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Ajitabh Sharma, a former IAS officer, pointed out that nearly 80% of their work involves Non-Core tasks, leaving little time for the real work that helps departments grow.
Former IAS officer believes not every task is the same. (Photo Credit: LinkedIn)
Ajitabh Sharma, a senior IAS officer from the 1996 Rajasthan cadre, has sparked a conversation about how civil servants spend their time, raising concerns about the growing burden of what he calls “Non-Core Work.” In a recent post on LinkedIn, Sharma pointed out that nearly 80% of an IAS officer’s day is consumed by routine administrative tasks, leaving little room for meaningful work that drives real progress in departments.
According to Sharma, a significant portion of officers’ time goes into attending generic meetings involving multiple departments, managing human resource issues, handling legal matters, responding to RTI queries, addressing news clippings, and preparing endless reports and correspondence. While these duties are part of the job, he believes they often distract officers from their core mission—creating impactful changes and improving governance.
Challenging the common notion among officers that “all assignments are equally tough,” Sharma stated that not every task holds the same weight or complexity. “Each assignment comes with its own level of difficulty and importance,” he noted.
The former IAS officer shared that “These common to all department tasks that are usual, customary and repeated are important though. But they leave you with little time for the Core Work. And this Core Work is uniquely different for each department, for each sector, Water, Energy, Industry, Urban, Rural, Roads, Agriculture, Health, Education, Social Justice, etc, and the list goes on. Getting overwhelmed by the non-core work, which you do for decades and decades, would not only give you a false sense of being an ‘Expert Administrator,’ but also take your department on a downward slide in service delivery as well, in the long run.”
Ajitabh Sharma shared that “Handling the Core Work of the department” is where the real challenge lies and it’s also where an officer can make a real difference. He adds that during his career, he has handled many difficult roles and the Energy Department is one where the focus should be more on the main responsibilities. So, he has now decided to change how he works and spend most of his time on the important tasks that matter the most.
Reacting to the post, a user wrote, “Difference between only keeping busy and also doing what is needed.”
Another shared, “No doubt that you’ll be able to reverse this trend. Having had some wonderful conversations with you over the past year, I’ve realised that you are one of the very few senior bureaucrats in the country who believe in first looking inwards and then outwards – a mark of a true leader. You made Rising Rajasthan successful and we are sure you’ll transform the energy sector of the state too! Best wishes for your new assignment.”
“Your distinction between core and non-core work truly resonates. Prioritising core responsibilities is essential for impactful governance and long-term systemic improvements,” a comment read.
An individual stated, “IAS is one of the most challenging jobs. Personally believe the brains which actually move a country still have a lot to offer to citizens.”
Another mentioned, “It takes real leadership to acknowledge the reality of non-core demands—and even more to pivot toward core impact.”
One more added, “The post came after Ajitabh Sharma became the Principal Secretary of the Energy Department of Rajasthan.”
Ajitabh Sharma’s post came soon after he was appointed as the Principal Secretary of the Energy Department in the Rajasthan government.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
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Delhi, India, India
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