20 Civil Services Asked the Govt For Equal Pay & End IAS Supremacy

IAS officers currently get a 2-year edge over other services to enrol to become a member of a Central deputation.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. (Photo: PTI)

Armed with the Union Cabinet’s decision of accepting 7th pay commission recommendations, a confederation representing thousands of officers from 20 civil services–including Indian Police Service (IPS) asked the government, on Wednesday, to give equal pay and job-related opportunities enjoyed by those in IAS.

The association had officers from IPS, IRS, IFS, IAAS and FROA (representing nine railway services).

The three-member Seventh Central Pay Commission, which had submitted its report on 19 November, 2015, was divided over the issue of financial and career-related edge given to IAS officers as against those belonging to the other services.

Two of the members of the panel have given clear findings. Both are neutral as they are not from any of the services. They have come to the conclusion that proper justice has to be given on the issue of pay and services parity.

Jayant Mishra, Convener of Confederation of Civil Services Association (COCSA)

IAS officers presently get a two-year edge over other services for getting empanelled to come on deputation at the Centre.

The pay panel chief Justice (retd) A K Mathur and one of its members–Rathin Roy agreed that IAS, IFoS , IPS and central services Group A officers who have completed 17 years of service should be eligible for empanelment under the Central Staffing Scheme.

They also said that the “two year edge” presently enjoyed by the IAS should be withdrawn.

Whereas Vivek Rae, third member of the pay panel and a former IAS officer, has said that the financial edge for IAS and those of Indian Foreign Service is fully justified but has not agreed with the view that it should be extended to the IPS and the IFoS.