IAS Week: Officers demand transparent system in empanelment for deputation

The Uttar Pradesh IAS Association on Saturday demanded that the 360-degree system of evaluation for empanelment of IAS officers for central deputation be made transparent to enable officers know their status.

Under the new (360-degree) system, feedback on officers for empanelment is taken from a panel of ‘unidentified’ retired officers and not an expert panel, as done earlier.

A resolution to urge the Centre to make the system transparent was passed at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the association at Civil Service Institute here.

“We will request the Centre to make the 360-degree system of empanelment of officers transparent. At present the system is opaque and officers are not told about the grounds that form the basis for considering or not considering them for empanelment at the Centre,” said association secretary Alok Kumar.

“The Centre had changed the empanelment system after installation of Narendra Modi government. Earlier, there were clear guidelines for empanelment, which provided for an expert panel to evaluate the officers on the basis of ACRs etc. Under the new system, feedback is taken from retired officers. As no record of the feedback of the retired officers is kept, the IAS officers remain in dark about their status. This system has chances of favoritism,” said a senior officer on condition of anonymity.

Other issues that came up for discussion at the AGM include childcare leave etc. A group of women IAS officers has called the department of personnel and training’s (DoPT) circular on the issue of childcare leave regressive.

The DoPT allows 730 days childcare leave to women officers for bringing up two children. Later unmarried male officers, divorcees and widowers were also allowed childcare leave.

“The women’s group has demanded that childcare leave be made optional for both husband and wife. Under the present rule child rearing appears to be responsibility of women IAS officers only,” said an officer, adding, “The association will write to the centre to consider the demand of women IAS officers.”

As the association’s mentorship programme for young officers has been found useful, the AGM decided to rope in some retired officers, too, to mentor young officers.

At the AGM, it was pointed out that the state government has not given ‘no objection certificate’ to a minority community officer who has married a UP cadre woman IAS officer. “The officer’s request to come on deputation to the state on the basis of marriage has remained pending with the state government for more than a year,” said another senior officer.

A senior officer said officers should stay away from allurements or else the CBI may follow them.

Chief secretary Anoop Chandra Pandey said IAS officers should also watch the interests of other cadres. Board of Revenue chairman Pravir Kumar said the officers should do good work and earn goodwill of the people.

A senior IAS officer posted at Noida pointed out that he had acted against a builder. Later the builder launched a misinformation campaign against him. His request for permission to file a defamation case against the builder was still pending with the state government, he said.

COMMISSIONERS, DMs SKIP AGM DUE TO VIDEO CONFERENCE

Following chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s decision to hold a video conference to review preparations to check copying in high school and intermediate examinations, most divisional commissioners and district magistrates gave a miss to the Annual General Meeting of the Uttar Pradesh IAS Association held at the Civil Service Institute here on Saturday.

“Yes, most divisional commissioners and district magistrates have left for their respective divisions and districts,” said a senior officer after the AGM.

Yogi had asked the divisional commissioners and district magistrates to go back to their divisions and districts for the video conference. Although the officers did not raise the issue at the AGM, Yogi’s move remained a point of discussion among them.

“Senior officers tried to convince the CM against holding the video conference on Saturday. The CM, however, did not agree,” said a senior officer.

“How come you are here?” was the comment to the divisional commissioners and DMs who could manage to attend the AGM.

DINNER AND CULTURAL PROGRAMME

Meanwhile, governor Ram Naik hosted dinner for IAS officers at Raj Bhwan here on Saturday. As the divisional commissioners and district magistrates had returned to their respective districts only, other officers could attend the dinner. A cultural programme was organised by the IAS officers at Raj Bhawan. Joint magistrate Siddharth Nagar and 2017-batch IAS officer Saumya Pandey performed Ganesh Vandana and Kathak Tarana composed and sung by Pt. Birju Maharaj in Teen Taal. Aparna sang Madhurashtakam in semi-classical bhajan mode in Raag Assavari. Senior IAS officer Anita Bhatnagar Jain, along with her husband Aashu Jain, performed a dance drama there. Noted folk singer Malini Awasthi also participated in the cultural programme.