New Delhi: The Modi government has decided against fresh allocation of cadres to IAS and IPS officers of the recent 2018 batch despite the direction of the Delhi High Court. Instead, the government has now moved the Supreme Court seeking to stay the high court order.
In 2017, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had amended the earlier roster-based system of cadre allocation policy to make it a zone-based policy with the aim of protecting the national character of the top civil services. The move was to ensure that they do not turn into regional services because an increasing number of officers were opting for cadres in their home states or neighboring states.
But the Delhi HC last Friday ordered that cadres for IAS and IPS officers of the 2018 batch should be reallocated based on merit and preferences highlighted by them.
Highly-placed sources in the government told ThePrint that it has filed a special leave petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the high court.
If the order is stayed, the training and preparation schedule of 2018 batch officers would not be disrupted, said a source who didn’t wish to be named.
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‘Not feasible’
Speaking to ThePrint, a top government official said, “Reallocating an entire batch of IAS, for instance, is not a feasible option at this point of time.”
Currently, IAS recruitment is, on an average, 180 candidates every year. About 150 candidates are recruited into the IPS per year.
“Out of such a big batch, only a handful of candidates had problems with cadres allocated to them. Why should an entire batch be disturbed because of that?” asked the official privy to the developments.
The high court order said that reallocation of cadres by the respondents should not take much time given it’s done electronically, and that the officers of the 2018 batch were yet to begin their cadre-specific onsite training.
As of now, the training of 2018 batch officers is already in progress. The IAS officers of the batch have already begun their phase I training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LSBNAA) in Mussoorie.
The officers will further undergo a training in one of the districts of the state they have been allocated. Post that, they will go through second phase of the training. The entire training period is around two years.
Another senior government official said by the time of phase I training, the officers start learning the language spoken in the state and put their focus on the culture and other aspects of the states which they have been allocated.
Sources in the government further told ThePrint that cadre allocations of future batches, too, will be carried out under the cadre allocation policy of 2017, even as the lack of clarity in the policy, if any, will be removed by DoPT.
What is the policy for cadre allocation?
The Delhi high court’s verdict came on four petitions filed by various officers challenging the Modi government notification allocating the cadres to candidates of IPS on the results of the Civil Services Examination (CSE), 2017. The pleas claimed that the interpretation of Cadre Allocation Policy 2017 adopted by the government were unfair and arbitrary and the cadres were not allocated taking into account both merits and preferences of the candidates.
The government’s revised 2017 policy was to ensure an even mix of administrative and police officials across the country from all states.
Under the policy, states are divided into five zones. The candidates first mark their descending order of preference in various zones and then select a preferred cadre in each zone. After indicating one preferred cadre, the candidates have to follow the same process and indicate their second preferred cadre in each zone. The same process continues for other cadres and zones.
For no preference in zones and cadres, the candidates have to enter “99”.
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Its nor about being posted in remote location or some backward area everyone wants to feel home by the excuse of promoting diversity u can’t adjust a punjabi person in kerala or tamilnadu. They r also part of same diversity they also feel the same way they also want to stay near to their frnds nd family point is the person can shift to some other state but their parents will not be comfortable with leaving their roots behind
we all understand that UPSC is a very competitive exam.
they are paid peanuts as salary.
all the UPSC passouts are patriotic.
All of them want to serve the Nation India.
Is there any location in India more hostile in terms of weather and enemy attacks than the highest battlefield on Earth, Siachen!
When the soldiers and NDA passed officers are battling their lives, why can’t the our patriotic UPSC brethren work in remote areas of the country.
In fact the topper of IAS/IPS class should be allocated the most remote area, so he/she can use their IQ and intelligence to good use and uplift those remotest area.
what is the point in making rich, richer. intelligent people can work in any area efficiently. PATRIOTIC people don’t care for any hostilities. their main aim is the protection and upliftment of the country.
Will you disown your kith and kin or your mother because she is ill. to the contrary, you will take good care of them and be with them and console them rather than abandoning them. that is love, patriotism.
in case you are not patriotic and only care about money and luxurious life, resign from your UPSC post and join corporate as you are already intelligent enough to crack UPSC you could have already have had a degree from IIT or IIM. which can fetch you a plush job in corporate. or become the CEO of Google Microsoft and earn money, rather than wasting your youth, time and also the time of the Courts.
If you vacate the post, some other patriotic needy candidate will happily take care of our Mother(land) even in the remotest region.
Why do remote locations in our country do not warrant a high ranking intelligent civil service candidate??? I wonder what you have to say on this Mr Cyborgod!!! 🤔🤔🤔
After all, allocation of cadres is totally an executive decision and it seems interference by the court seems to be unwarranted. It doesn’t appear that there is any violation of fundamental rights or principles of natural justice. After all the allocation is also done on some principles and the numbers are an executive decision.
After all, you haven’t prepared or appeared for the UPSC exam. After all you haven’t been posted in a remote location despite topping the exam. After all you’re insensitive.