Friday, August 30, 2013

A state civil servant may soon have to appear for a written test to qualify as IAS


A STATE civil services officer may soon have to take a compulsory written test to get elevated as an IAS or IPS, minister of state in the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pension V Narayanasamy informed Parliament in a written reply to a question on Thursday. The Centre has given an in-principle nod for a few changes including…
the need to qualify in a written examination for getting recruited under the promotion quota of various cadres of All India Services. According to the revised scheme, it is proposed to assess the candidate on the basis of four components – “Written Examination”, “Length of Service”, “Assessment of Performance Appraisal Reports” and “Interviews”.
The government will now have to amend the concerned rules and regulations to  implement the new procedure. The minister further said that the government had consulted the state governments and the concerned cadre controlling authorities like the ministry of home affairs and the ministry of environment and forests before finalizing on the changes.
The minister, however, acknowledged that the government received a few objections as well. Those included queries on whether the new scheme would be detrimental to the interests of senior state services officers and the officers belonging to the categories of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Some also raised a question whether the new rules would be against the larger public interest, as the officers might prefer studying rather than devoting in public service.

5 comments:

  1. Historically during the British rule in India, provincial or state civil service officers were permitted and allowed for a job in the ICS cadre but they were never promoted, never permitted to be officially called and were not encadred to the ICS.

    However, after India got independence, promotion from state services into All India services has been allowed, which I think is a fraud.

    I think a written test and interview will disqualify many unqualified state civil servants in the first place from not getting promoted.

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  2. Its a welcome step and will largely promote efficiency and uprightness in administration. However understandable the State Politicians and their fall in line type 'Promotees' are against it. In state services also there are 2 opinions. The capable types are in favour of the reform while the 'other' types are opposed to the reforms for understandable reasons. Promotions based on merits should be introduced at all levels.

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  3. Its a good step as incompetent state bureaucrats will be out. A lot of state civil servants are appointed to IAS on grounds other than merit. promotions will be time bound.

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  4. Similar exams should be introduced for entry into IRS and IRS(C&CE). Departmental exams test only the departmental functioning. Whereas the general exams test the calibre of the candidates.

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  5. Has this been notified? incase it is, how many years must a State civil service officer must put in to be eligible for induction?

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