The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has informed a parliamentary panel that only 442 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers are working with the Centre, against the required strength of 1,469 officers.
The Central government has been facing acute shortage of All India Services officers such as the IAS and the Indian Police Service (IPS) as many officers are either unwilling to come on Central deputation or States do not relieve them due to shortage at their end.
The details were mentioned in the 2023-24 Demands for Grants report of DOPT that was tabled in the Rajya Sabha last week.
The report stated, “On being asked about the impact of IAS [officers’] crunch on administration, DoPT stated that the total authorised strength comprises Senior Duty Posts and various reserves such as State Deputation Reserve, Junior Reserve, Leave Reserve, Training Reserve and Central Deputation Reserve. Of these reserves, except for the Central Deputation Reserve, all other reserves are being utilised by the States. DoPT further said that out of the prescribed Central Deputation Reserve of 1,469, only 442 officers are working at the Centre.”
The parliamentary panel, headed by Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) member Sushil Kumar Modi, said it was of the considered opinion that IAS officers are a common and shared asset of the country and therefore, it is incumbent upon them to serve both the Centre and States.
The committee added that there was a shortage of 1,472 IAS officers across the country and to address the issue, the Central Government has been recruiting 180 IAS officers annually through Civil Services examination. As on January 1, 2022, the total number of IAS officers stood at 5,317.
The panel was informed that as many as 115 IAS officers had not filed immovable property returns, a mandatory exercise.
The report said that 23% posts were vacant in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and since January 1, 2022, only 175 officials were recruited.
CBI recruitment
One of the reasons stated was that the CBI was not receiving sufficient nominations of officers from the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and State police, both of which have traditionally been a major source of induction, particularly up to the rank of Inspector in the organisation.
The CBI informed the committee that it did not favour direct recruitment of Inspectors and Deputy Superintendents of Police as it would affect career progression and may also cause “frustration” as senior posts were limited. The committee said that the CBI showed unwillingness to accept its suggestion to increase direct recruitment of Inspectors.
“The committee observes that the mode of recruitment to the rank of Inspector of Police is 50 % through deputation/absorption and 50% through promotion. Keeping in view the problems being faced by the CBI in inducting officers through deputation, the committee recommends that the percentage of officers inducted through deputation at the level of Inspector of Police be restricted to 10% and the remaining 40% officers may be recruited through Direct Recruitment/Limited Departmental Competitive Examination,” the report said.
Menstrual leave
The DoPT also informed the committee that there was no proposal to introduce menstrual leave for women employees in the Central government.
The Committee noted that “menstruation debilitates most women and affects their productivity and performance at workplace.” It said that, at present, there was no policy in place to address the issue and that Article 42 of the Constitution directed the state to make provision for securing “just and humane” conditions of work.
