After 4-Year Gap, 23 JKAS Officers Set for IAS Induction; Final Meeting Soon
*UPSC appoints Chairman for selection panel; legal hurdles not to impede process, meeting likely by month-end in Jammu*
Jammu, Apr 6 (KNC): In a significant administrative development, the process for induction of 23 Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS) officers into the IAS against vacancies of 2019 and 2020 has reached its final stage, with all formalities completed and a final meeting expected by the end of April, official sources said.
Sources told news agency Kashmir News Corner — KNC that the Union Public Service Commission has nominated one of its members as Chairman of the selection committee for Jammu and Kashmir. The committee will also comprise three senior UT officers, including the Chief Secretary, an Additional Chief Secretary and the Administrative Secretary of the General Administration Department (GAD).
They said the UT administration has formally referred 23 vacancies to the UPSC for induction of JKAS officers into the IAS. The final meeting of the committee is likely to be held in Jammu by the end of this month to take a call on the inductions.
This comes after a gap of nearly four years, with the last induction held on August 4, 2022, when 16 JKAS officers were inducted into the IAS. Though vacancies had been identified since then, the process was delayed due to legal wrangles.
Sources, however, said that while some legal issues still persist, they are unlikely to come in the way of inductions. The matters have already been conveyed to the UPSC, and a way out is expected to be found during the meeting, either by clearing inductions subject to the outcome of pending petitions or by keeping some vacancies reserved.
They added that the officers likely to be inducted belong to the 1999 batch and will be allotted the AGMUT cadre. Notably, the 1999 batch officers had to wait for over 23 years for their induction into the IAS.
Earlier, on July 8, 2022, as many as 28 JKAS officers were cleared for induction, but only 16 were eventually inducted on August 4, 2022. Of the remaining, eight had retired, two declined induction, one had died and the case of one officer was kept in a sealed cover.
The induction of JKAS officers into IAS had remained stalled for nearly 12 years from 2010 to 2022 due to seniority disputes and legal hurdles.
Sources said that once the current 23 vacancies are filled, fresh vacancies for subsequent years will be identified, which will help address stagnation among JKAS officers.
The government is also planning to make the induction process a regular annual exercise to ensure timely elevation of officers, in line with other States and Union Territories.
With Jammu and Kashmir now part of the AGMUT cadre, IAS officers are posted across various States and Union Territories under the cadre, including Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Lakshadweep. (KNC)
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