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.
Since the mid-20th century, the term "babu" has been used disparagingly in India's media to refer to high-ranking civil servants, particularly those in the IAS, as well as other government officials.