NRW DELHI: Even as the country’s civil services grapple with nearly 3,000 vacant positions, with the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) the worst affected, the government’s ambitious lateral entry programme has yielded just 63 appointments in seven years. The gap raises serious questions about the political will to infuse fresh minds into the workforce and modernise the bureaucracy amid a growing manpower crisis.
Data presented in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday reveal a stark paradox: while 2,834 posts remain unfilled across the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and IFS, the Prime Minister’s much-touted initiative to bring domain experts from the private sector into senior government roles has resulted in an average of only nine appointments annually since 2018.
Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh, provided the details in written replies to two separate questions from Rajya Sabha members Dr John Brittas and Ramji Lal Suman. The figures expose a yawning gap between the government’s rhetoric on modernising the bureaucracy and the reality on the ground.
Since 2018, only 63 lateral appointments have been made at the levels of Joint Secretary, Director and Deputy Secretary across 23 ministries. In contrast to countries such as the UK, Singapore and the United States, where lateral hiring forms a significant component of senior bureaucratic positions, India remains far behind. Critics argue that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to bring specialised expertise into governance has encountered resistance within the bureaucracy itself.
Meanwhile, the civil services are facing an unprecedented staffing shortfall. The IFS is operating at barely two-thirds of its sanctioned strength. With 1,029 vacancies out of 3,193 authorised posts, a 32.2 per cent shortfall, India’s diplomatic capabilities are under strain. Currently, only 2,164 IFS officers are managing the country’s diplomatic missions and foreign affairs apparatus.
The IAS has 1,300 vacant posts against a sanctioned strength of 6,877, reflecting an 18.9 per cent vacancy rate. At present, 5,577 IAS officers are in service. The IPS, responsible for maintaining law and order, faces a 9.9 per cent shortage, with 505 vacancies out of 5,099 sanctioned posts and 4,594 officers in position.
State-wise figures further underline the imbalance. Uttar Pradesh has only 114 IFS officers against 217 sanctioned posts, while Maharashtra has 139 officers for 206 posts.
The north-eastern states are operating with skeletal administrative cadres. Nagaland has just 53 IAS officers against 94 sanctioned posts, and Manipur is also facing critical shortages.