Ajitabh Sharma, a 1996-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, has sparked a conversation on LinkedIn with his candid take on the often-overlooked realities of civil service work culture.
Now appointed as Principal Secretary, Energy Department, Government of Rajasthan, Sharma shared reflections on how bureaucrats spend most of their time away from what he calls “core work.”
In a post that has struck a chord with many, Sharma writes, “In IAS, any assignment ain’t no difficult! I have often heard colleagues creating this narrative in governance.” But he adds with characteristic wit, “I’ve always found it difficult—not because of the assignment, but because of this narrative.”
“Non-Core Work”: The hidden load
According to Sharma, more than 80% of an officer’s time is consumed by “non-core work”, tasks that are routine but time-consuming. These include attending interdepartmental meetings, dealing with litigation, replying to RTIs, handling HR issues, responding to news clippings, and compiling reports.
“These common-to-all-departments tasks are important,” he notes. “But they leave you with little time for the core work, which is uniquely different in every department—be it Water, Energy, Health, Roads or Social Justice.”
He warns that getting caught up in the cycle of non-core duties can give a “false sense of being an expert administrator”, while the actual service delivery suffers.
“Core work is the real challenge”
Sharma defines “core work” as the technical, strategic and department-specific functions that require deep domain knowledge and long-term focus. In his new role in the Energy Department, he plans to flip the current model.
“The resolution this time is to reverse the scenario and dedicate 80% of my time to the core work!” Sharma announced.
A refreshing perspective
His post, which has gained traction among bureaucrats and private sector professionals alike, offers a rare window into the internal functioning of India’s administrative machinery. At a time when efficiency and delivery in governance are under constant scrutiny, Sharma’s call for prioritising meaningful, department-specific work comes as a timely reminder.
He ends the post with a note of responsibility and determination:
“Taken over my new assignment as Principal Secretary, Energy Department, Government of Rajasthan.”
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