Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is looking to fill its director and deputy secretary vacancies from Central Secretariat Services (CSS) pool by offering deputation and special security allowances to officers willing to join the spy agency. In an office memorandum dated October 15, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has requested all ministries to give wide publicity to the RAW vacancy among the CSS officers. This is the first high-profile internal advertisement of the RAW vacancies by the DoPT -- a coordinating agency of the Union Government in personnel matters, especially for recruitment, training and career development.
According to RAW chief’s letter to the DoPT, shortage of officers might continue for another three to four years. The officers in the rank of director and deputy secretary would be posted in secretarial cadre of the country’s external intelligence agency. The secretarial cadre is responsible for personnel management and providing logistics support to the agency. In his letter dated September 28, RAW Chief S K Tripathi had requested Secretary (Personnel) P K Mishra to forward the applications of eligible officers below the age of 56 along with vigilance clearance.
He said picking officers from the CCS pool was necessary due to their non-availability in the feeder grade.
Sources said shortage of officers was mainly due to lesser direct recruitments by the agency in the last few years.
Recently, a task force report of Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis on intelligence reforms had stated that direct recruitments to RAW Allied Service cadre were understood to have been practically discontinued in the last few years.
“Ultimate demise of the cadre in the course of the next few years due to retirement and other kinds of attrition is clearly on the cards,” task force report remarked.
Sources said the government was also planning reforms in recruitment procedure to strengthen the existing structure and composition of the organisation.