Summary of the video

Anil Swarup shares anecdotes from his 38-year long career in the Indian administrative service. He talks about how working with public corporations can be a challenge because one has to deal with corruption, the slow-moving processes of the Government as well as one’s own need to make an impact.

Mr. Swarup takes us through his time at the coal ministry, where he was instrumental in digitising the process. He talks about being made in charge of the coal ministry and being asked to work with an organisation mired in scams. He talks about transforming the coal ministry from a liability to an asset. So confident was the new coal ministry, the officers felt that could solve any problem out there.

Next Mr. Swarup tells us about being appointed Secretary of the Ministry of School Education. He shares how various entities tried to take advantage of his relative ignorance of the education sector to give him advice. He finally talks about transforming school education in India by touring 24 states and examining pedagogy and education at the district and village level. He talks about how a new model from a local school at Pashtepada was incorporated by 50,000 schools in Maharashtra to improve attendance.

He finally talks about running the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana - an insurance scheme for the poor in India and the impact it made. If you want to know how to create impact as a civil servant, check out this video.

Key Takeaways

1. In order to find a solution to any problem, you have to understand the why of a problem.
2. For an idea to fructify and sustain in a democracy like ours, it has to be politically acceptable, socially desirable, technologically feasible, financially viable, administratively doable and judicially tenable.
3. Impacting governance is tough, but it is eminently doable.
4. You’ll have to determine what your own kick is.