Centre To Set Up A Panel To Assess Shortage Of IAS Officers

Given the increasing shortage of Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officers in the Indian bureaucracy, the central government has decided to set up a panel to assess the deficit of IAS officers and suggest a recruitment plan for 2021-30, reports The Economic Times.

The Department of Personnel Training (DoPT) has given its nod for constituting a committee that would recommend the course of action for the immediate, medium and long term needs.

The DoPT apprised the parliamentary panel headed by Sushil Modi that the committee will assess the number of officers that would be required over the next 10 years to man the various senior positions in the state cadres and central deputations.

As per the official data of the DoPT, there is a shortage of 22.48 per cent or 1,510 officers for the IAS cadre. The data reveals that against the authorised strength of 6,699, the number of IAS officers in position as on 1 January 2019 was 5,205. The number of IAS recruits is currently restricted at 180/year. This limit is said to have led to the ongoing shortage.

However, taking note of the shortage, the parliamentary panel on personnel, public grievances, law and justice, has recommended enhancing the said limit. As per the report submitted in the Parliament in the just-concluded winter session, the parliamentary panel noted that ‘the gap between the sanctioned strength and the in-position strength of IAS officers is increasing.’

‘The committee hopes that the annual intake of IAS officers will be significantly enhanced keeping in view the evolving needs of the Indian administration. The committee recommends DoPT to undertake an assessment of the impact of shortage of IAS officers on administration. The committee believes that the outcome of impact assessment and the knowledge gained from that exercise would be of immense help in improving future performance,’ suggests the parliamentary panel report.

The DoPT further informed the parliamentary panel that the newly envisioned committee will ascertain the factors resulting in ‘accumulation of a large number of vacancies in the cadre strength of IAS, both in direct recruitment as well as promotion quota components, and suggest means and measures to prevent them in future'.

It will also make a thorough assessment of cadre deficit by factoring in the number of IAS officers likely to retire on superannuation in the next 10 years.

The committee will ascertain gaps in different state cadres vis-a-vis the authorised strength. It is further expected to examine the status of 'utilisation of the central deputation reserve component of the IAS cadre strength at DS/director level' and identify barriers in administering the same and suggest measures to address them.