The Transfer Raj: Indian Civil Servants on the Move

Banik, Dan

doi:10.1080/09578810108426783

Cited by 27 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…An earlier study done in India found it surprising that no formal rules exist for transfer of Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officers despite the fact that this cadre is frequently transferred [26]. The results also suggest that the health department has some flexibility to implement the transfer guidelines.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opening the black box of transfer systems in public sector health services in a Western state in India

Purohit

Martineau

Sheikh

2016

BMC Health Serv Res

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BackgroundLimited research on Posting and Transfer (P&T) policies and systems in the public sector health services and the reluctance for an open debate on the issue makes P&T as a black box. Limited research on P&T in India suggests that P&T policies and systems are either non-existent, weak, poorly implemented or characterized by corruption. Hence the current study aimed at opening the “black box” of P&T systems in public sector health services in India by assessing the implementation gaps between P&T policies and their actual implementation.MethodsThis was a qualitative study carried out in Department of Health, in a Western State in India. To understand the extant P&T policies, a systems map was first developed with the help of document review and Key Informant (KI) Interviews. Next systems audit was carried out to assess the actual implementation of transfer policies by interviewing Medical Officers (MOs), the group mainly affected by the P&T policies. Job histories were constructed from the interviews to understand transfer processes like frequencies of transfers and to assess if transfer rules were adhered. The analysis is based on a synthesis of document review, 19 in-depth interviews with MOs working with state health department and five in-depth interviews with Key Informants (KIs). Framework analysis approach was used to analyze data using NVIVO.ResultsThe state has a generic transfer guideline applicable to all government officers but there is no specific transfer policy or guideline for government health personnel. The generic transfer guidelines are weakly implemented indicating a significant gap between policy and actual implementation. The formal transfer guidelines are undermined by a parallel system in which desirable posts are attained, retained or sometimes given up by the use of political connections and money. MOs’ experiences of transfers were marked by perceptions of unfairness and irregularities reflected through interviews as well as the job histories.DiscussionThe generic transfer rules and ambiguity in how transfers are treated may explain the discrepancy between policy and implementation leading to systems abuse. This discrepancy could have negative influence on MOs’ morale which could in turn affect distribution of MOs. Where possible, ambiguity in the rules should be avoided and a greater transparency on implementation of the transfer rules is needed. However, it may not be possible to make any significant improvements to P&T policies and how they are implemented until the external pressure that creates parallel systems is greatly reduced in translating HR policy into HR practice.ConclusionsEffective P&T policies and implementation may have important implications for organizational performance and may help to improve Human Resource (HR) policy and HR expertise. Also there is a greater need for transparency on implementation of the rules. However, it may not be possible to make any significant improvements to P&T policies and how they are implemented until the external pressure that ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opening the black box of transfer systems in public sector health services in a Western state in India

Purohit

Martineau

Sheikh

2016

BMC Health Serv Res

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“…Political neutrality, on the other hand, is essential in maintaining unbiased decision‐making and implementation for all members of the society, thus promoting equity and social justice (Dahlstrom and Niklasson ; Schaaf and Freedman ). Frequent, arbitrary, and politically motivated transfers also undermine the morale of the officials and generate insecurities, which has negative consequences on their professional competence and motivation to provide effective service to citizens (Kohli ; Maheshwari ; Banik ).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

A symbiosis of civil service and politics in transfers: The case of Pakistan's management cadres

Cyan

Pasha

2017

Public Administration

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Job rotation is an important tool in public administration that is used to enhance learning and diversify experience among employees, while reducing opportunities for rent‐seeking behaviour. The benefits of job rotation, however, may be reduced if carried out too frequently or for narrow partisan reasons. Frequent transfers and postings in a civil service characterized by life‐long contracts negatively impact on‐the‐job learning, accountability for results, and incentives to acquire skills. This study examines the political and internal civil service determinants of frequent transfers in the civil service of Punjab, Pakistan. We employ Poisson panel estimations for 338 job positions for elite management cadres in Pakistan over a five‐year period from 2006 to 2010. The analysis shows that a change in elected government and desirability of a position increase the frequency of transfers.

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“…The return of the Congress and defeat of Janata Party in 1980 signalled the beginning of the process again. The practice has spawned what is colloquially known as 'transfer industry' and the central government has begun to reflect what was confined to states only (Banik 2001). Formal acceptance of this idea would have transformed the role of the civil service but this did not happen.…”

Section: The Reform Effortmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Administrative Reform in India

Mathur

2017

Chin. Polit. Sci. Rev.

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This paper outlines trends in efforts at administrative reform in India. It spans the shift of ideological paradigm of the Indian political economy. While the pre-1991 period was marked by a waning Statism, structural economic reforms marked a shift towards neo-liberal public management in the post 1991 period. This shift made the role of markets more salient as a framework for public services, in contrast to traditional perspectives of public administration. In the last two decades, even though some concern regarding administrative reform was expressed, substantive change took place outside the realm of the state machinery while blurring the borders between private and public institutions in delivering public services. The current political regime has added emphasis in the direction of using the bureaucracy to promote marketization and privatization in the allocation of public resources.

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The Transfer Raj: Indian Civil Servants on the Move

Cited by 27 publications

References 20 publications

Opening the black box of transfer systems in public sector health services in a Western state in India

Opening the black box of transfer systems in public sector health services in a Western state in India

A symbiosis of civil service and politics in transfers: The case of Pakistan's management cadres

Assessing Administrative Reform in India

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