A group of IAS officers from the 2024 batch, currently serving as Assistant Secretaries in various Union Ministries and Departments, called on the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (May 20, 2026).
Addressing the IAS officers, the President said that the All India Services, especially the IAS, have played a major role in the development of our country. Now that the country has entered into a higher orbit of development, the expectations from the officers are also higher.
The President said that the young officers will have the unique opportunity to work in diverse fields. On several occasions, they will be heading teams of experts in certain specialized areas. Therefore, the scope and pace of their learning must be very wide and rapid. She underlined that their ability to adapt to different areas and situations has to be exceptional.
The President said that the neutrality of the officers will be an indicator of their fairness. Their sensitivity will be the measure of their commitment to inclusivity. Their credibility will be built on their transparency and sustained performance. Their integrity, defined by their personal and professional conduct, will give them the moral courage to act decisively in the public interest. She stated that officers have to blend compassion with rationality. They have to be sensitive without being sentimental. They have to follow the rules but not lose sight of the larger objectives.
The President said that ethics and governance are the two sides of the same coin. She underlined that the officers have to be honest and ethical. At the same time, they have to deliver results.
The President said that refraining from making a decision does not constitute morality. Rather, making the right decisions in alignment with the public interest and established order represents the true essence of morality. Just as a delay in the delivery of justice is deemed a denial of justice, so too is a delay in administrative decision-making tantamount to depriving people of their legitimate interests.
The President said that the objective of a democracy is to realize the aspirations of its people. These aspirations are articulated through their elected representatives. It is, therefore, the duty of officers to accord priority to the issues raised by these representatives in the interest of the public.
The President stated that no effort is required to simply drift along with the flowing current. To achieve the goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and to elevate our society to the pinnacle of progress, officers will often have to move forward by striving against the tide. She advised them to keep the people of India, particularly the marginalized sections of society, at the very centre of their thoughts and actions, whether they are out in the field or working in the office. She expressed confidence that they will make an invaluable contribution to the creation of a developed and inclusive India.
