Bloody Shocking.........
HANDING /TAKING OVER IAS BABU POSITIONS ON DEMITTING OFFICE
To ensure that knowledge acquired by an official while discharging his duties doesn’t get lost once he leaves his office and that the successor doesn’t waste too much time in learning the ropes, the Central Government now wants all its officers to cultivate the habit of leaving behind a “note for the successor” when they move out.
The idea — of re-institutionalising the practice of leaving a note for the successor — was talked about by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the presentation made by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions on June 12.
Acknowledging that all employees have invaluable knowledge of their areas of responsibility, which may be much more nuanced and integrated than the hard information available in files, note sheets, correspondence, documents and electronic data bases, the government has underlined that “such innate knowledge is at risk of getting lost when the incumbent leaves the seat — gets transferred or demits office”.
To ensure that knowledge acquired by an official while discharging his duties doesn’t get lost once he leaves his office and that the successor doesn’t waste too much time in learning the ropes, the Central Government now wants all its officers to cultivate the habit of leaving behind a “note for the successor” when they move out.
The idea — of re-institutionalising the practice of leaving a note for the successor — was talked about by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the presentation made by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions on June 12.
Acknowledging that all employees have invaluable knowledge of their areas of responsibility, which may be much more nuanced and integrated than the hard information available in files, note sheets, correspondence, documents and electronic data bases, the government has underlined that “such innate knowledge is at risk of getting lost when the incumbent leaves the seat — gets transferred or demits office”.
“New employee will take time to understand issues of current importance, appreciate urgency of actionable points, recognize strengths and weakness of different subordinates for suitable work allocation, and comprehend critical issues by trial and error. This time spent in negotiating the way in new environment, spent in trial and error, may turn out to be the critical difference between success and failure of unit, the department or even the organization,” the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has stated.
To tackle this, the government has said that “knowledge continuity in wake of employee transition needs to be recognized as a key challenge, more so in the government where rule based Personnel policies mandate a fixed tenure”.
Also, the problem of knowledge continuity can be significantly tackled if incumbent employee, with overall goal of success of the organization in mind, considers the successor as part of same team and transfers the knowledge that he/she considers critical, the DoPT has stated. “Such knowledge transfer can be by personal interaction and briefing. However, written notes for the successor serve the purpose more effectively and also help build institutional memory in government, though this practice used to be in vogue, of late it is becoming rare,” the DoPT has observed.
To tackle this, the government has said that “knowledge continuity in wake of employee transition needs to be recognized as a key challenge, more so in the government where rule based Personnel policies mandate a fixed tenure”.
Also, the problem of knowledge continuity can be significantly tackled if incumbent employee, with overall goal of success of the organization in mind, considers the successor as part of same team and transfers the knowledge that he/she considers critical, the DoPT has stated. “Such knowledge transfer can be by personal interaction and briefing. However, written notes for the successor serve the purpose more effectively and also help build institutional memory in government, though this practice used to be in vogue, of late it is becoming rare,” the DoPT has observed.
My good god since when has this been going on and why has disciplinary action not been taken for this lapse against these IAS babus!!! Most shocking and unacceptable that the incumbent does not leave proper Handing /Taking over notes for his/her successor. To top it all the Prime Minister of India has to point this out to these babus? Do they not teach these IAS babus this most fundamental of tasks at the The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration at Mussoorie? I am quite sure the incumbents must be leaving notes for their successors about milch cows in the working periphery.
I remember the pains we Army Officers took while being posted out from our units at what ever level, from Section Commanders to Regimental Commanders to Brigade/Divisional Commanders and up the line, to make proper Handing/Taking over notes before the new incumbent was in place. In fact it was with great pride, integrity and honesty we prepared these notes so that our bosses would not be let down in our absence once we left, as well as the new commander would easily become familiar and start performing to his best ability from Day 1. I still remember as a very young officer and Company Commander of a Radio Company in Leh, in the early 70's the terrible firing nay hiding I received from my Commanding Officer because my Handing/Taking over notes did not have adequate details. This was about the serviceability state of my radio sets, as well as some details were missing of the soldiers who had to still avail annual Leave for the year, plus some missing actionable points (not yet completed) recently given by my Commanding Officer. Uncouth, slaggard, irresponsible, idler, dishonest, without Integrity, bastard, you want to let your CO down? You want to let down your unit? You want to play with Signals Izzat? You bugger I will make you fly in the cargo hold of an AN12 when you leave this place.These were some of the adjectives used, finally I thought Commanding Officer saab was going to suffer a stroke. Thats how seriously Handing/Taking over was done 37 years ago and is done to this day in the Indian Armed Forces.
This morning when I read about this in the Indian Express, it was most depressing to read that The "Prime Minister" of India had to teach this fundamental of all things, to these shameless IAS babus. So also the thought that the fate of good Administration aka Good Governance lies in the hands of these incompetents.
I remember the pains we Army Officers took while being posted out from our units at what ever level, from Section Commanders to Regimental Commanders to Brigade/Divisional Commanders and up the line, to make proper Handing/Taking over notes before the new incumbent was in place. In fact it was with great pride, integrity and honesty we prepared these notes so that our bosses would not be let down in our absence once we left, as well as the new commander would easily become familiar and start performing to his best ability from Day 1. I still remember as a very young officer and Company Commander of a Radio Company in Leh, in the early 70's the terrible firing nay hiding I received from my Commanding Officer because my Handing/Taking over notes did not have adequate details. This was about the serviceability state of my radio sets, as well as some details were missing of the soldiers who had to still avail annual Leave for the year, plus some missing actionable points (not yet completed) recently given by my Commanding Officer. Uncouth, slaggard, irresponsible, idler, dishonest, without Integrity, bastard, you want to let your CO down? You want to let down your unit? You want to play with Signals Izzat? You bugger I will make you fly in the cargo hold of an AN12 when you leave this place.These were some of the adjectives used, finally I thought Commanding Officer saab was going to suffer a stroke. Thats how seriously Handing/Taking over was done 37 years ago and is done to this day in the Indian Armed Forces.
This morning when I read about this in the Indian Express, it was most depressing to read that The "Prime Minister" of India had to teach this fundamental of all things, to these shameless IAS babus. So also the thought that the fate of good Administration aka Good Governance lies in the hands of these incompetents.
