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Uncertainty looms over UP IAS Assn’s civil service week, AGM
While a section of IAS officers is hopeful that the assn may be able to hold the events in the next few weeks, others say several UP cadre IAS officers have been deployed as observers in the elections to five state assemblies
LUCKNOW Ten years after UP IAS Association’s resolution declaring that the organization will hold the IAS Week and annual general meeting (AGM) every year, uncertainty looms over the two annual events this year again.
While a section of IAS officers is hopeful that the association may be able to hold the events in the next few weeks, some others said several UP cadre IAS officers have been deployed as observers in the elections to five state assemblies. And the association is left with limited options as the polls would be over in early December and the Election Commission’s code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections may come into force early in 2024.
The UP IAS Association had on January 19, 2013, resolved that its AGM and civil service week (IAS Week) would be organised every year. Ten years on, the association seems to be failing to keep its words.
The association held its AGM and IAS Week in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. It, however, could not hold the event in 2020 and 2021 due to the outbreak of Covid-19. It was not able to hold its annual event again in 2022 too, keeping in view the 2022 legislative assembly elections in UP.
In 2023, much will depend on chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s schedule as he traditionally addresses senior administration officers’ conference during the IAS week, said officers. The CM may take a call only if the association comes out with a concrete proposal, they said.
“We are not averse to the association holding the annual civil service week. We have asked it to come up with a proposal. It is for the association to come up with the proposed dates,” said a senior officer of the chief minister’s secretariat.
Association’s chairman Mahesh Gupta refused to comment on its issue while its secretary Ranjan Kumar remained inaccessible. Senior IAS officers, however, say the IAS Week is UP IAS Association’s unique event that no other IAS association follows. Yet, this is not the first time that the association has not been able to hold its annual event. The association had become virtually defunct during the BSP government’s tenure from May 13, 2007 to March 14, 2012.
The association had failed to hold its annual civil service week in the five-year tenure of the BSP-led government. Its inability to uphold its own resolution has become a point of discussion in the corridors of power. “We hope the association will be able to keep its words. This is an important event and provides an opportunity to officers to discuss important issues,” said a senior officer.
The association has many initiatives to its credit and 2023 is the 27th year after the UP IAS Association undertook exercise of introspection.
“UP IAS Week is very important. No other state IAS association has such a tradition. This provides an opportunity for camaraderie and bonding. It is also an opportunity to understand issues concerning the service. The association should not allow IAS Week to lapse,” said Alok Ranjan, former chief secretary and, former president of UP IAS Association.
Ranjan said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, known as ‘Iron Man’, had visualized the Indian Administrative Service as the steel frame of India. It was considered to be the backbone of good governance. Ironically, the steel frame has not been able to stand for its own cause, said a few officers.
