India, April 20 -- On the eve of Civil Services Day on April 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ruled in favour of merit instead of seniority as he revamped the entire bureaucracy of the Finance, Commerce and Culture Ministries with appointment of new secretaries in the respective departments even though the incumbents have still months to retire.

Apart from Expenditure, secretaries to the other departments were appointed from the junior-most secretary empaneled 1994 batch of IAS officers, who have five years or more to serve in the government.

Apparently, the changes in the key ministries, particularly the Finance Ministry, were done amidst allegations of file bottlenecks and inability of the incumbent officers to take decisions on paper...