Question : EXECUTIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR EMPANELMENT OF OFFICERS

(a) whether the Government has issued executive instructions to maintain a gap of two years between IAS and the Group ‘A’ Central Services and the other two All India Services for empanelment of officers at the level of Joint Secretary/ Additional Secretary/Secretary under the Central Staffing Scheme;

(b) if so, the rationale behind it;

(c) whether such a gap is even more in cases where IAS officers of 1988/89 batch already stand empanelled as Joint Secretary while officers of other Services belonging to 1982/83 batch are yet awaiting for their empanelment;

(d) if so, whether there is any proposal to remove such disparities; and

(e) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE AND MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (SHRI PRITHVIRAJ CHAVAN)

(a): Yes, Sir.

(b): The IAS is considered the premier Civil Service, consistently attracting the best among those who take the Civil Services Examination every year. The IAS officers serve in a wide variety of positions starting from the grassroots through the District, State to Central Government level. Their work experience covers social,economic and developmental aspects of our polity. These unique attributes of an IAS officers make him more eligible for higher level assignments in the Central Government ahead of members of the other Central Group ‘A’ Services.

(c) & (d): While the instructions provide for a two-year differential between the IAS and other Group ‘A’ service officers, the actual gap can, sometimes, be more depending on a variety of factors. These include delayed receipt of proposals from the Cadre Controlling Authorities or names of officers, complete in all respects. Efforts are being made by some of the cadre controlling authorities to submit proposals, complete in all respects in terms of conditions laid down under the Scheme, for more than one batch, which is expected to bridge the gap between IAS and such Services in line with the provisions under the Central Staffing Scheme.

(e) : The clearance of backlog by concerned Cadre Controlling Authority is likely to bridge the gap between IAS and other Services in line with the provisions under the Central Staffing Scheme.