Source: Data provided by the MoS in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions & MoS in Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on March 23.
Short fall of 1,515 officers across India
Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 26
Nagaland Government is running short of 35 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, while there were a total of 1,515 such cases across India, the Lok Sabha was informed on March 23.
Out of authorised strength 94 IAS officers under Nagaland cadre, 59 were in ‘in-position,’ indicating a shortfall of 35 officers as of January 1, 2021, highlighted data provided by the Minister of State(MoS) in Prime Minister's Office & Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh. The shortage is over 23% of the sanctioned strength.
Across the country, out of sanctioned strength of 6746 IAS cadres, 5131 were ‘in-position’, signifying a shortage of 1,515 or over 22% lower than the authorised strength, added the written reply from the MoS to queries raised by Hibi Eden, a LS member from Kerala.
The total authorised strength comprised of Senior Duty Posts (SDP), Central Deputation Reserve (40% of SDP), State Deputation Reserve (25% of SDP), Training Reserve (3.5% of SDP), Leave Reserve & Junior Reserve (16.5% of SDP), it added.
GoI strategies to meet shortfall
As per the MoS, the Government of India(GoI) has taken number of strategies to meet the shortfall including the increase in the annual intake of IAS officers to 180 through Civil Services Examination (CSE) till CSE-2021.
The GoI has also constituted a Committee for recommending the intake of Direct Recruit IAS officers every year through CSE from CSE-2022 to CSE-2030, Dr Singh informed.
As far as Indian Police Service (IPS) is concerned, intake of IPS (RR officers) through CSE (Civil Services Examination) has been increased from 150 to 200 from CSE-2020, he said.
Further, filling up of vacancies through induction from State Services is a continuous process and Selection Committee Meetings are held by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) with the State Governments, he added.
Meanwhile, on questions of whether the Central Government had sent a letter to all the State Governments seeking opinion on the proposed amendment of the IAS (Cadre) Rules, 1954 and whether it is a bid to subvert the States’ authority guaranteed by the Constitution, Dr Singh replied that Cadre Rules of all three All India Services - IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service - contain provisions governing the central deputation.
However, State Governments have not been sponsoring adequate number of officers for central deputation, he pointed out.
Accordingly, in terms of the provisions contained in Section 3 of All India Services Act, 1951, comments have been sought from States/UTs on a proposal to amend Rule 6(1) of respective cadre rules, he added.
