IAS Shailja Pandey? Nainital-Born Officer Joins Rajasthan Cadre After Transfer from Bihar
Nainital native and 2021-batch IAS officer Shailja Pandey has officially joined the Rajasthan cadre following her transfer from Bihar, approved on marital grounds. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs cleared the cadre change after her marriage to Gaurav Garg, a 2015-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer currently posted in Rajasthan.
From Nainital Roots to the Indian Administrative Service
Ms. Pandey hails from Majhera (Prempur) Garampani, Nainital, and her family presently resides at Lower Danda Compound, Zoo Road, Nainital. Known for her academic brilliance since her school days, she studied at St. Mary’s Convent School, Nainital, where she topped the intermediate board examinations in 2013.
She later pursued Electrical and Electronics Engineering at NIT Hamirpur, before beginning her civil services career in the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS). Her success in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2020, where she secured All India Rank (AIR) 61, led to her induction into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in the 2021 batch.
Administrative Career and Recognition
During her posting in Bihar, IAS Shailja Pandey quickly earned a reputation for diligence, efficiency, and a results-oriented approach to governance. Her transfer to Rajasthan, where her spouse is serving, aligns with the civil service norms for inter-cadre marriages.
Rising Trend of Cadre Transfers to Rajasthan
Her move is part of a broader trend in recent months. In the last nine months alone, Rajasthan has seen the transfer of eight IAS and IPS officers from other states, six of whom are women. This reflects not only the cadre’s growing attractiveness for officers but also the increasing use of marital grounds provisions to ensure proximity between civil servant couples.
The Rulebook Behind the Transfer
Under the All India Services cadre allocation and transfer policy, inter-cadre transfers are permissible in the event of marriages between two All India Service officers. Such transfers require the consent of both state governments concerned as well as the approval of the Central Government.
With her transfer, IAS Shailja Pandey begins a new chapter of her career in Rajasthan, bringing with her strong academic credentials, proven administrative acumen, and the aspiration to contribute significantly to public service in her new cadre.
