PM Modi should consider if India needs more managers over administrators in governance: Infosys' Narayana Murthy

Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy (file photo)

Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy called for a shift in India’s governance from an “administrative mindset” to a “management mindset.” The tech titan suggested that introducing more managers into public duties, instead of relying solely on traditional administrators, could be key to achieving India's vision of a $50-trillion economy by 2047.

“It's about learning from our competitors, exactly so in terms of accelerating our economy, we want to look at whether we need more of managers in the government, rather than administrators,” Murthy said at the CNBC-TV18 Global Leadership Summit.

A management-focused approach could bring "speed, imagination, and excellence" to decision-making and the implementation of policies across India’s public sector, he said.

Murthy believes that while an administrative approach focuses on maintaining the "status quo," a management approach would be more towards ambition, competitiveness, and efficiency. While administration is all about status quo, management is about "vision, high aspiration… achieving the plausibly impossible."

Murthy highlighted some key qualities that a management approach could bring to the public sector including "cost control," "raising the confidence of people," "learning from competitors," and "making things happen quickly."

MBA’s to run the country?

Murthy proposed that the government could consider hiring more managers with formal training, rather than solely relying on administrators selected through the current IAS examination system.

As part of his suggested reforms, Murthy advocated for recruiting candidates from management institutes across the country. These individuals could receive specialised training in Mussoorie, which is where IAS officers in the making are trained, focusing on critical management skills such as "decision-making under uncertainty," "creating competitive advantages," "strategic thinking," and "project management."

The 79-year-old believes that equipping these management recruits with practical skills, including "workflow management" and "simulation," would prepare them to address complex challenges in governance with a solutions-oriented mindset.

Further, Murthy suggested that these management-trained individuals should be assigned to specific fields such as agriculture, defense, and infrastructure to build subject-matter expertise over their careers.

He pointed to practices in some developed nations, where public sector employees spend decades building specialised expertise in a single area. Murthy argued that having officials with long-term experience and deep specialisation in a particular field would enhance India's public sector capability.

Moreover, Murthy proposed utilising private-sector expertise by establishing a committee of intellectuals and industry leaders who have demonstrated significant achievements in their fields.

He suggested that the chair of this committee hold a position equivalent to a cabinet minister, creating a bridge between the private sector and the government. This committee, Murthy explained, would play a key role in decision-making by collaborating with ministers and bureaucrats on major policy initiatives.