Over 1,300 IAS and 586 IPS positions unfilled: Government in Rajya Sabha

The government informed the Rajya Sabha that over 1,300 IAS and 586 IPS positions are currently vacant across the country.

In Short

• Government reveals civil service vacancies in Rajya Sabha
• Over 1,300 IAS and 586 IPS posts remain vacant
• IAS, IPS vacancies across India pose recruitment challenges

As of January 1, 2024, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFS) collectively face a significant shortage of officers, as disclosed by Union Minister Jitendra Singh in a written response to the Rajya Sabha.

The IAS, with a sanctioned strength of 6,858 officers, currently has 5,542 officers in service, leaving 1,316 positions vacant. Among these, 794 posts are earmarked for direct recruitment, while 522 are reserved for promotions.

The IPS also has a considerable gap, with 4,469 officers working against a sanctioned strength of 5,055. This creates 586 vacancies, of which 209 are for direct recruitment and 377 for promotions.

In the Indian Forest Service (IFS), out of a sanctioned strength of 3,193, only 2,151 officers are in position. This leaves 1,042 vacancies, including 503 direct recruit posts and 539 promotion posts.

DATA RELATED TO RECRUITMENT

The Union Minister also provided data on recruitment from various categories -- General, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) -- over the past five years.

For instance, during the 2022 UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE), 75 candidates from the General category, 45 OBCs, 29 SCs, and 13 STs were selected for IAS.

Similarly, 83 General, 53 OBC, 31 SC, and 13 ST candidates were recruited into IPS, while IFS appointments included 43 General, 51 OBC, 22 SC, and 11 ST candidates.

These officers are recruited annually through the UPSC Civil Services Examination, ensuring a steady inflow of talent into the country’s administrative framework. However, the current vacancy levels highlight the challenges of maintaining the required strength in these vital services.