The recent viral video involving an IAS officer and a JKAS officer during an official meeting in Jammu and Kashmir has understandably generated widespread outrage. What should have been a professional discussion about administrative performance reportedly descended into verbal abuse, threats and assertions of authority. The incident has since prompted the Jammu and Kashmir government to order a formal inquiry into the alleged misconduct. Yet beyond determining individual responsibility, the controversy raises deeper questions about bureaucratic power, professional dignity and the society that places civil servants on such a high pedestal.

Every year, thousands of young people spend some of the most productive years of their lives preparing for civil services examinations. Success requires intelligence, perseverance, discipline and considerable sacrifice. Those who qualify undoubtedly deserve recognition. Yet what is particularly striking is how enthusiastically society celebrates this achievement. Photographs appear in newspapers, congratulatory messages flood social media, and entire communities rejoice. Even people who have never met the successful candidate celebrate as though an extraordinary contribution to society has already been made.

But what exactly are we celebrating? The hard work required to clear an examination, the prospect of future public service, or the prestige and authority associated with the position?

There is nothing wrong with celebrating academic or professional success. The problem begins when qualifying for public service is mistaken for having served the public. From childhood, many aspirants are encouraged to associate civil services with status, influence and societal respect. Far less emphasis is placed on the responsibilities accompanying these positions. This is not to question the sincerity of every aspirant, many genuinely wish to improve society. But when the acquisition of a prestigious position becomes the ultimate achievement, the purpose for which that position exists risks becoming........

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