Leadership in civil services reflects what the Nolan Principles describe as “selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.”

As Max Weber argued, public administration requires leaders who combine legal authority with ethical responsibility.

In India, officers like T.N. Seshan, who transformed election processes, and Armstrong Pame, who built the “People’s Road,” show that civil servants are not just administrators—they are public leaders who inspire trust, mobilise communities, and uphold constitutional values.

Role of a Civil Servant as a Leader

• Vision Setting and Policy Guidance

1. 1. 1. Using a “transformational leadership” approach, civil servants create a long-term vision aligned with constitutional morality.
      2. They provide evidence-based advice, as seen in T.S.R. Subramanian’s education reforms or Sreedharan’s leadership in metro development.

• Effective Implementation of Government Schemes

1. 1. 1. They coordinate departments, solve bottlenecks, and ensure last-mile delivery.
      2. Successful leaders apply Peter Drucker’s management principles: clarity of objectives, accountability, and performance orientation.

• Crisis and Disaster Management

1. 1. 1. As crisis leaders, they demonstrate calm, rapid decision-making, and public reassurance.
      2. During COVID-19, several DMs—e.g., Dr. Shailendra Singh (Jharkhand)—used tech-driven containment and community outreach.

• Ethical Leadership and Integrity

1. 1. 1. Gandhi’s idea of “be the change” applies strongly: civil servants must lead by personal example, fairness, and transparency.
      2. Ethical leadership reduces corruption and strengthens institutional trust, seen in Ashok Khemka’s principled stands.

• Team Building & Human Resource Management

1. 1. 1. Drawing from Mary Parker Follett’s idea of “power with, not power over,” officers empower teams, encourage innovation, and resolve conflicts.
      2. Good leaders create motivated teams capable of delivering quality public services.

• Bridging the Government-Citizen Gap

1. 1. 1. Civil servants act as the face of government, promoting participation, grievance redressal, and trust.
      2. Sagun Sarkar’s “Public Hearing Camps” in Rajasthan enhanced participatory governance.

• Change Management and Innovation

1. 1. 1. They lead reforms by adopting digital governance (e-office, DBT), new service models, and behavioural nudges.
      2. Example: IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal’s land record reforms improved transparency.

• Upholding Rule of Law

1. 1. 1. Leaders ensure impartial enforcement despite pressures—upholding Weberian neutrality and constitutional morality.
      2. T.N. Seshan’s crackdown on electoral malpractices is a classic illustration.

• Promoting Social Justice and Equity

1. 1. They safeguard vulnerable groups, ensure inclusive delivery, and address socio-economic barriers.
   2. “Antyodaya” as a Gandhian principle guides efforts toward the last and the least.

As Chanakya said, “The king’s happiness lies in the happiness of his subjects.” In modern democracy, it is the civil servant, not the king, who embodies this duty.

A civil servant’s leadership is therefore not defined by authority alone, but by ethical conduct, people-centric decision-making, constitutional commitment, and the courage to reform systems.

When civil servants lead with vision, integrity, and empathy, they strengthen governance, deepen democracy, and create lasting impact on society.