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In the podcast The Candid Talk, senior IAS officer Vinod Raturi spoke about the challenges within India’s bureaucratic system and questioned how independent it truly is. During the conversation with Dynamite News Editor-in-Chief Manoj Tibrewal Aakash, he discussed administrative pressures, frequent transfers, and governance issues in Uttarakhand.
New Delhi: During a podcast with Dynamite News Editor-in-Chief Manoj Tibrewal Aakash, on 'The Candid Talk', the discussion began with a reflection on how the administrative system is often perceived from the outside.
“We see the system through orders, files, transfers, and statements. But behind every order is a person, behind every file is a decision, and behind every decision lies a difficult struggle. Power does not only grant authority—it also tests one’s conscience. Is it always safe to make the right decision?”
Senior IAS officer Vinod Raturi was invited to share his thoughts and experiences on these questions during the candid conversation.
In the podcast, senior IAS officer Vinod Raturi revealed that he had earlier worked as a professor. At that time, he was pursuing a D.Phil. (Doctor of Philosophy) from the University of Allahabad. During this period, he observed that many people were preparing for the civil services, which inspired him to pursue the same path.
Raturi explained that he appeared for the Uttar Pradesh PCS examination and secured the top rank. However, due to a delay in the declaration of results, he worked as a professor in Madhya Pradesh for about a year. Later, he was selected for the administrative service and went on to serve as Additional District Magistrate (ADM) in several districts.
Vinod Raturi said that when Uttarakhand was formed on 9 November 2000, he arrived in Dehradun and assumed his duties on 11 November. He mentioned that he originally belongs to Chamoli district, and after the formation of the new state, he was given the opportunity to take up administrative responsibilities in his own region. According to him, there was a severe shortage of resources at that time, and administrative officers had to work hard to establish the state’s administrative system.
During the discussion, Raturi said that at the time of India's independence, some political leaders wanted the bureaucracy to remain under their control. He noted that before independence, administrative officers were part of the Indian Civil Service (ICS), which later became the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). He added that earlier administrative officers were considered to have greater influence and authority, but the situation has changed over time.
The IAS officer stated that working honestly within the system is not always easy. According to him, even officers who act with complete integrity often face challenges. He also pointed out that transfers are an important administrative tool used to maintain control and order within the system.
Towards the end of the discussion, Vinod Raturi said that the people of Uttarakhand have been demanding a permanent capital for the past 26 years. He appealed to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take concrete steps toward declaring Gairsain as the permanent capital during the Assembly session scheduled for 9 November 2026.
Watch the full podcast and conversation in the video.
