Fixing the service: Recruiting more IAS officers is necessary, as is a real merit system and trimming of government

News: Data presented by a parliamentary committee has revealed that over 1,500 sanctioned IAS officer posts (22%) at the state level lie vacant, with some states reporting greater gaps than others.

It should be noted that GoI had earlier mooted an amendment to service rules to ensure more officers are available for central deputation by making states’ consent immaterial. This had triggered stiff resistance from opposition-governed states.

What is the annual intake of IAS officers?

The last review of IAS cadre strengths in 2012 had fixed the annual intake at 180 officers.

The parliamentary committee has remarked that a panel constituted to revise this number for 2022 onwards can “significantly” increase the intake to fill sanctioned posts.

What are some issues with bureaucracy in India?

Crisis of quantity & quality: Alongside quantity, bureaucracy is also battling a crisis of quality.

– Currently, talented officers, sandwiched between mediocrity and officer scarcity, are heavily overworked. This is not a sustainable path.

Top-heavy structure of the bureaucracy: Unlike pyramidal hierarchies in typical organisations, central cadres like IAS and IPS have “cylindrical” structures because of assured promotions.

– For instance, Punjab police has around 30 DGP/ADGP-level officers. This top-heaviness isn’t contributing to governance, as Punjab is reeling with the problem of drug and liquor mafia.

Outsider tag for lateral entrants: GoI’s efforts at lateral entry have struggled because many IAS officers rising to the mid- and senior-levels have deep-rooted knowledge of the terrain and strong support networks. Lateral entrants, on the other hand, face the outsider tag despite industry or research or grassroots experience they may possess.

What is the way forward?

Recent GoI initiatives like Mission Karmayogi and Capacity Building Commission must lead to a performance management system that can reward the best and brightest and deter young officers from sliding into mediocrity.

Underperformers must be retired prematurely so that they don’t drag down governance.

The number of officers embedded in non-essential departments, commissions, corporations and schemes must be reduced.

Source: This post is based on the article “Fixing the service: Recruiting more IAS officers is necessary, as is a real merit system and trimming of government” published in The Times of India on 29th Mar 22.