Strange but true! Several officers including Admin Secys, Div Com’s, DC’s posted in J&K, Ladakh UT have failed in IAS exams: Report

Public Service Commission to act tough, takes up issue with Govt

Jammu: A number of IAS officers posted in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh after being allotted the J&K cadre in the past have failed in the IAS (Probationers) examinations which is conducted by the J&K Public Service Commission in six subjects and is mandatory for the Civil Service officers to clear for promotion to Senior Time Scale.

A number of IAS officers presently posted in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in the rank of Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and other significant posts have failed not only in one but multiple subjects in the examination conducted by the PSC in the past.

Significantly, some of the senior IAS officers were holding important posts in the Central Government without clearing the mandatory IAS (Probationers) Examinations which is conducted by the J&K PSC for the officers, who have been allotted Jammu and Kashmir cadre reported Daily Excelsior.

According to Daily Excelsior report, PSC Chairman Brij Raj Sharma has taken up the issue with the Union Territory Government for enforcing the Jammu and Kashmir Public Departmental Examinations (IAS, KAS and Other Officers) Rules, 1968 which clearly stated that no IAS officer will be eligible for promotion to Senior Times Scale in Service unless he passes the examination under these Rules.

“Provided that the Government may, if necessary, promote an IAS Junior Time Scale officer to officiate in a Senior Time Scale subject to his clearance of the examination within a period to be specified in each case from time and date of such officiating, promotion,” the Rules state.

The exams comprised six Papers A, B, C, D, E and F and comprised written and oral test. The Oral test is held in local language.

A woman IAS officer posted as Administrative Secretary of a prestigious department has passed just one subject and didn’t apply for five others while a Divisional Commissioner posted in Jammu and Kashmir has failed in five subjects and passed just one.

A senior IAS officer who was till recently posted as Administrative Secretary of an important department and a woman IAS officer who has proceeded on Central deputation have been marked as Absent in the examinations.

Two IAS officers posted as Deputy Commissioners in Jammu region have failed in four subjects and passed just two. Four IAS officers, two of them holding senior posts, in the Union Territory of Ladakh have failed in one to two subjects.

However, there are some IAS officers who had passed all the subjects.

Three Deputy Commissioners-one posted in Jammu region and two in Kashmir have passed all the subjects. Three other senior officers, one of whom is posted in Health Department, have also passed all subjects.

A senior IAS officer on Central deputation has failed in one subject.

Number of IAS officers presently posted as Deputy Commissioners or transferred few months back from the post of DCs in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh haven’t been able to clear all subjects and were fail either in one or two subjects.

However, with the PSC now deciding to act tough, the IAS officers will be left with no choice but to appear in the examinations and clear them for further promotions.

“The IAS officers should set example for others and follow the Rules to clear mandatory examinations. Skipping the examinations has set bad precedent,” the experts opined.