Tamil Nadu is supposed to have the third largest number of IAS officers allotted for a State cadre in the country but one-fifth of the total number of sanctioned positions in the State continues to be vacant: against the sanctioned strength of 376 IAS positions for Tamil Nadu cadre, only a little over 300 officers have been posted.
Even among those serving, many are on central deputation out of the State with a majority occupying positions in Delhi. Many of those on deputation are senior officers and that is evident from the fact that six of the top 10 senior officers in the Tamil Nadu cadre are serving in various positions in the national capital.
The shortage also reflects as vacancies in various positions in the bureaucracy. For instance, three Secretary-level posts – one in the Planning Department and two in the Chief Minister’s office – are vacant.
Consequently, quite a few IAS offices are holding additional charge of some departments.
Senior bureaucrats say while allotting of additional charge to IAS officers is understandable, sometimes officers have been allotted additional responsibilities unrelated to their primary posting in a department. For instance, an officer is holding positions in the Department of Geology and Mining as well as the in the Directorate of Technical Education at the same time.
‘Morale taking a hit’
“Yes, there is a shortage but what affects an officer’s morale more is the allotment of posts that are considered punishment postings. For instance, officers are posted in Science City or Stationery and Printing Department, which could have been managed by non-cadre officers from the State civil service,” says an IAS officer on conditions of anonymity.
Former IAS officer M.G. Devasahayam alleges that the cadre management is faulty. “There is no proper and scientific evaluation of the cadre and the departments to see where officers are needed and where non-cadre officers could manage. There is a need to deploy right officers at the right place, especially when there is a shortage,” he observes.
Certain practices governing deployment of IAS officers have been discontinued over the years, he says and points to the Board of Revenue that supervised the functions of IAS officers during the government under the then Chief Minister K. Kamaraj.
“Cadre posts are created without going into the need and then they are closed. Several ad hoc positions are created and there is a need to take a relook at the practice,” urges Mr. Devasahayam.
When sought for a comment, a senior official said, “Only the government of India can decide on filling up the vacancies. We understand the Department of Personnel and Training would have meetings over this issue. As for officers from State cadre, recruitment is being done as and when needed.”