INTER cadre transfer of this IAS couple — 2008 batch Assam cadre IAS S Viswanathan and 2008 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS Ms JP Irene Cynthia — to a third cadre has hit the roadblocks even after they had approached the Guwahati Bench of the CAT which in turn directed their case to the Central government. On Friday last, a DoPT meeting chaired by secretary Bhanu Pratap Sharma rejected the proposal for…
cadre transfer of the officers to any of the third cadre as opted where the respective state government has consented. Sharma-headed panel instead advised the officer couple that “if they want they can go for inter cadre transfer to each other’s cadres and in case their respective cadres again don't accept them then the proposal for their cadre change to third cadre will be examined as per extant policy.”
The Guwahati Bench of CAT directed the respondent authority to consider the case of the applicant and his wife in terms of the power conferred by Sub Rule 2 of Rule 5 of the IAS (Cadre) Rules,1954 to transfer any of the third cadre as opted where the respective state government has consented.
But according to existing guidelines on inter cadre transfer, only in instances where both states have refused to accept the other spouse will the officers be considered for transfer by the government of India to a third cadre subject to the consent of the cadres concerned for such transfer. And the office memorandum dated January 18, 2008 said, such couple shall be transferred to one of the deficit cadres with the concurrence of the state government concerned. The deficit cadre is one where there is a maximum percentage of shortfall of direct recruit officers vis-a-vis the direct recruit cadre strength. According to guidelines, “in case of continued refusal by the cadres of the officers on which they are borne the officers would be considered for transfer to a third cadre and for this purpose, Central government will first identify three cadres, which have maximum deficit of direct recruit officers as a percentage of all the DR (direct recruit) officers sanctioned post and then give a choice to the couple seeking transfer to a third cadre to choose one of those cadres. Thereafter, the concurrence of the concerned cadre would be taken before the couple is transferred to third cadre”.
Viswanathan, a Telugu speaking person hailing from Tamil Nadu, did engineering and MBA before joining as an IAS. He is 36 years old.
His wife, Irene Cynthia, 34, did M.Com and MBA before joining as IAS.
Meanwhile, in another cadre change case on grounds of marriage — Ms Nidhi, 2013 batch West Bengal cadre IAS from West Bengal cadre to AGMUT cadre on grounds of marriage to 2012 batch AGMUT cadre IPS Devesh Kumar Mahla —the DoPT panel could not do much as West Bengal government regretted its inability to give its consent for cadre transfer of Ms Nidhi. The panel decided that the proposal may be processed “only on receipt of no objection/consent from West Bengal cadre and inform the officer accordingly”, according to the minutes of the meeting held last Friday.
Imagine the plight of the young handful IAS-IFS (Indian Foreign Service) couples where no rules allow them to be together in any way. Rules framed in 1950s didn't envisage such couples.
ReplyDeleteWhat is their mistake to deserve such personal sacrifices for doing public service? PM Modi/DOPT/anyone listening?
ANonymous it applies to any IRS or defence officer marrying an IFS> so please stop being a cry baby
ReplyDeleteThere should be no provision for any cadre change for any of the officers of IAS,IPSand IFOs
ReplyDeleteIt is an accepted fact that most marriages in civil services officers are arranged looking at cadres and state postings. In fact they are planned only once cadre lists are out. And all of them very well know what could be consequences of inter cadre marriages. In fact few marry only in hope of getting transfered to a preferred state cadre. Now when they have taken oath to put country first, why keep on crying for something when their plans don't work out
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