Move to create more vacancies to diffuse rancour in admin

To diffuse the rancour in the administration and to avoid any legal tangles, the government has asked the authorities concerned to create more vacancies at the deputy secretary level and increase the marks for promotion.

Delay in promotion has created stagnation in the administration and eligible officials are worried about their future.

Official sources said about 1,620 senior assistant secretaries who got into service between 1983 and 1991 have been waiting for promotion to the posts of deputy secretary. However, there are only 379 vacant posts.

The Superior Selection Board (SSB) after a series of meetings and scrutiny finalised promotion of 379 senior assistant secretaries from 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986 batches.

Besides, the SSB selected some others who joined in the service much later for promotion as they are currently serving in important offices, including the Prime Minister's Office, and have strong political connections with the ruling alliance.

The selection of promotion list created serious resentment among the aspirants. The SSB placed the list to the prime minister (PM) for her final approval on Wednesday.

Official sources said the SSB had set obtaining 83 marks by candidates as the criterion for promotion and prepared the list. But junior officers protested this mark setting and demanded higher marks for promotion. But frustration has mounted among the officials of the 1983 special batch mounted most of whom would be excluded if promotion marks are fixed higher.

Sources said the PM has asked the SSB to set 85 marks for promotion and to increase the number of vacant posts so that more officials could be promoted.

Sources said the number of vacant posts would stand at 660 by the end of this year as nearly 300 deputy secretaries will go for retirement by December. Many suggested promoting at least 500 senior assistant secretaries to defuse the rancour.

The government is already facing legal battles over the recent promotions of deputy secretaries to the posts of joint secretary. Those not promoted filed separate writ petitions with the High Court Division.

They also feel uncertain as nobody seems to know what would be the criteria for future promotion or when the next promotion will be made, sources said.

Officials alleged that one of the assistant private secretaries (APS) of the prime minister, who exercises a great deal of influence on decision making, is dictating who is to be promoted and who is not.

They said most of the senior and junior officials are highly annoyed with the activities of the APS for his interference in administrative activities, particularly promotions, transfers and postings.

The officials said the APS is trying to get his own men promoted at the cost of deserving officials.

A senior bureaucrat, who preferred not to be named, said he has suggested the policymakers to create more vacancies at the deputy secretary and joint secretary levels by promoting officials at the higher tier.

But, he said continued extensions of contractual appointments in key administrative posts are creating serious backlog in promotion.

Meanwhile, sources said a good number of senior assistant secretaries of different batches are preparing to take recourse to law should they be superseded by their juniors.

The government is also worried about a possible furore in the administration over the issue of promotion. Senior ministers have suggested to the prime minister to promote officials according to seniority until the examination system is introduced.