Since the mid-20th century, the term babu is frequently used pejoratively to refer to bureaucrats of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and other government officials, especially by the Indian media, while the Indian bureaucracy is called "babudom", as in the "rule of babus", especially in India's media.
The term "babu" is often employed derogatorily to denote Indian Administrative Service (IAS) bureaucrats and other government officials, especially by the Indian press.