Modi govt plans major changes in allocation of civil services

The central government is considering a major change in the allocation of services to successful candidates of civil services examination.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has asked the department concerned to examine if the services can be allocated after the completion of foundation course, according to an official communique. The duration of foundation course for officers of almost all the services is three months. At present, service allocation to the candidates selected on the basis of civil services examination, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is made well before the commencement of the foundation course.

The PMO has desired to examine if service allocation/cadre allocation to probationers selected on the basis of the examination can be made after foundation course, as per the communication sent by the Personnel Ministry to different cadre-controlling authorities. The departments concerned have been asked to examine the feasibility of giving due weightage to the performance in the foundation course, and making service allocation as well as cadre allocation to all India services officers based on the combined score obtained in the civil services examination and the foundation course, the communique said.

There are three all India services -- Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS). The departments have been asked to give their feedback on the proposal to allocate other central services like the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) and Indian Telecommunications Service (ITS) among others, a Personnel Ministry official said. The UPSC conducts civil services examination in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview -- to select officers for various central services.