"Administration should be measured by outcomes on the ground rather than by expenditure." In light of this, discuss the reforms needed to make civil services outcome-driven and future-ready for Viksit Bharat.

At UPSC's centenary 'Manthan' (2026), UPSC Member Suman Sharma argued that administration should be judged by results on the ground, not money spent. She urged officials to move from "procedural excuses" to proactive facilitation [1]. Viksit Bharat needs this shift: a rupee spent is only an input, while a child who can read is an outcome. Getting there means reforming the whole career of a civil servant.

Why outlay-based administration falls short

• Spending budgets and clearing files become ends in themselves, so process compliance replaces problem-solving.
• The 2nd ARC found that government systems only "appraise" performance and do not "manage" it. The ACR has gaps as an appraisal tool [2].

Reforms needed

1. Performance and accountability

• Replace ACRs with goal-linked performance management built on measurable targets, as the 2nd ARC recommended [2].
• Shift "from authority to accountability", and build capacity below Group A, where most of the administrative machinery sits [1].

2. Work culture

• Encourage cross-departmental working, intelligent risk-taking and decisiveness, as the CDS stressed, especially as civil and military roles converge [1].
• Protect decisions taken in good faith, so that officers are not afraid to act.

3. Technology

• Use AI, data analytics and digital architecture to reduce bureaucratic friction and let government respond in real time [1].

4. Recruitment and talent

• Exams should reward reasoning and judgement under ambiguity, not coached model answers [1].
• Draw recruits from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and aspirational districts, and at younger ages [1].
• Bring in domain experts through lateral entry, with UPSC running an objective, merit-based selection [3]. The 2nd ARC also backed setting aside certain posts for outside talent [2].

5. Ethics and federal capacity

• Ground public service in Antyodaya (serving the last person first) and Nishkama Karma (duty without seeking reward) [1].
• UPSC's proposed Centre of Excellence would share best practice with State PSCs [4].

An outcome-driven civil service needs better recruitment, measured performance, enabling technology and an ethic of service. As UPSC's Chairman put it, institutions must "change what needs to change" while merit, fairness and equal opportunity stay fixed [1][5]. If the 2nd ARC's recommendations are carried out in full, a citizen-centric Sevak bureaucracy can drive the move to Viksit Bharat @2047.