Syllabus: Role of civil services in a democracy
Background and Policy Revision
- The Centre revised cadre allocation policy for IAS, IPS, and IFoS.
- The reform was notified by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
- The policy replaces the 2017 zonal arrangement with an alphabetical grouping system.
- The objective is to ensure fairness, transparency, and national integration.
New Grouping Structure
- All State and Joint Cadres are arranged alphabetically into four groups.
- Candidates express preferences among groups, forming the basis for allocation.
- Group I: AGMUT, Andhra Pradesh, Assam-Meghalaya, Bihar, Chhattisgarh.
- Group II: Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh.
- Group III: Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu.
- Group IV: Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal.
Vacancy Determination Framework
- DoPT, MHA, and MoEF&CC control vacancies for IAS, IPS, and IFoS.
- Vacancies are determined annually and category-wise for UR, SC, ST, and OBC.
- EWS vacancies are treated as part of the Unreserved category.
- States must submit requisitions by January 31 for the following year.
- Determination is based on cadre gap as of January 1 after examinations.
- Late requisitions from States will not be considered.
Insider and Outsider Allocation Rules
- Insider candidates are allocated strictly by merit order and vacancy availability.
- Willingness to serve in the home State is mandatory for insider eligibility.
- Outsider allocation follows a two-stage roster system.
- PwBD candidates are placed first, followed by other categories.
Rotational Cycle System
- Allocation proceeds through a rotational cycle covering 25 candidates.
- Higher-ranked candidates receive priority within the same cycle.
- Remaining candidates move to subsequent allocation cycles.
Administrative Objectives
- The reform addresses uneven vacancy distribution raised by States.
- It aims to enhance inter-State exposure for young officers.
- The framework promotes objectivity, efficiency, and transparency in cadre allocation.