NEW DELHI: Droupadi Murmu met a group of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of the 2024 batch at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday and called upon them to uphold integrity, neutrality and compassion while serving the nation.
The officers, currently serving as Assistant Secretaries in various Union Ministries and Departments, called on the President as part of their ongoing training and orientation in the Government of India.
IAS Has Played a Major Role in India’s Development
Addressing the young officers, President Murmu said the All India Services, particularly the IAS, have made a significant contribution to India’s development journey.
She noted that as the country enters a higher orbit of growth and transformation, expectations from civil servants are also rising.
“The young officers will have the unique opportunity to work in diverse fields,” the President said, emphasizing that they will often lead teams of experts in specialized areas and therefore must ensure their learning remains broad, rapid and continuous.
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Adaptability Will Be Essential
The President underlined that officers must possess exceptional adaptability to function effectively in different sectors and situations.
She stressed that administrative roles today demand both domain knowledge and the ability to quickly understand unfamiliar issues while taking informed decisions.
Neutrality, Sensitivity and Integrity Define Good Governance
President Murmu said the neutrality of officers would reflect their fairness, while their sensitivity would demonstrate commitment to inclusivity.
She added that:
- Credibility is built through transparency and sustained performance
- Integrity provides the moral courage to act decisively in the public interest
- Officers must blend compassion with rationality
- They should be sensitive without becoming sentimental
- They must follow rules while keeping larger objectives in mind
Ethics and Governance Go Hand in Hand
Calling ethics and governance “two sides of the same coin,” the President said civil servants must be both honest and results-oriented.
She observed that refraining from making decisions does not amount to morality. Instead, she said, true morality lies in making timely and correct decisions in accordance with public interest and established norms.
Drawing a comparison with the justice system, she noted that just as delayed justice is considered a denial of justice, delays in administrative decision-making can deprive citizens of their legitimate rights and interests.
Officers Must Respond to Democratic Aspirations
The President emphasized that democracy exists to fulfill the aspirations of the people, which are expressed through their elected representatives.
She said it is the duty of civil servants to give due priority to issues raised by these representatives in the larger public interest.
Work Towards a Developed and Inclusive India
Referring to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’, President Murmu told the officers that meaningful progress often requires going against the tide rather than simply drifting with the current.
She urged them to keep the people of India—especially marginalized and vulnerable communities—at the center of all their decisions, whether in field postings or office assignments.
Expressing confidence in the young officers, she said they would make an invaluable contribution to building a developed, inclusive and equitable India.
