RAS Association Slams Government for Bias; Over 20 Officers Still Without Field Assignments
Nearly three months after their elevation to the Indian Administrative Service, 20 newly promoted IAS officers in Rajasthan—16 from the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) and 4 from other allied services—remain without substantive postings. The prolonged delay has sparked resentment within the bureaucracy, particularly as their IPS counterparts were accommodated swiftly, fueling allegations of preferential treatment.
Swift IPS Postings, IAS Promotions in Limbo
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) formally notified the IAS promotions on June 30, 2025. Yet, those officers continue to discharge their earlier responsibilities without being assigned fresh roles. In contrast, five Rajasthan Police Service (RPS) officers—Piyush Dixit, Vishnaram Bishnoi, Pushpendra Singh Rathore, Kamal Shekhawat, and Avnish Sharma—were inducted into the IPS cadre in early September and received postings within three weeks.
RAS Association Condemns Unequal Treatment
The RAS Officers’ Association has strongly objected to the delay, describing it as discriminatory and unjust. Association President Mahavir Kharadi argued that promoted officers bring years of grassroots administrative experience and are fully competent to handle senior district-level responsibilities. While acknowledging that the government retains discretion over postings, he warned that systematically sidelining promoted IAS officers undermines both experience and institutional fairness.
Sharp Decline in Promoted Officers Heading Districts
At present, only 12 of Rajasthan’s 41 districts are overseen by promoted IAS officers. In previous administrations—under both **Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot—**the figure stood closer to 17 or 18. This sharp reduction has reinforced the perception that the current government prefers direct-recruit IAS officers, many of whom are believed to hold positions of influence close to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma.
Governance Impact: Departments Running on Additional Charge
The state is also grappling with a serious shortage of IAS officers, leaving about 45 departments under additional charge. For instance, Panchayati Raj—responsible for rural governance across villages—lacks a full-time head. Even Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant is burdened with the additional responsibility of RAJFED, the cooperative body managing fertilizer, seed supply, and MSP procurement. Likewise, the Disaster Management Department has been temporarily placed under the ACS (Home), and Information & Public Relations is being managed by the CM’s Special Secretary Sandesh Nayak.
Anti-Corruption Drive A Factor in Postings?
Sources within the administration suggest that the delay may be linked to the Chief Minister’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption. Several promoted officers have previously faced allegations or Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) inquiries. While many of these cases remain unproven, the government is said to be cautious about assigning sensitive field postings that could affect its clean-image narrative.
How IAS Promotions Are Finalized
The process of promotion from the RAS and other services into the IAS involves multiple layers:
Officers are shortlisted based on seniority, service record, and integrity.
A panel is created by the State Personnel Department and vetted by a high-level committee led by the Chief Secretary.
The UPSC then conducts interviews before final clearance.
This year’s promotions covered 16 RAS officers (batches of 1997–1998) and four officers from other services.
Promoted RAS officers include:
1997 batch: Navneet Kumar, Sukhveer Saini, Harfool Yadav, Rajesh Verma, Suresh Chandra, Mahendra Khinchi, Ajit Singh Rajawat, Avdhesh Singh, Rakesh Rajoria, Rakesh Sharma, Jagveer Singh, Brijesh Kumar Chandolia, Dr. Harsahay Meena
1998 batch: Jugal Kishore Meena, Lalit Kumar, Dr. S.P. Singh
Other services: Amita Sharma, Dr. Neetish Sharma, Narendra Kumar Manghani, Naresh Kumar Goyal
Past Governments Took a Different Approach
Previous administrations entrusted promoted IAS officers with substantial field responsibilities. During Ashok Gehlot’s last term, 15 RAS-promoted officers and three from other services were appointed as District Collectors. In fact, Gehlot himself raised the issue in June 2025, criticizing the current government for sidelining promoted officers despite their eligibility and long years of service.
