30% IAS shortfall in the country.

After the Armed Forces now it is country’s elite service, IAS which is facing an acute short fall off nearly 30 per cent personal with Uttar Pradesh having 216 IAS short, leading the list.

Minister of state for personnel V Narayanasamy told the Rajya Sabha that against the total authorized strength of 6,154 IAS officers in the country, only 4,377 were actually in position, 3,392 through direct recruitment and 985 by the way of promotions from State services.

“IAS officers are borne to the state cadres. They, however, serve the Government of India on Central deputation. Out of the total authorized strength of 6,154 IAS officers in the country, the Central Deputation Reserve (CDR) is 1,331 enabling the IAS officers to serve Centre on deputation. Of these, 675 IAS officers are in position as on April 1, 2012,” he said.

In all, there is a shortage of 1,777 IAS officers in the country, with UP having the highest number of vacant post at 216, followed by Bihar (128), Madhya Pradesh (118), Rajasthan (112) and Jharkhand (100). Punjab has a shortfall of 60 IAS officers, Haryana (27), Jammu and Kashmir (46), Himachal Pradesh (28) and Uttrakhand (36). The numbers have the potential to delay, if not impair, implementation of crucial developmental projects.

According to the minister, the government had accepted the Paswan Committee recommendations on the requirement of IAS officers. The panel had made 13 recommendations, including cadre review every five years and states sending names well in advance to the Centre for the purpose of empanelling officers and also promotee officers. However, disputes were pending relating to the promote officers at the state level.