'The desire to attempt the civil services should come from within'

The new fortnightly series Path to Civils features interviews with exemplary officers from the civil services who share their motivation to join the civil service, how they prepared for the exams and their experience in government service.

To kick off the series, DH’s Prajwal Suvarna sits down for a conversation with Sindhu B Rupesh, who is currently the Director of the Karnataka Tourism Department. As the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, Sindhu was widely appreciated for her honest work and helming the district through multiple crises, including a flood and the Covid-19 pandemic. Excerpts follow:

What prompted you to take up the Civil Services?

I decided to take up the civil services examination only after completing my engineering course. I was working for a telecom firm after my graduation, but a year into it, I felt that it was not my calling and my desire to work for the society made me think about joining the civil services. I was always interested in current affairs and I was an avid quizzer. So after a year of work, I decided to take off and started to prepare.

How did you go about preparing for this?

It was mostly self-study. As I had taken a year off from work, I had to give my best and make good use of my time. Initially, I did try to join coaching in Bengaluru, but later on felt comfortable preparing for the exam by poring through loads of books as per the syllabus, on my own. When I look back at this phase of my life 10 years ago, I recollect hard work. But the entire preparation phase was also fun. I got to learn a lot of things which I would never have bothered to look up otherwise.

I am from the 2011 batch, syllabus and format of the exam has changed a lot since then. Nowadays the market is flooded with apps and other materials to engage aspirants, while we just had a couple of websites and forums where we used to discuss with others preparing for this examination.

Did you prepare for the exams with others?

No, it was a completely solo effort. Although I sometimes feel that a group of people studying together might help in exchanging thoughts and opinions. However, the choice should be based on the aspirant’s comfort levels.

I feel the most important aspect to consider here is that the desire to serve in this field should come from within. As the entire process takes a lot from a person, the attempt has to be completely self-driven, not because someone else is asking you to.

What approach helped you?

Although each person has a different approach when it comes to preparation, I feel the one thing which helped me was continuous weekly revision of the lessons learnt. The amount of information that you imbibe won’t remain unless you are good at revising and keeping track. At the same time, you have to enjoy the whole process.

Has government service turned out how you imagined it would be?

You don’t know much about any system when you are outside it. Once you enter the system, a whole new world opens up. In this case, a very vast, interesting, varied and a challenging one. It is important for aspirants to be sure about working in the set up because I wouldn’t consider it a regular job. It is also not just about clearing an exam. Examination is just a stepping stone into a world of varied opportunities to serve the people.

And you can do a lot of work. It can range from a direct implementation of a scheme to formulation of a policy which will benefit lakhs of people.

And second, there is a variety of work experience to be acquired here that is not present elsewhere. That variety is something which excites me, you get to meet people from all walks of life. And this job also helps you start appreciating different points of view. The same issue will evoke different opinions from different people. At the same time, it takes a lot from you. In certain positions, it is a lot of responsibility.

Any drawbacks to the job?

You will have to do a lot of balancing on the personal front. That is something I have experienced a lot, especially during this Covid crisis, where you are literally on the job 24/7. It is important to have people supporting you, like your family and friends.

It is also a very dynamic world. I usually have a list about what I want to do but unexpected challenges do turn up at the last moment. The challenge is in balancing both and taking up time for developmental works that are close to your heart.

What has been your most interesting assignment?

While I have enjoyed each posting of mine and have evolved as a person over the years from the experience gained, I would say being the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada was one very intense and enriching assignment. As a place, it has taught me a lot. Irrespective of the district, the post of a District Magistrate is a very interesting one. It does not have a definition. Being the single point of contact, you get to deal with not just the regular aspects of administration, law and order but also any other miscellaneous happenings in the district. Most of the officers usually reminisce about their field postings. The fact that you have direct access to the people gives opportunities to learn about the pressing issues and problems being faced on the ground. The service offers huge opportunities to resolve issues and provide lasting solutions.

Any final words of advice for people looking to get in?

If you are looking to take this up as a career, I would suggest you first look up and get to know more about the work profile. Once you get in, you are faced with a lot of responsibility and challenges and at the same time very interesting and worthwhile times. If you feel that your calling is to work and give back to society, then there is nothing stopping you.

Another advice would be to have empathy in whichever work you are taking up. Civil servants have been selected to deliver services so it reaches the last person standing. Empathy also develops because you start appreciating multiple viewpoints. We all may have certain preconceived notions. But after getting selected, the mind should be open about various possibilities. This I feel is very essential to succeed.