According to a notification by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), the amendment was issued under the All India Services Act, 1951. It modifies the Indian Administrative Service (Fixation of Cadre Strength) Regulations, 1955, in consultation with the Gujarat government, the order said.

Senior Duty Posts

The total number of senior duty posts under the Gujarat government has been fixed at 178. These include key positions such as Chief Secretary (one), Additional Chief Secretary (five), Principal Secretaries (nine), Secretaries to Government (17), Collectors (33), District Development Officers (33), and Municipal Commissioners for local urban bodies across major cities, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Gandhinagar.

The Central Deputation Reserve (CDR) has been fixed at 71 officers (not exceeding 40% of senior duty posts), while the State Deputation Reserve (SDR) stands at 44 posts, and the Training Reserve has been set at six posts, and the Leave Reserve and Junior Posts Reserve at 29 posts.

Further, 99 posts are to be filled by promotion under the IAS (Recruitment) Rules, 1954, while 229 posts will be filled through direct recruitment, the DoPT said in the notification.

Administrative Capacity

Officials said that the enhancement of cadre strength is aimed at strengthening administrative capacity in Gujarat, considering the State's expanding governance requirements, growing urbanisation, and increasing developmental activities. Gujarat's IAS cadre has been in focus due to vacancies, promotions, and administrative restructuring.

Until 2024-25, the sanctioned strength of the Gujarat IAS cadre was 313 officers. But the State was operating with significant vacancies, with around 56 IAS posts in Gujarat vacant, and 14 officers on Central deputation.

Sanctioned Cadre Strength

Though the State government proposed to increase the sanctioned cadre strength to 343 posts by adding 30 new IAS positions, the Centre agreed on 15 new posts, officials said.

In the recent past, the State government carried out promotions and reshuffles, with several senior officers elevated to Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary ranks. This comes against a backdrop of periodic transfers and postings of IAS officers across districts and departments.

The cadre strength and vacancies are governed by rules established under the All India Services Act, 1951.