No IAS, no UPSC: How America's bureaucracy works without a permanent elite cadre

India’s IAS-led bureaucracy is often compared with the United States, where no UPSC-style examination or IAS equivalent exists. Instead, a new US President can appoint roughly 4,000 political officials, while leadership positions listed in the government’s Plum Book number around 8,000–9,000. However, administrative continuity is maintained by a permanent federal workforce of more than 20 lakh civilian employees. The article explains how America’s two-layered system balances political change with bureaucratic stability.

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