Kumar is working as Tahshildar in a remote backward tehsil. He got this job after exhausting all but one his UPSC civil services attempts and then trying his best in state services. He had reached UPSC interview stage 4 times and was confident of getting into All India services. Meanwhile he made very good friends among whom many cleared and got into IAS/IPS/IRS. As a last resort he took state civil services exam seriously and cleared it in his first attempt. Now working as Tahsildar, he has to report to one of his close friends who is now deputy collector. He notices that his friend is now not as close as he used to be then. Kumar is treated like everyone in public meetings. Kumar’s expectation of having private meeting with deputy collector also have been in vain. Kumar wants long leave from his job to focus on his last attempt. He is aware that similar requests by other batchmates were turned down harshly by the deputy collector. Kumar privately confides in his wife about his frustrations and his disappointment with his friend’s attitude. 

a) Do you support deputy collector’s attitude? Justify.

b) In situation like this, how should Kumar behave himself? 

c) If deputy collector doesn’t give permission to Kumar to go for leave, what options Kumar could explore? Discuss the merits and demerits of these options.