New Delhi: Faced with a series of controversial resignations from the coveted Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Narendra Modi government is looking at toughening the conditions for quitting the civil services, ThePrint has learnt.
According to sources in the government, officials of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) could meet in the coming week to discuss the recent resignations, and come up with a plan to address the problem.
According to current rules, an officer who resigns from the service is bound to pay pending dues or refund the amount spent by the government on foreign training of the officer concerned, explained a DoPT official who didn’t wish to be named. In addition, officers leaving the service during the probation period itself are expected to refund the training amount to the government.
However, in the face of massive vacancies in the All India Services — IAS, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service — the government may consider adding some more conditions to deal with potential resignations, the official added.
“One option could be making refunding the training amount mandatory until a few years, and not just probation… But there is no decision yet.”
The government spends an enormous amount of money on the training of officers, and when they leave, it is a loss for the government, the official explained.
Also read: Subhash Garg resignation has few precedents — last senior officer quit 33 years ago
What triggered the move
In the last one month, three officers from the IAS have resigned from the service. Kannan Gopinathan, an AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territory) cadre officer, and Sasikanth Senthil, a Karnataka cadre officer, resigned on account of the political situation and shrinking space for dissent in the country. Kashish Mittal, another AGMUT cadre officer, resigned because he was being posted in Arunachal Pradesh, according to sources.
The resignations have already become politicised with the BJP and the Congress exchanging barbs over them.
A BJP leader said Sunday the officers quitting the service and citing lack of freedom of speech as the reason, shared “a cozy relationship” with the Left.
Meanwhile, the Congress has accused the BJP of pressurising government servants, and pushing them towards taking this extreme step.
‘Doesn’t address the problem’
While the IAS fraternity too is left worried and divided over the resignations, some officers believe it may be imprudent for the Modi government to try and hold back unwilling officers in the system.
“How would it help if the government made it tougher for someone to leave but that person just doesn’t want to continue? It doesn’t address the problem at all,” said a senior IAS officer who didn’t wish to be identified.
The government has not accepted the resignations of any of the three officers yet, but it is widely acknowledged that accepting the resignation is merely a formality.
Some retired officers say the government is cognizant of the recent developments.
“I think it’s a sign that the government is concerned. But stopping resignations is a debatable strategy and may not even be constitutional,” said T.R. Raghunandan, a retired civil servant.
“Besides, what exactly do they want to achieve? I thought the idea was to keep the morale of the service high. How is that going to be achieved by making the conditions for resignation stricter?”
The existing guidelines on the procedures to be followed in case an officer wishes to resign say: “It is not in the interest of government to retain an unwilling member of service. The general rule, therefore, is that a resignation of a member from service should be accepted.”
Also read: Common foundation course for IAS, IPS officers begins, Modi to address them at Patel statue
Namaste, I go with Vijay’s comments it’s good decision by Govt.for stricter rules ,and to crack a whip on those who intend to resign,recent past situations from AIS merely for not getting coveted posts or not getting transferred of their choice,they should not forget that they are also Govt. servents, especially in IAS,nd IPS including senior judicial appts the bossism,supremacy and imperialistic attitude will go if
once implimented… Democracy will survive let’s hope for speedy implimentation…thank u.
Good decision by Govt. if implimented.
I appreciate Modiji for his efforts of a change in society.
In our country there is absolutely no death of talents. So if someone wants to leave let it be so. Why so much hue and cry.? No one is indispensable. Some people are unnecessary ily creating headline.
Why will a person, who has tried day and night, for a dream of his life, would quit so easily? Is it an easy decision? What about the mental stress encountered by the person to take such a decision? What are the circumstances faced by them? Is it the fear of indulging in a scam? Fear of losing the freedom of speech? Fear of losing the self esteem, gained through all these tough years? Fear of safeguarding his dignity? Lack of support? As there is always a flip side of any notion, all the issues to be made clear, inorder to arrive at an action plan to prevent this situation..
If Modi government thinks it is fruitful to have lateral entries at senior admin levels, then they should make it EASIER for the IAS officers to resign and go away, so the positions can be filled up laterally without any heartburn and quickly.
Idiots running the country. They seem clueless about the economy, institutions, their own citizens and their bureaucrats now. They are very good with social media only because they outsource trolling and hire smart consultants. Imagining Modi actually phrasing his own tweets may make first standard kids laugh!
https://theprint.in/opinion/ias-officers-see-tremendous-growth-in-two-areas-ignorance-and-arrogance/83474/
Resignations are not a certificate of honesty or otherwise.Such a lot is ruling the public, doing limited public service. We need public servants who offer their service not feudal mindsets. One nation one uniform term condition for public service irrespective of rank and file.
This is what happn when indian education system searchs for only bookworms….Those upsc toppers are just bookish they are not willing to serve and thy dont have to courage to face the obstacles …
One messge for upsc commtte and for indian education system dont force to score 100% in exams, rather observe their daily living system. The same is going to entertain in indian defence viz the IMA or OTA Gentle cadets.. Many even dont know the living they are opting for. But they join IMA because Indian system needs who are good in bookish knowledge…hahahahaha…lol…..
As far as my knowledge is concerned Indian foreign service as mentioned in the article is not all India service. Instead it is Indian forest service.
Govt. should also make similar rules for elected politicians (MP, MLA, etc ) where considerable tax payer’s money is involved in conducting these circus.
Best is to have a shottlist from that years panel and post or make lateral entries from other services where there are many or from companies of repute with adequate training rather than keeping unwilling persons. It’s the superior treatment amongst other services that has created the feeling amongst dome that 5hey are indispensable. Of course the problems they face from politivians are annoying far too many and many have to face family problems displacements and so many if they are too loyal to their profession. Dopt know all these and should properly analyse apprise and state clearly their problems and how real working differ from what is taught in training
A considerable amount of tax payer money is spent on training and then on living standards for IAS/IPS officers. The few hundred who get selected are creme de la creme and the important reason for joining is prestige associated with it. A few who think the world is black / white, cannot fathom the grayness. But as a taxpayer, I think the government is right in implementing stricter rules for resignation.
Wrong solutions, based on defective analysis of what is causing idealistic men – no women so far – to give up a lifetime of covenanted service. Many have commented how seniors, busy with their own career planning and extensions, have not stepped forward to offer counselling to young colleagues. Disruptions in long settled systems – including some harebrained ideas about allotment of services after the foundation course – seldom prove to be master stokes.