IAS officers in Uttar Pradesh have objected to the central government’s decision to induct specialists at the joint secretary level through lateral recruitment, saying appointments done that way could be “manipulated”.
“The UP IAS Association will convene a meeting of its executive committee soon to discuss the issue,” said association secretary Alok Kumar.
Although most senior IAS officers in service refuse to speak on record on the issue, lateral entry into the bureaucracy remained a point of discussion among them in Lucknow on Monday.
“We have strong reservations about the Union government’s move. We are not saying that there is no talent outside the government or all the government officers are very talented. But the way the government proposes to make appointments may be manipulated,” said a senior UP government officer who did not wish to be named.
“No independent agency like the Union Public Service Commission is going to carry out the selection of 10 joint secretaries. There will be no examination and government has kept the powers of selection/appointment to itself. This raises serious doubts and may lead to selection of favourites,” said another officer.
Other points being raised by the officers include the government’s decision to fix a three-year term for such appointments. “Why will any genuinely talented person join the government for three years? There is a clause of three-month notice to remove such an appointee. How can an officer work in a forthright manner and advise boldly with such a provision?” asked the officer.
{{/usCountry}}Other points being raised by the officers include the government’s decision to fix a three-year term for such appointments. “Why will any genuinely talented person join the government for three years? There is a clause of three-month notice to remove such an appointee. How can an officer work in a forthright manner and advise boldly with such a provision?” asked the officer.
{{/usCountry}}Other officers mention conflict of interest or the appointee serving the interest of the sector with which he/she has been working. “Any such appointee may not be able to work independently or impartially. An appointee may work for some vested interests and may go back,” said another officer, adding “surprisingly the government has not come out with any reservation for these 10 posts.”
Retired IAS officers have also opposed the move and say it will only attract persons with a narrow approach.
“I don’t think it’s a good move. Those working in the private sector do not have experience of working in variety of fields. Anybody having experience of selling toothpaste or working in a specific field cannot be useful to work as joint secretary with the central government. Experienced personnel from other central services and even from the PSUs are already appointed to senior posts in government. There is no point in bringing those having a narrow vision or limited experience,” said former chief secretary Alok Ranjan.