The government machinery in India is a human resource (HR) disaster and this has been argued again and again. However, the fact which cannot be ignored is that no successive governments tried to solve this through small reforms like lateral entry scheme or compulsory retirement scheme. These steps solved a few problems at the upper echelons of the bureaucracy but the lower ranks still have a clerical mindset.
Thus, to bring a holistic solution to the HR disaster, the Modi government is now planning to rope in leading human resource consultancy firms around the world. Under ‘Mission Karmyogi’ which was adopted last year, the government has sought a Request for Proposal (RFP) with the mandate to design and develop an HR solution for seven key ministries or departments of the Government of India – namely, the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs), the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Health, NHAI, Ministry of Environment and Forests, and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
“The unique challenges and opportunities in India, along with an unprecedented digital penetration and IT literate workforce, have necessitated creation of a framework that is unique to the world and has not been attempted before,” says the bid document, detailing the exercise.
The HR firm will suggest a FRAC (Framework of Roles, Activities & Competencies). “Through the FRAC, officials will have visibility of the roles, activities and competencies required to effectively deliver on the outcomes expected from them with respect to their current or future positions in government. This will enable establishment of testing arrangements to assess the extent to which a person occupying a position has these competencies and consequently determine the competency gaps that need to be addressed. Largely, this will be done through iGOT Karmayogi, an online comprehensive learning platform cum marketplace to deliver online training, linked to FRAC,” the document released by the government reads.
The Indian bureaucracy, at all levels – the centre, the state, as well as the local level is the best example of how to not manage the workforce of more than ten million people. The total government expenditure in India is more than 60 lakh crore rupees and given our competency in information technology and public digital platforms, every person can have the access to basic amenities but the inefficient bureaucracy ensures that India remains a poor country. However, the holistic approach adopted by the Modi government by engaging with professionals would probably solve the HR issues, and if it is successful, it will trickle down to the states as well.