Adhocism impairs J&K Admin,58% posts of IAS officers vacant
Even as adhocism prevailing at top level in bureaucracy continues to hamper the normal functioning of several government departments, nearly 58 percent posts of IAS officers are vacant in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the official statistics, the total authorized strength of IAS officers in J&K is 137 out of which 75 posts are filled through direct recruitment while the remaining 62 are filled through promotion criteria.
“As on January 1 this year, only 58 IAS officers comprising 57 direct recruits and one officer through promotion were in position. These included the officers sent on deputation in the Union Territory of Ladakh. There are 79 posts of IAS officers (18 in direct recruitment category and 61 through promotion) vacant in J&K which is affecting the normal functioning of various wings of the government,” an official document said.
The document claimed that only four IAS officers (Cadre/Joint Cadre) were appointed through the Civil Services Examination (CSE) from 2016 to 2020.
According to the reports, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had recently cleared the induction of 28 officers of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS) including 14 each serving and retired into the IAS cadre against the identified vacancies for the years 2013-2018.
With this, the number of vacant posts in promotion category will come down to 47. The fresh induction of 14 serving JKAS officers into IAS will help the government to overcome shortage of IAS officers in the Union Territory.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has deployed several officers of All India Services on two to three years deputation in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh due to shortage of the IAS officers.
The official document, however, claimed that it was the endeavour of the Government to fill up the vacancies in the cadres. “Occurrence and filling up of vacancies is a continuous process. The UPSC conducts Civil Services Examination for filling up vacancies on direct recruitment basis in IAS every year. In order to address the issue of shortage of IAS and to ensure optimal intake of directly recruited (DR) IAS Officers, Government has decided to annually recruit 180 DR IAS Officers since CSE-2012,” it stated.
These recruitments are made on the basis of the recommendations of Baswan Committee which had recommended the annual intake of 180.
“Stop-gap arrangement has become a norm in Jammu and Kashmir. The additional charge to a few officials along with their original postings indicates that the UT administration continues to encourage and operate through adhocism,” a senior official said declining to be named.
The official said that a number of IAS officers, who were holding the posts of Administrative Secretaries, attained superannuation during the past over one year. “Due to the dearth of eligible officers, the majority of top level posts had to be manned through adhoc arrangements.
