Government job - what's it like inside?

Long back alagu wanted me to write on a typical govt. job in general or about ISRO work culture in particular . So here it goes. But before I proceed i would like to clarify that Govt job here doesn't refer to all those public sector undertakings, corporations etc etc. And on top of it i don't want to argue on this issue.

Govt job as of today has lost its sheen particularly because it doesn't pay as much as it used to in the bygone era of the British India. But even for ppl who think money or rather remuneration is not a big deal, the challenges that a Govt job offer are fewer in terms of technical problems and more in terms of adaptability.

I joined ISRO because i thought i would have some type of research work to carry out. If not original path breaking research, at least a precious little that i could atleast remotely term as research. But i am unfortunately i cannot term my work here as anything of that sort. All we do in India is REVERSE ENGINEERING Do not come to conclusions from my views alone. Ask other patriots, who read papers and articles in magazines and they will tel u that India is developing Cryogenic Engines and all such new technology for the space age. Initially i used to believe all that crap but now that i am an insider i know better. I can tell u only so much without jeopardizing my commitment to the organization I work for.

So much for the technical side but the real challenge is the adaptability. To get yourself in tune with the govt machinery, requires lot of sacrifices. Hundreds of rules. Some of them so old that they possess no relevance as such in today's scenario. But there is no mechanism to review all that. because no one wants to take the pains.

And the monetary benefit is almost nothing to talk of. A pay commission to study the need for a raise. And they take their own time to submit the report. When it is submitted all that a hike provides is a trifling 3k or 4k. This hike is easily matched by a software firm's yearly hike or even half yearly in some cases if am not mistaken. But NEWS channels inflate figures and project that Govt employees are getting a 21 pc hike above what the pay commission recommends. Bull shit. No doubt the tax payer gets irked. Politicians loot the public money, squander it for their personal use, but to ppl a meagre hike seems a big deal. Thank you.

Govt needs a image make over. Jus advertising that ISRO or DRDO employs cutting edge technology is not enuf. There should be real investment in such areas. India shall talk of becoming a super power. But without the committed contribution of such research organizations it will fall short of any vision.

I quite realise that this post doesn't totally cover all the aspects of a govt job but this atleast represents my contentions.