There is no unanimity between different Group-A central services and associations representing the All India Service officers (IAS/IPS) on whether a Unified Civil Service will suit India better.
The Sixth Central Pay Commission had sought response from different services on the case for a unified civil service by merging all Central (both technical and non-technical) and All India Services and whether there should be two distinct streams, one embracing all technical services and another for non-technical services.
The Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) and the Indian Information Service associations supported the idea of unified civil services.
The IRS (C&CE) in its memorandum submitted to the Sixth Pay Commission has said "The recommendations of the IRS (C&CE) is to request the Pay Commission to recommend to constitute a Unified Civil Services pool or an Integrated Management Pool, by empanelling officers from various participating Group 'A' services to fill up posts of Joint Secretaries and higher level posts in ministries/departments of the center. The Government could lay guidelines, uniform for all services and conduct a screening by the UPSC."
The Indian Information Service Group 'A' Officers' Association has responded saying "There is a case for unified civil service. All those who come through the common civil service examination conducted by UPSC, be merged to a single service. This is the first step to end disparity among services and render equal treatment to all the services."
The Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) differs from the IRS (C&CE) on the issue.
The IRS (IT) Association has said "In the age of specialisation or super-specialisation, the case for a unified civil service would be difficult to support. In fact, it is more important to end the glaring inter-service disparity and monopoly of one service over senior positions irrespective of the suitability of officers of that service for the post."
The Indian Administrative and Civil Service (central) association has recommended saying "There cannot be a complete unified civil service system. in fact, such an attempt will blur the focus from the IAS."
(Published in Hindustant Times on 19/11/2007)
I agree with the remarks that any unified civil service will blur the focus on IAS and IFS. The exclusivity of these elite institutions will be diluted.To preserve the same, it is better to keep them as they are.
ReplyDeleteWHY NOT ? THESE ARE ELITE SERVICES AND COME FROM SOME OTHER PLANET. I HAVE A SUGGESTION.LET US SEND THEM TO A MAROONED ISLAND.SURELY THAT SHALL BE VERY EXCLUSIVE.
ReplyDeleteUnified civil service should be a better approach to fill the right candidates to the specific departments.
ReplyDeleteWhat I see a IAS who is unaware of technical departments beocme supreme boss with his full executive powers.
There should be competive examination cum interview and fill the post with the right technical guy who can improve it.
Beuracrates will never like that there powers to be cut down. All decision makers are IAS/IPS, and the country is in there hand. this should be avoided. Once they selected, by seniority (age) rise to the top, What this nonsense.
promotion should be only by - written test ( as a proof) + interview ( videography must).
Als government should follow transparency, To do Higher Education ( M.tech/M.B.A etc. option should be there. part time classes etc. So that employee will utilize his full potential.
Problem is All report makers/Law makers are IAS/Elite Service. Why will cut there hand. Ministers are doing only sign and take advises from there secratary IAS/Elite Service Group.
The unified civil services doesnot and should not mean that a police officer will be doing the traffic control of the movements of trains in railways,or be in charge of Income tax assessment.This idea can work like armed forces have the system of basic military training and then commissioning into arms and services.Thus the basic service conditions remain the same but tasks are different excpet at the level of brigade commander and above.Thus a cop can well be incharge of supervision of revenue collection or similar task beyond a certain level of seniority.After all officers from different services work in the ministries as US,DS/dir,JS etc.But the reverse may not work.Policing requires expertise.Thus some services can be kept separate under the over all umbrealla of unified ICS.
ReplyDeleteThe approach of IAS to remain exclusive and also in controlling positions has left most of the other services with frustration and less job satisfaction. With a unified civil service we will have large pool of civil servants from which most suitable person can be found particularly for higher positions. After all there is hardly a few % difference in marks in top and bottom rankers in civil servants.
ReplyDeleteUnification of Group A in central govt is a welcome decision. But there should be seperate for technical and non technical. UPSC examination recommended Officers should be brought under this unification. The powers should be given to all Group A Officers irrespective of the organisation they are serving. In some of the Central organisation,like Geological Survey Of India, Group A offcers are only for namesake and have no powers. This anomoly should be addressed.
ReplyDeleteK. Prabhakara
Unified civil code is a sensitive issue for the present IAS coitre. They while doing more harm to the departments- partilcualry in the technical departments- think that they are the rulers and other employess are their subjects.
ReplyDeleteThey jump from department to department weilding no resposiblilty and no accountability.
There must be a unified civil services cadre and within its framework, specilaisation and accountability should be given utmost importance.