Time to Say Goodbye to Clerks, & Hello to Secretariat Assistants?

Here’s what changes would take place if our clerks are re-designated as secretariat assistants.

Spot the difference. (Photo: The Quint)

Sala main toh sahab ban gaya, sahab banake kaisa than gaya… That’s what the modest clerk would soon hum to himself, if he is re-designated as a secretariat assistant. This up-gradation will happen if a proposal of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) goes through.

Why another angrezi name? What happened to sachivalaya sahiyogi? Aren’t we encouraging desi-isms any more?

But the suggestion to rechristen our babus made The Quint think about the changes this re-designation will bring.

Suit-boot Ki Sarkar

A paan-chewing, chappal-wearing, files-bearing babu who waits outside the office, crushing tobacco leaves on his palm, pretending to be busy. Meet your typical clerk, who we’ve watched on television screens, met outside the principal’s office, banks and other government offices. Now imagine our good ‘ol clerk transformed into a suit boot clad office assistant – his chappals replaced with shoes, paan with chewing gum, and scattered paper work with a fancy laptop. Oh Babuji dheere chalna, secretariat seh zaara sambhalna…

Chai-paani

We are not suggesting that all babus take bribes under the table, or ask for some chai-paani, or are perennially associated with our red-tapism. What we’re saying is how things might change once our babus turn into secretariat assistants. To keep their images clean, now all they’ll ask you to do is transfer the money online, maybe hand over a few cheques under the table, or pay for their fuels. Or better still, buy them onions!

Goodbye Clerical Work?

Let’s admit it, we are no big fans of clerical work. Don’t think the babus are either. But with the re-designation, what would happen to good ’ol clerical work? Clearly, it will no longer suit the re-designated secretariat assistant. After all, if you are elevating the designation, then so should their job descriptions. So from clerical work it will soon be called the secretariat work? Sounds chic, but not babuish.