IAS Exodus from Rajasthan Bureaucracy: Centre Overrides State’s Objection, Appoints KK Pathak as Joint Secretary in Fertilizer Department
In a major bureaucratic development, the Central Government has appointed KK Pathak, a senior IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, as Joint Secretary in the Department of Fertilizers, overriding objections from the Rajasthan government. Mr. Pathak is expected to be relieved of his current duties this month and will formally assume charge in New Delhi.
The decision underscores the Centre’s authority in deputing All India Services officers, reaffirming that state governments cannot block deputation once the Centre requisitions an officer’s services.
State’s Resistance Overruled by Central Mandate
The Rajasthan government had earlier declined to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Mr. Pathak’s deputation, citing an acute shortage of senior officers in the state. However, under established Central Government rules, states are required to relieve IAS officers for central deputation within a prescribed timeframe, regardless of their consent.
This provision ensures that the Centre retains primacy in deploying officers to meet national governance requirements.
Rising Exodus of Rajasthan-Cadre IAS Officers
Mr. Pathak becomes the tenth IAS officer from Rajasthan to move to Delhi under the current administration. Recently, Mr. Indrajit was appointed Director in the Ministry of Culture, while other officers—Mr. Gaurav Goyal, Mr. PC Kishan, Mr. Bhanu Prakash Etru, Mr. Ansh Deep, Mr. Ashish Gupta, Mr. Ashutosh AT Pendhanekar, and Mr. Bhagwati Prasad Kalal—have also taken up central assignments.
With this transfer, the number of Rajasthan cadre IAS officers currently serving on Central deputation has risen to 23, further intensifying the administrative vacuum in the state.
Governance Strain Amid Officer Shortages
Rajasthan is struggling with a severe shortfall of senior bureaucrats. Since January 2024, 32 IAS officers have retired, including six between May and August alone. Presently, 54 state departments are functioning under officers holding additional charge—some managing as many as four portfolios simultaneously, including top-level departments.
This has created mounting governance challenges, with several public-facing departments operating under overstretched officials.
Posting Delays Add to the Bottleneck
The crisis is compounded by the delay in postings of newly promoted IAS officers. A total of 20 officers—16 promoted from the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) and 4 from other services—are still awaiting fresh assignments, continuing in their old roles while the government holds back transfer orders.
Promoted from RAS to IAS
Navneet Kumar, Sukhveer Saini, Harphool Singh Yadav, Rajesh Verma, Suresh Chandra, Mahendra Kumar Khinchi, Ajit Singh Rajawat, Awadhesh Singh, Rakesh Sharma, Jagveer Singh, Brajesh Kumar Chandaulia, Dr. Harshaya Meena, Jugal Kishore Meena, Rakesh Rajoria, Lalit Kumar, and Dr. Shiv Prasad Singh.
Promoted from Other Services
Nitish Sharma, Amita Sharma, Narendra Manghani, and Naresh Goyal.
The prolonged delay not only demoralizes the promoted officers but also disrupts departmental efficiency, directly affecting service delivery across multiple sectors.
