PM instructs DoPT for speedy empanelment of officers from all central services

NEW DELHI: Taking note of the shortage of joint secretary-level officers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instructed the department of personnel and training to ensure that all other central service officers are considered for empanelment in a “time-bound manner”.
After the PM’s instructions, a letter was sent on June 24 to all the departments and cadre-controlling authorities of central services (Group A) to expedite proposals for speedy empanelment of their officers to the level of joint secretary.
“It has further been directed that the issue of delay in empanelment of participating services in the central service scheme to joint secretary is to be addressed over the next six months,” the DoPT letter said, explaining the urgency of seeking recommendation from other service authorities like the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Railway Accounts and Audit and Accounts service.
A gap of four to 10 years in empanelment of officers of non-IAS services at the joint secretary level had caused a lot of heartburn leading to officers from IRS, IPS, IAAS, IRAS and defence accounts not opting for empanelment for central deputation.
After the Modi government came to power, at least 56 IAS officers have taken premature repatriation to their home cadre, leaving the Centre short of choices to fill up the top slots in bureaucracy. Not many non-IAS officers are opting for joint secretary and above as they end up working under IAS officers four to 10 years junior to them.
The DoPT has sought to streamline the whole empanelment process now and has asked cadre- controlling authorities to draw up an immediate action plan. The process is likely to be more transparent with proposals to be filed up online for all cadres up to 1995 batch for joint secretary level empanelment. The deadline has been fixed to complete the process by December this year.
The DoPT letter says vigilance clearance from the Central Vigilance Commission will be sought simultaneously so that the empanelment process is not delayed.
The fight over variations in empanelment of different cadres vis-à-vis IAS has reached the VIIth Pay Commission where the IRS association has sought for scrapping of a central panel that empanels officers of 37 cadres.
“Strong entry barriers have been erected for other services, with 5-10 years gap in empanelment to prevent them from reaching JS level,” the IPS officers have pleaded before the pay commission, saying this is causing frustration among the forces that is leading country's fight against terror and left-wing terrorism.
About 75% of the joint secretaries, 85% of the additional secretaries and 90% of the secretaries are from IAS. The proportion of IAS dramatically increases from 10-12% at the level of directors to 75% at the JS level, a presentation from the IPS association said.