Dear Bharatiyas,

Especially the youth of our country,

You are energetic, strong, and capable of doing great things. On this Civil Services Day, we are writing to you with honesty—even if it feels uncomfortable—because truth is not always easy to accept.

From a very young age, many of you are conditioned to dream of joining the Civil Services, especially becoming IAS or IPS officers. Movies show you a heroic officer who can do anything, coaching (online/offline) centers and advertisements package and sell this dream—often driven more by profit than purpose—shaping aspirations to sustain their business, while society reinforces the idea that this is the ultimate success. Slowly, this thought is planted so deeply that you begin to believe it is your own dream.

But ask yourself honestly—where did this thought come from?

Is it truly yours, or has it been shaped for you?

The system we see today has roots in a structure that was designed not just for administration, but for control. A small percentage of people—intellectually strong, disciplined, and capable—are selected and placed within the system. The rest remain outside. This is not accidental.

In simple terms, society can be seen in layers. There are a very small number of elites at the top. Then comes a slightly larger group—educated professionals, administrators, officers—who serve, protect, and manage the system. And below them are the vast majority—the common people who work, produce, and sustain the country.

The civil services largely fall into that middle layer—the ones who serve and protect the structure above, while managing the population below.

This may sound harsh, but think about it.

Why is the system so competitive with so few seats?
Why are the most intellectually capable individuals filtered into it?
Why are physical strength and discipline directed into other forces, and intellectual strength into administration?

Because a system functions best when both physical and intellectual strength are organized within it.

And yes, one uncomfortable truth is this—intellectual people who question too much can become a challenge to any system. So instead of letting them remain completely outside, many are absorbed into it, given roles, responsibilities, and limits.

They are respected, but they are also structured. They serve, but they are also bound.

Even today, many sincere officers exist. They work hard, they try to bring change, and they genuinely want to serve people. But when they go strongly against the system or political power, they often face transfers, pressure, or limitations. This is a reality many people already know.

Think about this—why are the decision-makers, the leaders holding positions in government, not required to have specific qualifications or even a clean background, while those working under them must meet strict educational standards and background checks?

And if leadership is so critical, why aren’t there structured systems, serious institutions, or rigorous exams designed to prepare and select good political leaders the way we do for civil servants?

So understand clearly—being inside the system does not always mean having complete power.

Now to the aspirants,

You are working day and night, facing pressure, stress, and uncertainty. Many of you sacrifice years of your life for this one goal. But before you continue, pause and ask yourself:

Why am I running behind this?

Is it service? Is it power? Is it respect? Is it security? Or is it manipulation built over years?

You are told that clearing the UPSC exam and becoming a civil services officer, especially an IAS or IPS gives you authority, facilities, recognition, and a powerful identity. And yes, to some extent, it does. But is that the only way to serve the country?

No.

You can serve the nation as an entrepreneur by creating opportunities.
You can serve as a political leader with direct decision-making power.
You can serve society independently without being bound by hierarchy.

In fact, sometimes being outside the system gives you more freedom to act than being inside it.

We are not saying that becoming a civil services officer, is wrong. It is a respectable path. But the problem begins when it is projected as the only meaningful path, and when young minds are continuously influenced, pushed, and conditioned towards it without questioning.

Not everyone should be inside the system.

A society also needs strong, independent thinkers outside it—people who question, challenge, and push for change. If all intellectual strength is absorbed into structured roles, then who will stand outside and question the system when needed?

Now to those who are already serving,

You have worked incredibly hard to reach where you are. Years of effort and sacrifice have brought you into this position. You know the realities better than anyone else.

Remember why you started.

You did not prepare only to follow orders—you prepared to serve people. Even within limitations, your sincerity matters. Be approachable. Listen to citizens. Do your duty honestly, even when the system around you is not perfect.

And one more thing—your role does not end within the system. Many officers, after serving, step outside and try to do what they could not do from within. Some succeed, some struggle, but the intention matters.

To all the youth again,

Do not blindly follow what is shown to you.
Do not let movies, coaching industries, and social pressure define your ambition.
Do not assume that respect and purpose exist only in one career.

Think deeply.

Ask yourself what you truly want.
Ask yourself where you can make the greatest impact.
Ask yourself whether this dream is genuinely yours.

We need intellectuals inside the system, yes—but we also need intellectuals outside it. People who are free to question, to innovate, to lead without restrictions.

In the end, serving the country is not about a position, a uniform, or a title. It is about intention, awareness, and action. You can serve from anywhere.

So choose your path wisely—not out of pressure, not out of illusion, but out of clarity.

Jai Hind.

P.S. Think deeply—Why did Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose resign from the ICS, choosing struggle over power within the system? and What did he go on to achieve from outside in the fight to free our country?

Also Read:

Civil Services (Day): Then and Now — A System Designed to Serve Power, Not the People