NEW DELHI, July 22 -- One of my friends, Dr VP Joy, retired as Chief Secretary of Kerala last year. Many decades ago, he had his first on-the-job training when he was attached to the then-District Collector of Kottayam, Shri KJ Alphons. The latter rose in his career and became Secretary in Kerala, only to quit the service to become an MLA and, later, Union Minister.

IAS probationers are attached to an IAS officer for some time. I learned about this practice when I visited Singhbhum in what was South Bihar, now Jharkhand. I was staying in the state guest house there, and a young IAS probationer was posted there.

He was an MBBS doctor and told me about his job there. He would accompany the District Magistrate on his tours. Otherwise, he w...