PM Narendra Modi says 21st century to be India's century to IAS probationers

NEW DELHI: Civil servants should not judge themselves by the posts they hold, but by the difference they make to the lives of the poor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told probationers of the Indian Administrative Service ( IAS) on Monday.

"The 21st century will be India's century, and India will rise to the position of "Vishva Guru" (world master). The world had once again started taking note of India's rapid economic growth rate," the PM said.

According to a statement from the PM's Office, Modi also recalled his recent advice to all secretaries to the government to visit their first place of posting and ascertain the changes that happened there while they progressed in their own careers.

"The assured career path that the IAS offers should not make you complacent. Many services offered by government today, are also offered by the private sector.

Officers handling such services in the government, should judge the quality of their service using the yardstick of the best in that category, and even by international standards," Modi said.

"While bureaucracy existed even during the British rule, the key difference was that officers of that era worked to perpetuate the rule of the British, while in independent India, the objective of administration should be the public interest.

This is the essence of democracy," the PM said to the 180 probationers who met him, reiterating that promoting public interest is the first and foremost duty of the IAS.