Civil servants struggle to ensure that personal beliefs do not interfere with professional duties, said P. Manivannan, Principal Secretary in the Social Welfare Department of Karnataka.
Participating in a panel discussion on the transformation of Indian civil service skills on March 31, he cited the recent hijab controversy as a case in point. “My personal belief is different from the government’s view. I have gone by whatever the government said… that’s professional philosophy. But my personal belief keeps nagging me, and it does affect my work to some extent,” he admitted.
He stressed on the need for a safe space, where civil servants can talk openly about conflicting views.
