Top IAS Officer Quits, Cites Emotional Toll of Administrative Work

Divya Mittal, an officer from the Indian Administrative Service with academic credentials from the Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Management, has stepped down from her position, bringing to light the personal costs of administrative work in India's civil service. Mittal's decision to resign marks a rare case of a highly qualified civil servant exiting the prestigious IAS cadre. In her resignation statement, Mittal reflected on her tenure in the service, describing the emotional complexities of her role in implementation and governance work. A defining moment in her decision, according to her account, was witnessing an elderly woman bow her head in gratitude upon witnessing the arrival of water—a gesture that encapsulated both the weight of responsibility and the human dimension of public service. The resignation underscores broader questions about burnout and job satisfaction within India's administrative ranks, where officers balance the demands of governance with the personal toll of serving rural and underserved communities. Mittal's exit from the IAS represents a notable instance of top-tier talent departing the civil service, raising discussions about retention and work conditions within the government bureaucracy.