Central Government Facing Acute Shortage Of IAS Officers To Fill Key Posts

According to available data, each state has a total authorised strength and a corresponding reserve for central deputation. The latest data from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has revealed that against the total authorised strength of 6,709 IAS officers,1,451 are supposed to be on central deputation. However, only 419, that is 29 per cent of the number who are meant to serve in central government are actually with it.

Analysis of state-by-state data reveals that West Bengal contributes the least officers to the central deputation pool, with only six out of a possible 82 officers sent from a total cadre strength of 378, which is just 7 per cent.

In stark contrast, Sikkim leads with 70 per cent of its officers on central deputation, as 7 out of 10 officers are serving in New Delhi. Tripura follows with 54 percent of its 22 officers on deputation.

Notably, Manipur, despite facing ethnic strife, has 48 per cent of its officers on central deputation, with 12 out of 25 posted in New Delhi.

Officers from the Union Territory (UT) cadre are also notably engaged, with 55 out of 117 reserved officers serving the Union government.

Other states show varying levels of participation: Andhra Pradesh (25 per cent), Assam-Meghalaya (24 per cent), Bihar (32 per cent), Chhattisgarh (33 per cent), Gujarat (28 per cent), Haryana (26 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (34 per cent), and Jharkhand (30 per cent). Karnataka contributes 39 percent, Kerala 34 percent, Madhya Pradesh 25 percent, Maharashtra 26 percent, and Nagaland 30 percent.

Odisha has 35 per cent, Punjab 40 per cent, Rajasthan 16 per cent, Tamil Nadu 27 per cent, Telangana 22 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 20 per cent, and Uttarakhand 31 per cent of their reserved cadre officers on central deputation.

The situation has not improved in several years, particularly since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took charge of the Union government in 2014. There has been a decreasing trend in the number of required officers at the Centre, forcing the Union government to man key positions, traditionally held by IAS officers, with personnel from other services like the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Indian Forest Service (IFoS) and others.

Attempts have even been made to get private sector talents through lateral entry into the government. 

Given the situation in 2021, the DoPT attempted to change Rule 6 (deputation of cadre officers) of the Indian Administrative Service (Cadre) Rules 1954 and sought the opinion of all state governments on the issue. Similar letters were also sent proposing changes in cadre rules of the other two All India Services (AIS)—the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Forest Service. 

Through the amendments, the Union government proposed to acquire powers to depute IAS, IPS and IFoS officers to the Central Government and Ministries without necessarily taking the State government’s nod.

After the All India Services Act, of 1951 came into existence, the IAS cadre rules were framed.

Four amendments including two new insertions were proposed. First, the States should make available the names of such officers, who can be deputed to the Centre.

“The actual number of officers to be deputed to the Central government shall be decided by the Central government in consultation with the State government concerned,” the proposed amendment said. The CDR cannot be more than 40 per cent of the actual strength at any point.

The second change was in case of any disagreement between the Centre and the State, the matter shall be decided by the Central government and the State shall give effect to the decision of the Centre “within a specified time.” The new insertion was the clause on “specified time”.

The third and one of the major changes proposed was if the State government delays posting a State cadre officer to the Centre and does not give effect to the Central government’s decision within the specified time, “the officer shall stand relieved from cadre from the date as may be specified by the Central government.”

However this was never implemented and as of date officers have to get a no-objection clearance from the State government, to serve the central government.

The fourth change was that in a specific situation, where services of cadre officers are required by the Central government in “public interest”, the State should give effect to its decisions within a specified time.

In its January 12, 2021 letter, DoPT said that despite existing provisions, States are not sponsoring adequate numbers of officers for Central deputation and the available officers are not sufficient to meet requirements. 

In 2021 and 2020, the DoPT sent letters cautioning states, which were not sending enough officers, saying this might affect the future cadre review proposals and that it was unable to fill vacancies at the director and joint secretary levels in various Central ministries.

According to 2021 data, of the reserved 1,451 IAS officers in the country, 445 were posted with the Union which makes up only 31 per cent. In 2014, of the 1,451 officers, 651 were posted with the Union—a higher 44 per cent. 

At that point of time, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led the opposition-ruled states in rejecting the Centre’s proposal. She had written two letters to Prime Minister Modi calling the proposal against the “spirit of cooperative federalism”.

The Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot (then ruled by the Congress), had also written to Modi on similar lines. 

Apart from the CMs of West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, the CMs of seven other states had also opposed the move. These included Odisha, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Jharkhand. 

Since the issue had become a political flashpoint, the BJP-ruled states—Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Manipur, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh — had given their consent.