BUREAUCRACY: MEANING AND FEATURES

BUREAUCRACY: MEANING AND FEATURES

Bureaucracy or the Civil Service constitutes the permanent and professional part of the executive organ of government. It is usually described as the non-political or politically neutral, permanent, and professionally trained civil service.

It runs the administration of the state according to the policies and laws of the government political executive. Upon the qualities and efficiency of bureaucracy depends the quality and efficiency of the state administration. It, however, works under the leadership and control of the Political Executive.

Bureaucracy: Meaning and Definition:

The terms bureaucracy, civil service, public servants, public service, civil servants, government service, government servants, officials of government, officials, permanent executive and non-political executive are used to describe all such persons who carry out the day to day administration of the state. The terms Bureaucracy’ and ‘Civil Service’ are popularly used as synonyms.

Narrow and Broad uses of the term Bureaucracy:

In a narrow sense the term Bureaucracy is used to denote those important and higher level public servants who occupy top level positions in the state administration. In the broad sense, it refers to all the permanent employees of the government right from the peons and clerks to the top level officials. Presently, we use the term in its broader dimension.

Definitions:

·         “Bureaucracy means the civil servants, the administrative functionaries who are professionally trained for the public service and who enjoy permanency of tenure, promotion within service-partly by seniority and partly by merit.” -Garner

·         “In its broad larger sense the term Civil Service is used to describe any personnel system where the employees are classified in a system of administration composed of a hierarchy, sections, divisions, bureaus, departments and the like.” -Willoughby

·         “Civil Service/Bureaucracy is a professional body of officials permanent, paid and skilled.” -Finer

BUREAUCRACY: MAIN FEATURES:

Permanent Character:

The civil servants hold permanent jobs in government departments. They mostly join their services during their youths and continue to work as government servants till the age of retirement which is usually 58 to 60 years.

Hierarchical Organization:

Bureaucracy is hierarchically organized in several levels. Each official is placed at a particular level of hierarchy and he enjoys the privileges and powers which are available to his co-level officials. He is under his immediate higher level officials and is above his immediately lower level officials. The principle of rule of the higher over the lower governs the inter-relations between various levels of bureaucracy.

Non-partisan Character:

The members of the Bureaucracy are not directly involved in politics. They cannot join political parties and participate in political movements. They are not affected by the political changes which keep on coming in the political executive. Whichever party may come to power and make the government, the civil servants remain politically neutral and carry out their assigned departmental roles impartially and faithfully.

Professional, Trained and Expert Class:

The Bureaucracy constitutes the educated and professionally trained class of persons which helps the political executive in carrying out its functions. The members of civil service are recruited through competitive examinations for appearing in which they have to possess some minimum educational qualifications. Before their appointments, they get special trainings. During the course of their service they attend orientation and refresher courses. They have the knowledge, training and expertise necessary for carrying out their administrative work.

Fixed Salaries:

Each member of the Bureaucracy receives a fixed salary. Right at the time of appointment he is allotted a scale of pay, which depends upon the nature and level of his job-responsibility. All the civil servants belonging to a particular class of administrative hierarchy are placed in one scale of pay. Each job also entitles them to some allowances.

Bound by Rules and Regulations:

The Bureaucracy always works in accordance with ‘rules and regulations’. ‘Strict obedience to rules’, ‘Through Proper Channel’, ‘Decision-making after satisfying the rules’, are the principles which always guide, direct and regulate the working of bureaucracy. Each official works only within the sphere prescribed for him by the rules of his department.

Class Consciousness:

The Civil Servants are highly class conscious. They jealously work to protect and promote the interests of their class of civil servants. They are called the white-collar class because of their faith in their ‘superior status’ as government officials.

Public Service Spirit as the Ideal:

Modern Bureaucracy identifies itself with public service spirit. It always tries to project itself as the civil servants devoted to the promotion of public welfare through the satisfaction of public needs. They are expected to behave as ‘officers’ responsible for public welfare, with service as their motto.

Bound by a Code of Conduct:

The civil servants have to follow a code of conduct. They have to act in a disciplined way. Their rights, duties and privileges stand clearly defined. The procedure of work is definite and settled. They can be punished for misbehavior, incompetence or negligence or for a violation of their conduct rules. In short, Bureaucracy is characterized by political neutrality, professional competence, permanent/ stable tenure, fixed salaries and strict obedience to rules