IAS shortlist: Govt goes for alphabetic order, dumps its last year’s yardstick

STRANGE COINCIDENCE? Name of education minister Ram Bilas Sharma’s daughter, a medical officer posted in Narnaul, tops the list for two consecutive years through criteria chief secretaryheaded screening panel adopted

CHANDIGARH: The Manohar Lal Khattar government this year switched to “alphabetic order” for recommending a panel of five candidates to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to fill one post of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) through nomination channel, dumping the last year’s yardstick of women empowerment.

The 2016 shortlist comprised three women of a total of five candidates from among non-state civil service officers.

Incidentally, under both the yardsticks — women empowerment and alphabetic order — education minister Ram Bilas Sharma’s daughter Asha Sharma got shortlisted. Her name figured on the top in both the lists the government sent to the UPSC in two consecutive years.

The UPSC had cancelled the selection process last year citing “deficient documents/information” the state government sent about three candidates.

This year, there were a total of 16 officials who according to the government fulfilled all eligibility criteria but there was no one except Asha Sharma whose name started from the alphabet ‘A’ and hence she automatically bagged the first slot among the aspirants.

Asha Sharma (42), an MBBS, is a medical officer at the Narnaul civil hospital.

HT has copies of the proceedings the chief secretary DS Dhesi-headed screening committee held to shortlist the candidates.

“We have shortlisted the candidates and recommended their names to the UPSC, on the basis of their ability. There is no nepotism. Ultimately, the UPSC will select one candidate out of the five we have recommended keeping in view various factors. It is for the UPSC to decide who is more deserving,” chief minister Khattar said on Wednesday during a press conference after the cabinet meeting.

In its June 24, 2016 meeting, the screening committee had observed: “Both the Government of India and the state government were giving the highest priority to education of the girl child and women empowerment.”

The panel had noted that no woman has entered IAS in Haryana through this channel. The screening panel stated that a multi-sectoral empowerment of women will help creating an environment that will inspire

We have shortlisted the candidates and recommended their names to the UPSC, on the basis of their ability. There is no scope of nepotism

MANOHAR LAL KHATTAR , chief minister

and encourage women towards education and a life of dignity.

A file noting stated, “The committee is of the view that women officers may be given preference by selection from non-SCS to the IAS.”

And while picking up the panel this year, the screening committee noted: “The committee recommends that a panel of following officers in alphabetic order may be sent to the UPSC…”