Role of CSB in Appointment to Higher Civil Services

The Chief Secretary of a State is in charge of the CSB, which also includes the Board of Revenue, the Financial Commissioner, the senior-most additional Chief Secretary  and other officers of comparable rank and status.

• In the Central Staffing Scheme to get appointed to the higher positions in the Union government an officer must need to bring an “Annual Performance Appraisal Reports” (APAR) from their juniors or subordinate officials. In the reports the civil servant who is supposed to get appointed in higher positions need to get a good number from his/her juniors 0n 0-10 scale along with the parameters such as “work output, personality attributes, and functional competency of the individual.”
• In the second step after the submission of the report, the short-listed candidates are examined by the expert panel. In this expert panel members are ex central government secretaries. This panel will further consult with at least 5people to complete the 360 degree examination and in this rev review process information is collected from the subordinate colleagues, peers, stakeholders of the organisation.
• At the time of the all-round review process panel focus on the 6 key parameters and these are: integrity, behavioural competencies, functional skills, domain competence, delivery, and potential. Finally, an expert panel recommended to the CSB the name of the candidates who are supposed to be appointed at higher positions in the Government of India, after examination and analysis of feedback from various sources, historical performance, and vigilance status.
• The Civil Services Board consisted of the 4 secretaries such as the cabinet secretary, the secretary (Personnel), an establishment officer of the status of additional secretary, and a secretary to the government of India and examined again the shortlisted people and sent the final name to the “Cabinet Committee on Appointment”.

Measures Taken by the Government:

• The rules regarding the posting of members  of the AIS have been changed and introduced a provision regarding the fixed term of the AIS members. As per new rules the union Government may decide the duration of consultation with the concerned state government or state governments.
• As per The Indian Administrative Service (Fixation of Cadre Strength) Regulations, 1955, in which some changes were introduced in 2010 and made it possible for the minimum time period of civil servants in all the states.
• The “Maharashtra Government Servants Regulation of Transfer and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act, 2005” was passed in Maharashtra. All IAS officers and some State government employees are required to serve for a minimum of three years. Any infringement of the Act can be brought before the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal, with the Bombay High Court hearing the appeal.

Way Forward: 

• Various commissions like the Hota Committee, Surinder Nath committee, ARC, etc., have rightly pointed out that the absence of fixed tenure of officials is one of the most important reasons for tardy implementation of government policies, for lack of accountability of officers, for wastage of public money because of inadequate supervision of programmes under implementation and for large scale corruption.
• Now is the time to ensure that the Civil Services Board’s decisions are not overturned by governments on spurious grounds. In addition, all states must establish Civil Service Boards as soon as possible.
• Parliament may also introduce legislation in this area. This would ensure the independence of civil services, allowing them to act impartially and without bias, which is essential for successful administration in India.