Centre, not states, to be the first stop for IAS officers

NEW DELHI: New IAS officers will now have to serve a three-month stint at a central department before they get their first district posting in the states.

The Modi government has told all states to spare the young officers for three months after completing the second phase of their training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie.

It has also coined a new designation for them — assistant secretary to the central government — to distinguish them from other secretariat staffers.

“Central government experience at an early stage will equip the officer with greater knowledge of policy formulation, an appreciation of the country’s diversity and resultant chal- lenges, and exposure to the best practices from different parts of the country,” department of personnel & training secretary Sanjay Kothari said in a letter to all chief secretaries.

In principle, the move is in sharp contrast to the existing rules that allow IAS officers to work at central ministries after putting in a minimum of nine years at the state level.

Kothari also asked the states to immediately post the young officers as sub-divisional magistrates on completion of the three-month posting at central ministries.

According to the new plan, each ministry will have to identify a joint secretary or additional secretary rank officer to mentor the young officers during their posting. Each department will have to accommodate two to five officers for the proposed posting.