Rules relaxed to encourage IAS, IPS officers to serve in J&K

The UT has a shortage of officers since 2019 after it was split into two

The Centre has relaxed the norms to encourage the All India Services and other Central Services officers to get posted in Jammu and Kashmir. The Union Territory is reeling from a shortage of officers since 2019 after the former State of J&K was split into two, Ladakh being the other UT.

Union Personnel Minister Jitendra Singh said on Friday that the deputation rules have been relaxed by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) to encourage the posting of the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) and the other central services officers to J&K.

“Due to this relaxation, 22 officers belonging to various services and different cadres have been posted in Jammu & Kashmir at various levels at a crucial time,” Mr. Singh said.

A senior government official said that the requirements such as the cooling off period and the stringent norms for inter-cadre deputation have been waved off.

“Inter-cadre deputation is only given under compelling circumstances, one being marriage, now the norms have been liberalised. Recently a senior IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre who did not wish to go back to his cadre was sent to J&K on deputation,” said the official.

Mr. Singh said, the DoPT had played a major role in facilitating the induction of the Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Services Officers (JKAS) into the IAS by coordinating with the UT of J&K, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Union Public Service Commission. “As a result, recently 16 officers from the JKAS have been inducted into the IAS and another 8 such vacancies will be filled up shortly giving opportunities to the JKAS officers to become part of the prestigious IAS service after a long gap of 12 years,” Mr. Singh said.

In 2020, the DoPT wrote to all the States that the State cadres were requested to send the names for deputation to J&K and Ladakh directly to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).