Lok Sabha Question No. 3888 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-12
Subject: Empanelment of Officers
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN, PRATHAP SIMHA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3888**

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.08.2015)

**EMPANELMENT OF OFFICERS**

3888. SHRI A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN:

SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

(a)	 whether the Government is facing huge shortage of officers at the Joint Secretary level and if so, the details thereof department/agency-wise;

(b) 	whether the Government is considering empanelment of non-All India Services officers to the post of Joint Secretaries, Additional Secretary and Secretary and if so, the details thereof;

(c) 	whether a gap of four to 10 years in empanelment of officers of non-IAS services at the Joint Secretary level had caused a lot of heartburn leading to officers from IRS, IPS, IAAS, IRAS and defence accounts not opting for empanelment for central deputation and if so, the details thereof;

(d) 	whether many IAS officers have  taken premature repatriation to their home cadre during the last one year, leaving the government short of choices to fill up the top slots in bureaucracy and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) 	whether non-IAS officers are not opting for Joint Secretary and above posts as they end up working under IAS officers four to ten years junior to them and if so, the details thereof and measures taken in this regard?

**ANSWER**

Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office. (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a):   All vacancies of Joint Secretary (JS) level in Government of India are filled up under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS). The filling up of posts under the CSS is a continuous process depending on the vacancies arising across Ministries/Departments during the year and suitability of officers retained under the CSS. Generally the number of officers in the list of officers retained to hold JS level posts is more than the number of vacancies at any point of time

(b) & (c):    Empanelment of All India Services as well as Central Group A Services, participating in CSS, is an already existing and continuous process. The officers become eligible for empanelment as JS to the Government of India after completing the requisite residency  and getting Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) in their respective cadres. All Cadre Controlling Authorities of participating services forward proposal of eligible batch for empanelment after officers get SAG Scale in their respective cadres, which results in inter service variation in empanelment.

**Contd…2/-**

**--2--**

(d):    IAS officers keep on joining and leaving the Government of India as per Central Deputation Guidelines. Premature repatriation from deputation is taken by officers, including IAS, for a number of reasons *inter alia* including promotion in their cadres, personal grounds, appointment as Chief Secretaries, appointment  in Chief Minister’s/Governor’s Secretariat, *etc* . There is no shortage of officers to fill up top slots in bureaucracy as there are more empanelled officers available to hold JS level and above posts than the number of vacancies at any point of time.

(e):    Empanelled officers from all participating services apply for deputation as JS under CSS. As on date there are 43 number of non-IAS officers in the list of retained officers as against 6 officers of IAS.

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