Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan. | Photo credit: ANI
Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan said on Thursday (April 2, 2026) that future leadership in the civil service will be defined by competence and “not just service”.
The Cabinet Secretary said that while career progression in the civil service may appear to follow a natural upward path driven by seniority, achieving positions of real responsibility is increasingly dependent on competence and ability to deliver. He drew an analogy, noting that while “seniority can act as a force that propels a career upward, it is ability that determines how far one really rises.”
Addressing senior officials during the ‘Karmayogi Sadhana Saptah’, he said that building a strong culture of learning in government institutions crucially depends on leadership.
The Government of India has launched ‘Karmayogi Sadhana Saptah’, a national education initiative under the Karmayogi Mission to enhance the capability, commitment and citizen-centric orientation of public servants across the country.
PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, said that ‘Sadhana Saptah’ reinforces the shift towards capable, engaged and citizen-centric civil services. He noted that capacity building has evolved from limited rule-based training to an anytime, anywhere continuous learning system. He emphasized the shift from rule-based management to role-based management, where competence, behavior and service orientation are central to the process.
Published – 02 Apr 2026 23:28 IST
