and three secretaries while in the department. First, it was Dinesh Dakua as Minister-in-charge and Mrs Krishna Jhala as Secretary. Later, I had Upen Kisku as the minister-in-charge with Sukbilash Barma and Ramsevak Bandyopadhyay, respectively as the Departmental secretary.  

After serving in the Govt for thirty-five years, two months, and twenty-five days, I retired in the afternoon of February 28, 2003, and bade goodbye to Writers' Buildings and the Civil Service.

I like to add an interesting issue here. On the eve of my retirement, my Secretary, much against my will, had tried his best to get me re-employed in the department for some time. As expected, he had failed. I knew it and had told the Secretary so when he had moved the proposal despite my objections. I had, by then, studied the politicians in and out and knew their way of functioning. As for myself, I was never interested in re-employment in the government and,  in any event, would not have accepted it, even if my secretary had succeeded. I had strong reservations against re-employment in the Govt as it worked as a carrot-and-stick policy for those at the helm of affairs to get people below to bend their spines. 

I enjoyed my tenure in the Civil Service despite facing professional hazards occasionally. I am happy for whatever little I could do for the people; possibly, I could have been of more service as a civil servant if I were born in the IAS.

It reminds me to recall the words “Govt work is God’s work” inscribed on the top of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Building. I believe there can be no better elocution of the Govt work. For service to man is service to God; public service gives the opportunity to serve people. I, however, feel I could have given more to Society had I not gotten stuck in the civil services. A few of my friends in the service, too, felt that way, and one of them often says in jest that I would be answerable to the other world for having spoilt my merit in this limited sphere of activity. They are, of course, of no material significance now. 

My service career divides itself into Development and Regulatory administration. To me, it was the development work that gave more pleasure. In development work, one works nearer the masses and delivers the goods directly to them. One also has the satisfaction of building new things there.

Post-retirement, I was appointed as the Officer-on-Special Duty in Calcutta Stock Exchange (not a government organization) for one year at a monthly salary of ₹ 40,000 outside pension. The post carried perquisites of office transport and free telephone (landline/mobile). I joined the organization on October 28, 2004, and was to continue until October 27, 2005, unless extended further. But I left the organization after nine months on August 4, 2005, as I ditested the way of functioning of the Chairman, who was also a retired senior IAS officer.

Since then, I have kept myself aloof from post-retirement employment.