For most Indians, the path to the country’s top executive office is well known. Aspirants spend years preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, hoping to join the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS) or other elite civil services. Once selected, these officials become part of the permanent bureaucracy, serving governments of different political parties throughout their careers.The United States, however, follows a very different model. There is no equivalent of IAS, no UPSC-style national examination, and no single administrative cadre to run the country. However, the American system has developed its own balance between political leadership and bureaucratic continuity.Why the new US president will bring thousands of new officialsOne of the most striking features of the American system is the high number of political appointments at the top levels of government.After every presidential election, the incoming president has the power to appoint individuals to thousands of high-level positions in the federal government. These include cabinet secretaries, deputy ministers, ambassadors, agency administrators, policy advisors and other leadership roles.For decades, experts and government guidelines have estimated that approximately 4,000 federal positions require some form of presidential appointment. Many of these officials are willing to serve the president and are expected to resign when the administration changes.That’s why a change in the White House often results in a major shakeup of leadership in Washington. However, it would be incorrect to assume that the entire bureaucracy is replaced every four years.Interestingly, recent editions of the U.S. government’s famous Plum Blossom Book—a publication that lists political appointees and other senior leadership positions—contain approximately 8,000 to 9,000 positions. Not all of these were direct presidential appointments, but the book illustrates the scale at which a change in administration can affect leadership positions.The 2 million workforce that keeps the government runningBeneath the political leadership lies the true engine of the American state: the professional civil service.The federal government employs more than 2 million (approximately 2 million) civilian workers, and they will continue to serve regardless of which party controls the White House. These employees include economists, engineers, scientists, lawyers, auditors, case managers, health care professionals, and administrative specialists.Unlike political appointees, these officials are recruited through a merit-based process and are expected to maintain continuity across administrations. Whether a Republican or Democratic president is in office, they will continue to enforce laws, administer welfare programs, regulate industry, collect taxes, and provide public services.This permanent workforce ensures that government departments can continue to operate even during political transitions. In many cases, career officials provide institutional memory and technical expertise to newly appointed political leaders.India and the United States: two different models of governanceIndia and the United States have adopted different approaches to balancing politics and administration.India’s system is built around a permanent civil service recruited through competitive examinations. Irrespective of the election results, officers of departments like IAS remain part of the administrative structure. Constitutional protections and established service rules provide stability and continuity.On the other hand, the United States allows elected leaders to have greater influence on the upper levels of government through political appointments. At the same time, a vast career bureaucracy of approximately 2 million federal employees provides the continuity needed to keep government agencies running.The result is a two-tier system: a political leadership that can change with elections, and a permanent professional layer that remains essentially the same. Despite wide structural differences, both countries ultimately rely on career civil servants to ensure smooth governance, no matter who wins the next election.
