NEW DELHI, June 11 (Xinhua) -- India has formally opened senior-level government jobs to skilled private sector employees as an ambitious move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime to usher in a new breed of bureaucrats to overhaul governance.
A notification by the Department of Personnel and Training on Sunday says that the Indian government "invites talented and motivated Indian nationals willing to contribute towards nation building to join the government at the joint secretary level."
For the time being, the government says, it is looking for 10 outstanding individuals with expertise in the areas of revenue, financial services, economic affairs, road transport and highways, agriculture, shipping, environment, renewable energy, civil aviation and commerce.
The joint secretary level jobs are open to "individuals working at comparable levels in private sector companies, consultancy organisations, international/multinational organisations," aged 40 years or above and with a minimum of 15 years of professional experience.
However, these will be contractual recruitments, for a period of three to five years and not permanent jobs where the age of superannuation is usually 60 years.
Joint secretaries are senior-level government jobs in India that are key to policy making and implementation of government programmes.
These positions are usually occupied by career bureaucrats who join the elite Indian Administrative Service (IAS) after clearing the colonial-era Indian Civil Services examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.
However, the move to bring in private sector employees directly to senior-level government positions has evoked mixed reactions.
While opposition parties and few retired bureucrats have flayed the move, the government insists the idea is to bring in "new approaches to governance."
A retired bureaucrat Monday said, on condition of anonymity, that the joint secretary level posts are meant for trained career civil servants who get groomed through years of experience and diligent service.
"How can a private sector employee chip in there? I also have doubts over the transparent selection process," he said.
Congress party has also shown doubts on the move. "This is being done so that people who are with BJP (ruling party) and RSS (BJP's ideological mentor) come on this position and will then directly influence the decisions taken by government," party's P.L. Punia told the media.
"This is a violation of the constitution and reservation. Tomorrow they will appoint a PM and cabinet without conducting elections. They have made a joke out of the constitutions," tweeted eastern state of Bihar-based opposition Rashtraiya Janata Dal's leader Tejashwi Yadav.
However, the Indian government insists it as "an endeavour to get the best from whichever source available."
"It's motivated with focus on allowing every Indian citizen a fair chance to ensure their growth depending on their potential," junior Minister of Personnel and Training Department Jitendra Singh told the media.
India's bureaucratic system is often perceived as one of the most stifling in the world and many businesses have often complained about the obstacles and day-to-day hassles of getting things done, citing red tape as the major deterrent.