'Stay ethical, avoid temptation': FM Sitharaman's advice to UPSC achievers

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses 2024 UPSC batch in Chennai, urging officers to uphold integrity, avoid unethical gains and specialise early in their careers

Addressing the 2024 batch of UPSC Civil Services Examination achievers at an academy in Chennai on 3 May, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged the new entrants into India’s bureaucracy to maintain ethical standards and resist the lure of unethical gains. She cautioned them against developing a false sense of impunity simply because they are posted far from Delhi.

 

“It’s easy to be drawn in by small but tempting opportunities,” Sitharaman said, reminding the young officers that India’s administrative machinery is closely connected and highly observant. “The bureaucracy is strong and well-networked. It knows which young officer is performing exceptionally, even in remote parts of the country—and equally, who might be causing issues.”

 

 

She emphasised that the system keeps a close watch on every officer: “It’s incredibly efficient in monitoring all of you.”

 

Sitharaman also highlighted the traditionally modest nature of India’s bureaucratic presence during international negotiations, noting how it contrasts with large foreign delegations.

 

Urging the aspirants to build a defined area of expertise early in their careers, she stressed the importance of becoming known for a specialisation. “Don’t end up being a lifetime burden on Indian taxpayers,” she said.

 

Commending the Tamil Nadu cadre for its historical excellence in producing top-tier civil servants, Sitharaman expressed concern over the relatively low selection numbers from the state—only 915 candidates from Tamil Nadu cleared the civil services between 2011 and 2024. “That’s not a large number, in my view,” she remarked.