A LinkedIn post by senior IAS officer Ajitabh Sharma (IAS:1996:RJ), now Principal Secretary in Rajasthan’s Energy Department, has stirred conversation in bureaucratic circles across the state and the country. In the post, Sharma observed that IAS officers spend over 80 per cent of their time doing “non-core work”, a comment that, though written in a lighter tone, has drawn serious attention.
He described “non-core work” as generic meetings, HR issues, litigation, RTI compliance, media responses, and routine correspondence—tasks that, while necessary, detract from an officer’s primary role in sector-specific governance.
“I call this ‘Non-Core Work,” Sharma wrote, adding that it leaves little time for departments’ mission-driven objectives. He argued that administrative culture often treats all assignments within the IAS are equally challenging, which, in his view, leads to neglect of specialised departmental goals.
Sharma emphasized that core work—focused on sectors like water, energy, education, and health—requires deeper engagement and has more lasting impact. He warned that ignoring these responsibilities can create a “false sense of being an expert administrator” and harm service delivery.
Reflecting on his new role, Sharma resolved to flip the current pattern by dedicating 80 per cent of his time to core work in the Energy Department. “This department essentially needs greater emphasis on core work,” he noted.
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