The lesson ‘I want to quit the ‘I.C.S.’ is a letter written by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to DeshaBandhu Chittaranjan Das, seeking his advice, about what he should do after quitting Indian Civil service, a government service job.

The letter is written on 16 February 1921, from the Union, Society of Cambridge University. In the letter, Subhash Chandra Bose introduces himself to the ‘Deshabandu’, because he is a stranger to him.

He introduces himself as the son of Mr. Janakinath Bose who is a practising lawyer at Cuttack. His brother Mr. Sharat Chandra Bose is a barrister of Calcutta High court. He had passed his B.A. Examination with a first-class.

He had arrived at Cambridge in October 1919, and passed the Civil Service Ex-amination in August 1920 and secured a second place. After introducing himself, Subhas Bose writes that he has no desire to enter the government civil service. He is determined to enter national work after quitting Civil Service.

He assures Mr. Chittaranjan Das that he will have plenty of work to do, like teaching at the National college, established by Mr. Das and by writing and publishing books and newspapers, Organising village societies and educating the Indian masses.

He requests Mr. Das to let him know what works, he will be assigned by Mr. Das in the great programme of National service. He assures Mr. Das of his youthful enthusiasm to serve the nation. He is thankful to the Civil Service examination because it has provided him all – round education in Economics, Political Science, English, Law, Sanskrit and Geography.

He desires to give up civil services after making defhite plans of his future course because he wishes to not spend his time in aimless pursuits. He is eager to jump into the field of work at the earliest.

He has sent this letter to Mr. Das through a trusted friend, fearing censorship by the British administration and in future his correspondences will be through his trusted friend. Subhas Bose also writes that he had formed a few ideas regarding Indian National Movement. He believes that there must be a permanent meeting place, perhaps a house and that there is a need for a research group to study the various national problems.

The Propaganda Department will publish these researches in every provincial language, among the public, for free. In addition to pamphlets, a book on each and every question in the rational life and the policies of the organisation with explanation should be published.

Subhas concludes his letter by writing that such questions are not new to Mr. Das. He finally says that he feels that there was tremendous work to do in the future through the movement. His wish was to be able to contribute to the movement in every respect.