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Should India rethink the way it selects its civil servants? Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Duvvuri Subbarao seems to think so. In an opinion piece in The Times of India, he has urged the government to rethink the selection criteria for civil servants.

Subbarao made a compelling case for reducing both the upper age limit and the number of attempts allowed for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. He also pushed for the creation of a structured mid-career entry route into the prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

'What About Those Who Fail In Civil Services Exam?'

"The civil service results for 2024 are out. Congratulations to the thousand-odd candidates who have got through what is arguably one of the most competitive exams in the world," Subbarao commended the success of new entrants. However, he was quick to shift the spotlight to the often overlooked — the ones who don't make the cut after years of preparation and repeated attempts.

"For every successful candidate, there are at least 10 others who, too, have invested years in preparation but have failed to make the grade. They are back at square one. An abysmal waste of productive years," he wrote in the TOI article.

A Vicious Cycle Of Hope And Failure

At the heart of his argument is a call to reassess the exam's eligibility norms. Currently, aspirants can attempt the exam up to six times between the ages of 21 and 32. Subbarao believes this structure inadvertently sets many young people on a long, emotionally taxing path, where the odds of success dwindle with every passing year.

He pointed to the psychological trap many fall into — the 'sunk cost fallacy': "I’ve invested so much time, money and effort. All that will go waste if I give up now. Maybe I will succeed this time round’." But in many cases, it's a cycle that drains time and potential, he explained. To prevent this, he recommended capping the number of attempts at three and reducing the upper age limit to 27.

Current Selection Criteria Rewards Those Who Master Exam Pattern 

Drawing on his own experience from the 1970s, when candidates were only allowed two attempts between the ages of 21 and 24, Subbarao argued that the system has since swung too far in the other direction. "This levelling has gone too far," he said, emphasising the need for balance. Allowing too many chances, he added, risks turning the exam into a test of strategy rather than substance. He said the current selection criteria reward those who master the exam pattern, and not necessarily those with the right aptitude.

But his vision for reforms doesn't stop there. Subbarao proposed a solution: a second, dedicated recruitment stream for professionals in their early 40s. Unlike ad-hoc lateral hires, this would be a permanent, structured entry point — an annual, competitive selection process conducted by the UPSC. 

"They can build careers elsewhere and return for another shot mid-career," he suggested. This new channel, he believes, would bring in a wealth of external experience, bridging a key gap in the current administrative setup. "Younger recruits lack exposure to the real world outside government. Tier 2 recruits will make up for these lacunae and make the civil service collectively more relevant and useful, and maybe even more caring."

Yet, he cautioned against scrapping the traditional route altogether. "There is a lot to be said for continuing to recruit young people into the IAS. They bring in youthful spirit, raw enthusiasm and unspoilt enterprise into administration."

He said the civil services exams have vastly improved over the last 50 years. "But there is still a need to push the envelope," he said.