Role of CAs & Young Professionals in Nation Building-Public Service

India & Youth

In words of James “Youth is the joy, the little bird that has broken out of the eggs and

is eagerly waiting to spread out its wings in the open sky of freedom and hope.”

Every third person in an Indian city today is a youth. By 2020, the median individual

in India will be 29 years, making it the youngest country in the world. India is set to

experience a dynamic transformation as the population burden of the past turns into

a demographic dividend. India is set to become the world’s youngest country with

64% of its population in the working age group. With the West, Japan and even

China aging, this demographic potential offers India and its growing economy an

unprecedented edge that economists believe could add a significant 2% to the GDP

growth rate. Greater political participation, engagement at a policy level and urgent

attention to improving quality of life of the youth would ensure that India enjoys the

benefits of this dividend.

The greatest wealth and strength of any nation is its youth. The quality of its youth

determines the kind of future, the nation will have. The youth of any nation and

society are its potential energy. They are the powerhouse and storehouse of infinite

energy. They are the ones who are the pride of the nation. It is the youth which

brings laurels to their country. If we can harness this powerhouse of the nation in the

right direction then the country can reach untold heights. All we need is to direct the

energy of our youth in constructive channels that lead to development and progress.

The creative potential of the younger generation coupled with their zeal, enthusiasm,

energy and versatility can work wonders for the country. We need to empower our

youth so that they can make a better tomorrow.

Role of Chartered Accountants (CAs)

It was well said by our former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam that Chartered

Accountants are partners to the nation building. Chartered Accountants are

professionals of accountancy profession; they are expert of accountancy profession. 1

Today accountancy is no more debit and credit only. Scope of accountancy has

grown at gigantic level. There are several areas in which a Chartered Accountant

can contribute. These areas are factors to the growth of the nation. Chartered

Accountants can play a vital role in formation of policies of country. To make

progress, polices have to be formed keeping in mind the factors affecting the

economy at macro level. Chartered Accountants have good understating and clarity

of the factors affecting the economy so their contribution is of immense essential.

Chartered Accountants are policy makers. They are one of the indispensable team

members of the team which makes economic policies of the country. Nation can be

build with the correct polices in place and proper implementation of them. Economy

of the nation can be collapsed with inappropriate policies or their improper execution.

All the major factors of the economic policies are being taught to the Chartered

Accountants at the time of their study of the course of Chartered Accountancy.

Chartered Accountants are the experts of these areas and are very well aware that

which type of steps should be taken in a particular situation or when the steps should

be amend keeping into consideration the economic changes and International

scenario.

We (professionals) have immense responsibilities for betterment of our nation.

Chartered Accountants can give their contribution in the several areas like

Accountancy, Taxation, Company Law Matters, SEBI Matters, Foreign Exchange

Matters, Financial Markets, Financial Management, Mergers and Acquisitions,

Strategic Decision Making, Organization and Management, Project Finance and

many more. One of the neglected areas by Chartered Accountants is “Public or Civil

Services.”

Career in Civil Services

Civil services run most of the day to day services, projects, programs and implement

the policy of the civil government. Civil Service offers lot of opportunities for on the

job learning as every day brings in lot of new knowledge, challenges, new ways to

look at an issue, new ways to deliver. Civil servants are close to the public all the

time.

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The Indian Civil Service dates back to the days of the British Raj. It was established

by the British East India Company. Today the Indian Civil Services have become

much more complex and broader. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is

India's central agency authorized to conduct the Civil Services Examination. The

agency's charter is granted by the Constitution of India. Articles 315 to 323 of Part

XIV of the constitution, titled Services under the Union and the States, provide for a

Public Service Commission for the Union and for each state.

The civil service system is the backbone of the administrative machinery of the

country. In the parliamentary democracy of India, the ultimate responsibility for

running the administration rests with the elected representatives of the people which

are the ministers. But the handful of ministers cannot be expected to deal personally

with the manifold problems of modern administration. Thus the ministers lay down

the policy and it is for the civil servants to carry out this policy. The executive

decisions are implemented by the Indian civil servants. The members of civil service

serve at the pleasure of the President of India and Article 311 of the constitution

protects them from politically motivated or vindictive action.

The members of the civil services represent as administrators in the central

government and state government; emissaries in the foreign missions/embassies; as

tax collectors and revenue commissioners; as civil service commissioned police

officers; as permanent representatives and employees in the United Nations and its

agencies and as Chairman, Managing Director, full-time functional Director/Member

of the Board of Management of various Public Sector Undertakings/ Enterprises,

Corporations, Banks and financial institutions. Civil servants are employed to various

agencies of India and can also be appointed as advisors or special duty officers or

private secretaries to ministers of the Union and the State Government.

Civil services is very glamorous job with full of respect, security, power & status. To

be a civil servant is no less than to be king. For every aspiring youth with passion,

enthusiasm and imagination, Civil Services Examination (CSE), as it is known, is the

toughest and the most prestigious examination. It ultimately can give a dream career

to a very few bright, hard working, sharp and committed youngsters who accept this

intellectual challenge.

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The career aspects are divided into 3 broad categories and simultaneously there are

various opportunities within these categories itself. For recruitment there are 25

Services or Posts namely 3 in the All India Services, 17 in Group A Services and 5

in Group B services.

The services which come within the All India Services are:

1. Indian Administrative Service (IAS)

2. Indian Foreign Service (IFS)

3. Indian Police Service (IPS)

The services which come within Group – A are:

1. Indian Audit and Accounts Service,

2. Indian Revenue Service (IRS) (Customs and Central Excise),

3. Indian Defence Accounts Service,

4. Indian Postal Service

5. Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service

6. Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Income Tax (I.T.)

7. Indian Ordnance Factories Service (Assistant Works Manager,

Administration)

8. Indian Civil Accounts Service

9. Indian Railway Traffic Service

10. Indian Railway Accounts Service

11. Indian Railway Personnel Service

12. Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force

13. Indian Defense Estates Service4

14. Indian Information Service (Junior Grade)

15. Indian Trade Service, Group ‘A’ (Gr. III)

16. Indian Corporate Law Service

17. Indian Forest Service (IFoS)

The services which come within Group-B are:

1. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (Section Officer’s Grade)

2. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra &

Nagar Haveli Civil Service

3. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra &

Nagar Haveli Police Service

4. Pondicherry Civil Service

5. Pondicherry Police Service

Myths about Civil Services

Comfortable life:- One of the top most myths is life of civil servant is

comfortable. IAS/IPS officers have to perform their duty without taking care of

day and night.

Meant for Toppers:- Civil services needs following attributes-

1. Dedication.

2. Strong thought process and articulation skills.

3. An open mind having good general knowledge.

4. A heart which beats for the country.

5. Good hold on your core subjects.5

6. Practical approach towards problems.

7. Undoubtedly a combination of hard work and smart work.

It’s not compulsory that every topper have the above attributes. Even an

average student can strive for the best.

Money making Job:- If one has perception in the mind that Civil Services is a

money making job than CA is best for earning money. Earning money in Civil

Services means corruption interlinked with lot of tensions while for CAs

money making is a combination of tricky mind, convincing power, hard work

and wider thinking.

Puppet of Politician:- Posting of the civil servants is done by politicians. And

it is misperception that all civil servants are buckled under pressure of

politicians. There are strict rules and regulations on transfers like minimum 3

years postings, Transfer of Husband & wife (Both are Civil Servants) in same

place. So for an honest officer there is no need to worry for.

Discretionary power:- Civil servants can take decisions of their own.

However decision should be in conformity of law. It is not untrue to say that

Civil Service is crown of thorns. One wrong decision can spoil the life of many.

Chartered Accountants in Civil Services

Advantage that a CA student has over the other civil aspirants:-

CA is an industry ready professional, exposed to extensive Business

ambience. Most of the other graduate courses do not provide practical

training. As we all deal with many government departments like sales tax,

income tax, excise department during articleship, we know how to get the

work done.

Hard Work, determination and Skill are imperative attributes already

prerequisite to a CA. So CAs have right mind set for facing the civil service

examination.

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CA is the best fall back option for a civil service aspirant.

“Commerce and Accountancy” is the most suitable paper a CA to choose and

move ahead. It shall be a cake walk. The only rigidity one can face is the

optional paper and General Studies for which one has to sincerely strive.

In recent years, there is inclination of many CA students to get into civil services.

CAs like Ruchika Katyal, Om Prakash Kasera, Deepak Sighala, Shailesh Bansal,

Ravneet Singh Khurana, Nitin Singhania, Sampada Mehta. have made the

profession proud by coming up with flying colors in competitive examination. They

would inspire every civil service aspirant especially CA students. But IITians getting

selected & CAs getting selected is not comparable. This is because many CA

students do not think of civil services as a career option. There was only 1 CA (Nitin

Singhania) who got selected as an IAS in Civil Service Examination (CSE-2012) as

against 100+ science graduates.

Conclusion

As per our motto “We are partner in Nation Building”. We can setup new milestones

by qualifying Civil Services. The wisdom gained, knowledge acquired in CA studies

is to be utilized towards the betterment of the society. And that can be possible

through entering into the world of civil services. CAs have open mind. Their

approach towards problems is fully and totally different from others. Hence, we all

should ponder on “Civil Service” as a career.

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