State and Government in Ancient India c16.143

c16.143

In conclusion, we shall say a few words about the recruitment of officers to these different departments. Many of them, *e..g*, those who worked in the commerce or mining departments, required high technical qualifications and Smṛitis emphasise that only those who were specially qualified for them should be appointed after a thorough test.¹ Śukra goes a step further and suggests that the state should give scholarships for training young men for the different techinical posts.² Birth and high connection must have counted then, as they count now, in the selection to posts where no special training was necessary; the subsequent career must have depended largely on the merit of the new entrant.