Panel critical of CBI's policy of filling posts

A parliamentary panel has again castigated the CBI for excess reliance on deputation to fill vacancies in the agency.

A parliamentary panel has again castigated the CBI for excess reliance on deputation to fill vacancies in the agency.

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According to existing requirement rules of the agency the deputation quota in executive ranks in the CBI is as follows: constable - 60%, head constable - 20%, assistant sub-inspector - 25%, inspector - 50%, deputy superintendent of police - 50%, additional SP - 10%, SP - 60%, DIG - 75%, joint director - 80%, special director/director - 100%.

In its 60th report on demands for grants of the ministry of personnel (the administrative ministry of the CBI), a department related parliamentary standing committee has said it is unable to comprehend the reason for fixing such a high quota for deputation in the ranks of constable to the joint director.

The committee says if the CBI doesn't opt for direct recruitment in the ranks of DySP and constable, in the long run it would lead to a situation wherein the agency would be totally dependent on other departments or states.

The panel said the process of deputation brings in a different exposure to the organisation but at the same time the deputationists should not be dominant in it.

The CBI argued that there are many direct recruits in the agency who are facing serious charges of misconduct.

The agency takes action against them but still keep them in agency. Therefore the organisation has a big group of disgruntled officers.

But in case of deputationists, the agency can send them back to their parent department in case their integrity comes under doubt.

But the committee dismissed the argument and said it is indicative of unequal working conditions for departmental officers in comparison to deputationists.

"(It only)... reflects the state of helplessness in relation to manpower in the CBI," said the committee.

Taking note of 831 vacancies, mostly in the critical level of investigation officers, the committee said on earlier occasions in its 24th, 38th and 51st reports, it was recommended that in case of non-availability of officers on deputation, these posts may be filled by direct recruitment or through promotion.

"However, the committee is unhappy to note that nothing much has been done in this direction," says the latest report.

The committee also noted that deputationist officers in the rank of SP in the agency were directly promoted as DIG whereas cadre officers were promoted as SSP.