New rules spell out a firm deadline for AIS officers

Ending a loophole that enabled All India Service (AIS) officers to get their job back years after resigning from the government if they could pull strings, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has finally put a 90-day deadline for them to return if they change their mind.

Ending a loophole that enabled All India Service (AIS) officers to get their job back years after resigning from the government if they could pull strings, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has finally put a 90-day deadline for them to return if they change their mind.

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So far there was no specific bar on officers from the AIS — the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service — from requesting permission to withdraw their resignation.

It wasn’t easy to make the come back, particularly if the resignation had been accepted by the government.

“But there are notable cases where officers with the right political connections have been allowed to join back,” a senior IAS officer said, recalling one instance where a bureaucrat was allowed to join back after about seven-eight years, did not lose her seniority and even joined the race for the cabinet secretary’s post.

On the other hand, there have been instances where an officer — her husband was an IAS officer — thought she could not cope with managing her professional and personal life and quit her job. She later repented her decision and wanted to join back.

A senior DoPT officer said the All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement Benefits) Amendment Rules 2011 brings the rules on dealing with resignations by AIS officers at par with other services.

Listing the conditions under which a member of the service may be permitted to withdraw his resignation, the notification, issued by Deepti Umashankar, director (services) at DoPT, said the period of absence must not exceed 90 days.

Also, those who chucked their government jobs to join the corporate sector in the private and public sector or get involved with political activity will not be allowed to withdraw their resignation.

Government officials said the relaxation to withdraw the resignation was largely aimed at officers who may have compelling reasons to resign which did not involve any reflection on their integrity, efficiency or conduct.

Officers would only be entitled to this relaxation if the conduct of the member concerned during the period intervening the resignation and the request for withdrawal was not improper.