Seeing what happened to Rinku Singh (IAS) is so disheartening. When an officer tries to work with integrity, this is the kind of response the system gives? It makes me wonder – for all the aspirants studying day and night to join the civil services: will you still choose to stay honest knowing these risks? And if the system treats honest officers this way, how can we bring real change? Should one stick to honesty no matter what, or adapt to survive? I genuinely want to hear your thoughts.
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I don't think honesty was the only problem. There are other honest officers still serving. The system does make it tough for people who try to be upright, but not everyone quits! Maybe he was too innocent to handle the system and the people there. Just look at his face – he looks extremely innocent, perhaps that's why he couldn't cope or find his place among the hardened. I've seen a few other officers who aren't corrupt, face regular transfers and other issues, yet they keep fighting! I'm not trying to defame him or anything; this is just my observation. If someone works really hard they can crack the UPSC, but dealing with the system and the people already at the top needs something beyond hard work, honesty, and integrity.
One thing I want to say... Patience (dhairya) is the mantra of bureaucracy.
Someone named xyz got an AIR in the single digits and was posted in my district as DM. He's young; I see him in meetings and thought we were lucky to have a fresh mind as a bureaucrat. Now an engineer tells me I'm fed up with him! Turns out he wants to renovate a government hut in a tourist spot, personally picking tile colours and shades because he plans to get married and bring his wife there for a few days... This is maddening... all of them seem the same. P.S. we are a UT with zero political pressure, yet these idiots still indulge in corruption and become lazy.
People who sit around and preach honesty from outside end up taking bribes when they get a chance. I went to college thinking being honest would help, especially since IIT‑JEE toppers are praised. But every club, mess, or fest was a scam run by students. College fees are only filled by C‑category students; SC/ST are free, and the rest earn money from clubs, fests, and even selling influencer T‑shirts. Some even submit a fake annual income certificate of ₹50,000 along with a ₹50,000 iPhone to get a scholarship. If you check any Tier‑1 college subreddit you'll see accusations that placement coordinators favour their friends and even demand sex for jobs. So, work hard. This black‑white thing doesn't exist.
Stop milking this issue. Nine out of ten people will end up like his persecutors anyway.
Sometimes the system changes them, or they realize they have so much power that nobody can touch them. Imagine being treated like a king day and night; eventually you start feeling like one.
A sub‑collector forced my father to sign documents selling my grandfather's property to a real‑estate firm. I confronted the sub‑collector later; he sent local media goons to threaten me. Don't think these babus will help, no matter what rank they have or how polite they look outside. Honest officers like Rinku Singh are a threat to the whole ecosystem.
He's the only straight‑talking IAS officer who got fed up with the system and quit.
For a few months I worked as a personal assistant to an IAS officer in northeast India (I can't mention his name or designation because he's still in service). It's heartbreaking to see him try so hard to bring positive changes to our district, especially regarding job opportunities, only to be blocked by red‑tape, politicians, and even his own seniors. Even though it's difficult, he keeps trying. He once told me he will keep pushing until he succeeds or the government finally transfers him. There are thousands of corrupt, downright despicable officers, but seeing him – a good and brave person – gives me hope that honest officers are still trying to change the system however they can. And when I crack the exam myself, I can follow in his footsteps.
Good for him for standing by his moral standards; most people would fold in a crisis.