Shortage of over 1,400 IAS, 900 IPS officers in India: Govt

New Delhi: There is a shortage of over 1,400 Indian Administrative Service (IAS), 900 Indian Police Service (IPS) and 560 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers in the country, union minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

There are 4,926 IAS officers as against their total authorised strength of 6,396, leaving a vacancy of 1,470, he told Lok Sabha in a written reply. The highest number of 128 vacancies are in Bihar, followed by 117 in Uttar Pradesh and 101 in West Bengal, said Singh, minister of state for personnel, public grievances and pensions.

Similarly, a total of 908 posts of IPS officers are also lying vacant. As many as 3,894 IPS officers are working as against the total sanctioned strength of 4,802. The highest number of 114 vacancies exist in Uttar Pradesh, followed by 88 in West Bengal, 79 in Odisha and 72 in Karnataka. In Bihar, 43 posts meant for IPS officers are lying vacant as against the sanctioned strength of 231.

There is a shortage of IFS officers also. A total of 2,597 IFS officers are in the country as against their total authorised strength of 3,157—gap of 560. The highest number of vacancies of IFS are in Maharashtra (46) followed by Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha (45 each).

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“The government has increased annual intake of IAS officers to 180 during last four years. The annual intake of IFS officers has been increased to 110 and of IPS officers to 150 from 2015 and 2009 examination respectively.

“Further, in promotion quota prompt action has been taken for holding selection committee meeting for appointment by promotion/selection of state service officers in all-India services,” the minister said.

A Parliamentary standing committee has recently expressed “serious concern” over persistent shortage of IAS officers and strongly recommended that all efforts be made to fill these vacancies. “The Committee notes that almost all the key and strategic positions under the Union as well as the states are being manned by the IAS and persistent shortage in the IAS officers ultimately affects governance in the country.

“The Committee expresses its serious concern over persistent shortage of IAS officers and strongly recommends that all efforts be made to fill these vacancies,” the panel had said in its report submitted in Parliament.