New Delhi: A 2011-batch IAS officer, Kashish Mittal, resigned from the service Friday over differences with the Centre on his transfer, ThePrint has learnt.
Mittal, an AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territory)-cadre officer, who was posted as additional principal secretary to NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar, was being transferred to Arunachal Pradesh, a decision he was not happy with, sources in the government thinktank said.
“I don’t think he had any issue with the government… He, in fact, wanted to stay in NITI Aayog, but the order of his transfer came, and he probably thought it was unfair,” one of the sources added.
This is not the first time Mittal has had run-ins with the government over his transfer.
In 2016, when Mittal was being transferred from Chandigarh, he filed a petition in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) — which adjudicates disputes and complaints stemming from recruitment and service conditions for public servants — challenging his transfer.
The Ministry of Home Affairs subsequently issued a strong reply to his petition, questioning the “vested interests” he may have developed in Chandigarh. Mittal, a computer engineer from IIT-Delhi and a renowned Hindustani classical musician, had then withdrawn his application.
Mittal did not reply when ThePrint tried to reach him for comment Saturday.
While postings in the northeast are always frowned upon by officers, who prefer central deputation, it is rare for an officer to resign from the service over it, an officer from Mittal’s cadre said.
A spate of resignations
Mittal is the fourth IAS officer who has resigned or offered to do so in recent weeks. In July this year, Finance Secretary Subhash Garg offered to resign from the premier service after he was abruptly shifted from the finance ministry to the less prestigious power ministry.
While his was the first high-profile resignation from the IAS in many years, there has subsequently been a spate of resignations of relatively younger officers.
Last month, G. Kannan, a 2012-Batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, resigned from the service, citing the shrinking space for dissent and debate in the country as the reason.
Speaking to ThePrint, Kannan had said he was “disillusioned” after the crisis in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu & Kashmir.
Just days later, another IAS officer, Sasikanth Senthil of the Karnataka cadre, resigned for similar reasons. In a strongly-worded note, Senthil, a 2009-batch officer, said it was “unethical” to continue as an IAS officer when “fundamental building blocks of diverse democracy are being compromised”.
Also read: These IAS officers are scripting stories of change across India & making lives better
Good riddance!! The officer should not have joined the coveted service in the first place if he had no inclination to serve the nation especially the far north east which is still less underprivileged than the rest of the country. File tossing and noting, drafting can be done by clerks also. The real test is to take the challenge of bringing change in the lives of the lowest strata of the society for which the civil services were envisioned by the founders of the nation. Anyway, a number of young inspired candidates are waiting to serve in your place, without any ifs and buts. Before departing, do not forget to return the taxpayers money spent on your high profile training spanning over two years.
How could he join IAS when he is not ready to work for the nation. UPSC should look into the matter when selecting best candidates for the job.
Indian people just can’t take criticism and start looking at corners as soon as someone shows them the mirror, even if the criticism comes from within. This comment section is the testament of it.
You are wasting your time and energies writing about ias resignations. By doing so are you trying to create a stir similar to award wapasy gang. None the less for cadre of more than 30000 employees there is bound to be some attrition, which is very minuscule. I request The Print to focus energies on the matters which really matters to India rather than playing into the hands of Tukde Tukde gang.
He should have fought for justice with perseverance. Either he is too week or high headed. Posting to Arunachal (his home cadre too) is an opportunity to contribute directly in developing the state by the officer. Either a coward or working with vested interests
Was this news really worthy of being published by ‘The Print’ ? How come that all such routine developments are currently being given so much prominence? Is there something else behind all this which does not meet the eyes? For sure, one feels truly worried about the ongoing developments even in the context of some non-issues. Where are we headed to?
IAS is the prime mover of this country. Apart from the continuity of policies having a long gestation period, the service has been the great catalyst in national integration. That those who start cribbing over postings and other sundry matters are best let out , so that the ethos of administration is not disturbed.
It is a pity that Mr. Senthil did not resign when the so called “Civil Curfew” had paralysed the valley for FOUR months in the aftermath of Burhan Wani’ s killing .
Very well said! But the ongoing ‘selective targeting’ of Narendra Modi govt alone could have some deeper roots and hidden game plan to defame him in the name of the so called ‘Freedom of Speech’.
Why do only public or civil servants go through transfers on the grounds of vested interest? Why can’t usually illiterate and unqualified ministers or MLA get transferred as well on same ground. Other than that, do we have an idea how much money is wasted on these transfer all over India? I gathered from a person in bank that a single transfer costs around 3 lacs to a bank. Just imagine banks, UPSC, SSC…etc. Other than that, these ministers can’t do anything as they are usually not knowledgeable enough to find the loopholes to the rules…these secretaries only help them. Clearly current govt has helped in weakening of all the lobbies by breaking the unity. Divide and rule still exists!
देश की सेवा Delhi और Chandigarh में बैठ कर ही नहीं होती है । जनाब तो AGMUT Cadre के officer हैं? Arunanchal को भी तो होनहार IAS officer की जरूरत है !! ये कोई government से मतभेद नहीं है, बस बड़े शहरों से हिलना नहीं चाहते । फिर कल देश को आदर्श का पाठ पढ़ायेगा । अच्छा हुआ समय से गया । सरकार ने सही जवाब issue करना चाहिए ।
Viewers, plz don’t judge anyone based on the NITI Aayogs interpretation of his transfer cause.. Perhaps he is not allowed to work ‘honestly with the moral standards and ethos’ in NITI Aayog for the interest of people.. And they are teaching him a lesson by sending to Northeast.. Personal opinion (Not to offend anyone)
What an idea Sir Ji? What would you say about the tendering of her resignation of the Chief Justice of Tamil Nadu over her transfer to some inconvenient place by the SC? Was she also not allowed to work?
These are expendable elements and the country would be better off without them. By the by, he has a Cadre to which he is posted. If he wanted to remain in Delhi, he ought to have resigned from the IAS and opted to be absorted in Niti Ayog. I fail to understand the editorial logic of giving this pretty matter so much news value with some ulterior motive.
An officer who belongs to NE cadre declining to serve in NE, is very much to be condemned.Indian Administrative Service…Is NE not a part of India?
These guys should be sent to the Army . By the time there is time for superannuation they will forget the name a of places they served . In fact the govt should recover the cost of their traing and the other facilities they have enjoyed before they put up their papers. In this particular case the cost of training at IIT must be also recovered with interest. One must remember Naukri is done on employers terms and conditions not of the individual.
These IAS Officers should have resigned earlier & join in their own professions for the development of India rather doing nuisance like resignation only to attract media attention…The country will not break down for them…They might have earned enough money during their service period to live happily in future…Mr Mittal is in all India service, should not have objected to join in Arunachal Pradesh..He doesn’t want to leave lavish life in Delhi…What a pity situation for an IAS Officer…
During the year 2011 when CSAT was introduced with such a broad spectrum of study, the whole scenario and aftermath of exams had changed. There are more than 26 services for the UPSC Civil services exam and suddenly only Doctors,Engineers and now children of Ex-IAS/IES got final selection and high ranks. These are the few among actually talented Officers who genuinely work and are learned people. Why dont you go and do what is your profession? Why are you coveting for a rank in the administration when you cant satiate your passion? I am a graduate too but I do what I love to do for others, its not the “Kursi” which will speak. Its me who will, so better teach them some humanity at LBSNAA. And North east is a paradise posting.
Good riddance!!! The reason these officers are leaving is that they are being shown their real place in the present central govt. which is being run very tightly. Also, as can be seen these days, many of these new age officers, unlike the earlier generation officers, are tech savvy and more interested in being in the limelight than serving the people or serving in rural areas. Also, many of them are interested in entering politics instead of working as Civil servants. Instead of doing work quietly, why do these people want to debate? Is it their constitutional mandate??? Unable to give real reasons, they are giving bull shit reasons such as fall of democratic institutions, loss of freedom to expression etc…….
IAS officers are on the driving seat of the Nation’s progressive cycle on the progress , prosperity road out lined in the frame of Constitution of India for citizens of India ,a pledge is inscribed for the IAS officer to be honest and faithful to their dutied imbibed on the post they are posted by their leaders of the Nation. Posting is the prerogative of the leaders but how to discharge honest and lawful duties to the post is the job of IAS officers. But wet posting , promotion and choice place of posting greed has infused infection among them . Lobbies were formed in a big way of one side of the table and other you sit matters now is formed. Consequently the refrence to evaluate which side is right or wrong , is collapsed & now based on pic and chose law maxim ” you show me the face I will show you the rule “
Many IAS ambitious wanted job and nation to service even low salary let them leave enjoy
Personal.interest of such officers are above public service and nation so better they resign and go .country does not need such officers having such a mind set. Rather disciplinary action should be taken against such officers. Anyways one more job created by this …
The IAS, the most prestigious service in the country should not respond in such manner. If they refuse all India transfer what to talk of smaller cadres.
Good Riddance!!! IAS is primarily responsible for the administrative malaise in Bharat. Most are incompetent, lazy and with inflated egos. What is really hilarious is that their seniority is decided by the rank they got in the entrance exam. The service should be rechristen as the Inadequate Administrative Service
The country has progressed because of the continuity of the administration despite change of governments with different Political idealogies. Ministerial appointments are driven by Political compulsions – representations to different states, backward community representation etc to name only a few. The ministers are also under compulsions to adhere to the dictates from their party leadership. Thus to castigate and dump bureaucrats as incompetent is not right or proper
Why on earth is an IIT-Delhi computer engineer want to waste his time in the IAS?
Good riddance, they are over pampered bureaucrats. Their departure should not bother anybody.
“he was “disillusioned” after the crisis in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370” says all about Kashish mind set. Government should get rid off such IAS officers who have political ambitions.