20 civil services now ask govt to end IAS supremacy

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

"The government has accepted the panel's recommendation on pay and allowances in toto. It has given a very strong hope to all other services that they will get parity in service as recommended by two of three members of the commission.

"We request the government that the majority recommendation on the issue of pay and service parity are also implemented very soon.," said Jayant Mishra, convener of Confederation of Civil Services Association (COCSA).

The association comprises 20 services including IPS, Indian Revenue Service, Indian Forest Service, Indian Audit and Accounts Service and Federation of Railway Officers Association (representing nine railway services).

The three-member Seventh Central Pay Commission, which had submitted its report on November 19, 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," said Mishra, an Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax cadre) officer.

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

Besides, they also get two additional increments at the rate of 3 per cent over their basic pay at three promotion stages i.e., promotion to the Senior Time Scale (STS), to the Junior Administrative Grade (JAG) and to the Non-Functional Selection Grade (NFSG) after putting in about four, eight and 13 years of service, respectively.

The pay panel chief Justice (retd) A K Mathur and one of its members Rathin Roy had said that the three all-India services--Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS)--and central services Group A officers who have completed 17 years of service should be eligible for empanelment under the Central Staffing Scheme and the "two year edge" presently enjoyed by the IAS should be withdrawn.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.

Source : PTI