IAS, IPS Officers To Be Deputed To Private Firms

New Delhi: In a unique suggestion, a parliamentary panel on Thursday recommended deputation of IAS and IPS officers in private sector to bring in domain expertise and competition.

It also supported the entry of private sector specialists into government services to meet the need of expertise. The recommendation assumes significance as the government think tank NITI Aayog has in one of its recent reports suggested outsourcing public services to private hands in order to reduce dependence on the government administrative machinery. In its report, the Lok Sabha's Committee on Estimates recommended "minimum lateral entry at the senior level to meet the need of expertise, besides bringing freshness and competition in the services".

While recommending for minimal lateral induction, the committee took note of the existing rules which do not permit civil servants to go to private sector on deputation, it said. "The committee is of the view that there is a need to revisit the provision to permit both ways deputation/lateral induction so as to bring the experience and professionalism of the private sector in the government service and vice-versa," the report said.

In its written submission before the committee, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had opposed such a move. "Though the DopT does not seem to be in agreement with the lateral entry as is indicative in the written reply, the secretary (DoPT) during the course of oral evidence stated that under central staffing scheme (for central deputation), the posts can be occupied by officer of any organised sector and outside can also come," it said.

The officers of all India services - Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) - are selected through civil services examination conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission.

PTI