Most state governments in India shy away from shaping up by taking a fresh look at the usefulness of positions and departments. It is just too messy and complicated to begin reassessing what people do in their official capacities. Many have outlived their relevance, but who will actually get down to saying so? Stenos, for instance, are still hired, but what do they really do in these times?

Much of the problem lies in the moribund General Administration Department (Services), which follows archaic rules framed in the 1960s and a service book written under the British in 1935.