In
British India,
baboo often referred to a native Indian clerk. The word was originally used as a term of respect attached to a proper name, the equivalent of "mister", and "babuji" was used in many parts to mean "sir" as an address of a gentleman; their life-style was also called "baboo culture" often also humorously appealed as "babuism". The British officials treated baboos as workers who had both Indian and British connections. 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.{{cite web| title = Babu|work=Collins English Dictionary| url = http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/babudom ==Other uses==