Chapter Seven
Civil Service in a Democratic Constitutional
Monarchy
Introduction
·
In the
Democratic Constitutional Monarchy, the ruling party after winning the election
will form the government to rule the Government to run the country.
·
However
it is not definite if the same ruling party will run the next government after
five years or after the dissolution of Government upon no confidence of motion
moved by the house.
·
The
real administration of the state and continuity of the Government actually lies
in the hands of civil servants.
Definition and meaning of Civil Service or Bureaucracy
·
The
term bureaucracy originated from French word Bureau, means a writing table or
desk.
·
It also
means a place or an office where people work.
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Refer text book for
further definition of civil Servants
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Characteristics of Civil Service:
Tenure of Service
·
Civil
servants have an option to remain in the service for a much longer period
unlike the politician’s.
·
Civil
servants enter the service at the age of 18 years and resign at the age of 56,
58 and 60 based on the position categories.
·
Our
service tenure is guaranteed unless they are terminated or compulsorily
retired.
Logical Division of
responsibilities
·
Civil
Service is arranged based on hierarchy according to different duties and
responsibilities based on their position.
·
In each
level/ ladder, the civil servants undertake different duties and
responsibilities based on their positions.
·
The
Civil Service at the top of hierarchy carryout higher responsibilities related
to policies and decision makings.
Specialization
·
The
right civil servants are appointed to the right job based on education and
technical background.
·
This is
done to promote efficiency and specialization.
Apolitical Status
·
As per
the constitution, civil service Act. Royal Charter and Bhutan Civil Service
Rules and Regulations do not allow the civil servants to join political party
while they are in the service
·
They
should remain apolitical or neutral.
·
To join
they have to resign first.
Recruitment
·
Unlike
the political leaders, the civil servants are not elected but recruited based
on competitive selection examinations.
·
Civil
servants are recruited by RCSC through Civil Service Common Examination.
Problems of Civil Servants
i)
Red-tape
·
It
means a lengthy procedure to apply for promotion, further studies and trainings
etc.
·
For
instance, the promotion procedure is very lengthy the forms has to route from
the office of the immediate supervisor to the Ministry and then to RCSC.
·
So in
order to overcome the long and cumbersome procedures, the commission is
formulating a policy to delegate most of its operational human resource
functions like promotion and recruitment to the Ministries, Agencies and Dzongkhags.
ii)
Conflict
·
There
are conflict of ideas and implementation of strategies between different
agencies.
·
For
example, between Ministry of Agriculture and National Environment Commission.
iii)
Duplication
·
Works
already done by other agencies are carried out by another agency which is
leading to the wastage of the resources and the time.
·
The
Organizational Development exercise initiated by the RCSC is expected to remove
the existing overlapping of functions and redundant services to improve the
services to the public
iv)
Imperialism
·
Each
agency attempts to expand their agency without giving importance to the cost
and benefits.
Role of Civil Service in a Democratic Society
Cooperation in policy
formulation
Ø The Council of Ministers is supported by the
Civil Servants in formulating the policies.
Ø The cabinet in consultation with the
commission formulates overall personnel action policies for the country.
Contribution in Planning
Ø Civil Servants prepare an outline of the plan,
provide the facts and statistics and suggest different sources of income to the
government in order to execute and implement the plans.
Implementation of
Administrative policies
Ø If the policies are not implemented, it is
useless. Policies are implemented by the civil servants. The success of the government
depends upon our civil servants.
Contribution on Legislative
Function
Ø Since the civil servants have the requisite
expertise, the ground work for formulation of laws and other statutes are
generally carried out by them.
Financial Function
Ø The annual budget is prepared by the Civil
Servants and it is approved the Council of Ministers.
Coordination in
Administration
Ø Civil servants also coordinate and implement
the policies and programmes of the Government.
Civil Service and the Royal
Civil Service Commission
Ø RCSC was established in 1982.
Ø Cadre system was started from 1989.
Ø PCS was introduced in 2006.
Ø PCS focuses on creating a civil service
professional, efficient, effective, transparent, and fair and merit base
system.
Ø PCS put the right person for the right job.
Meaning of Position
Classification System
Ø The PCS focuses on creating a civil service
that id professional, efficient, effective, transparent, accountable,fair and
merit based system.
Ø It tries to put right person to the right
position based on competitive selection.
Classification of Position Classification System
i)
Executive/Specialist.
Ø The people who hold important responsibilities
in making decision regarding the organization under him or her
Ø They are vested with executive powers and are
also specialized in a particular area and are in a position to advise its
organization
ii)
Professional/Management
Ø The employees in this group support the
executive and Specialist categories and supervise the Supervisory and support
and operational categories.
Ø They are given the power to make some decision
if it is within the broad guidelines of the organization
iii)
Supervisory/Support
Ø These employees are assigned with the main
task of supervision of daily works and support the higher categories
iv)
Operational Level
Ø These employees perform basic functions like
typing, routing telephone, use of computers and other office equipment’s.
Recruitment of Four Types is:
i)
Recruitment
of New Employees:
ii)
Recruitment
through Promotion and Transfer:
iii)
Recruitment
on Contract:
iv)
Secondment:
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For detail information refer text book
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