-Devendra Kumar Budakoti
In British period, the feudal system was promoted to collect revenue from the individuals and from group of villages, with Landlords-Zamindars ans also called Choudhary is some parts of India. These Zamindars and big choudharys had plethora of servants, helpers to assist them in various activities at home and official residences.
The British civil servants, military and other Indian officials also enjoyed similar services. All the helping staff, Peon-Chaprasi, and other helping staff are now clubbed under fourth class employees in post independent India, a more respected term. Post independent India continued the pattern of appointment in government offices and also in Public Sector Understandings-PSUs.
The corporate world has the same pattern, though they call it ‘Office-Boy’ and most corporate and PSUs have outsourced this task, under the hotel management system, calling it ‘House-Keeping’ . But the mind set has not changed even in private sector, by having a person to move files, serve water and tea, despite having a ‘Pantry System’ in place.
We have this feudal system even in middle class home in India, as the ‘House-keeping’ is done by full or part time servant and a maid to clean, mop and clean utensils, otherwise the men and women of the house will easily say, Muje Naukar/Naukarni bana rakha hai.! . And this very able men and women when living abroad, will do all these activities by themselves, as they will have to pay the helping hand in hourly basis, Of course some families will call their mother or mother-in-laws to help them will caretaking jobs of their newly born child.
Sanjay Tiwari, who is an Advisor with the Government of British Columbia’s Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, observes that India’s bureaucratic legacy of ‘Class IV employees’—chaparassis, peons, and drivers—was deeply rooted in colonial-era feudal hierarchies, where personal attendants symbolized rank as much as they served practical needs.
In contrast, he notes, Canada’s public service evolved differently: while support roles such as clerks, orderlies, and maintenance staff certainly existed, they were tied to operational efficiency rather than to reinforcing subordination. Over time, Canada’s bureaucracy was shaped by unionization, collective bargaining, and an emphasis on meritocracy, which reduced personal servitude and left hierarchy to be managed through pay scales and professional classifications instead. Tiwari argues that this divergence illustrates how India retained stronger feudal residues in its everyday bureaucracy, whereas Canada moved toward a more egalitarian—though still hierarchical—administrative culture.
When the Government of India in New Delhi, shifted its offices to its new location in Central Vista, the senior sub-ordinate officer showed their discontentment in writing, as they were not allotted separate cabins, as they enjoyed earlier, what does this mindset portrays.
Back home labour is cheap and most middle class homes in India has a part time maid to sweep, mop and wash the utensils. I was told by a grandmother, that once when she told her grandson, to sweep the front lawn which had some twigs scattered around, the grandson replied, grandma, that is why I am doing engineering for. Imagine how, feudal mind set has cropped up in India.
Menial jobs done at home is generally abhorred in urban middle class homes. But when it comes to seeking appointment in fourth class employment, we can see applicant with Masters, Ph.D degree in queue, just because of Pay, Perks, Privilege, and some form of Pension. Sadly our private sector could not compete with even the fourth class appointments, in all these years. No wonder everyone wants a government jobs
In the coming days, we will surely see the contracting out the task of ‘Room Services’ and ‘House Keeping’ and with the ‘Online System’ already having made an entry and soon officers may come to their office in their personal vehicles. Can we then expect, Feudalism in mind and in operations, coming to a gradual end, with technological advancement and use of ‘AI-Artificial Intelligence’ ?
