No proposal to allow lateral entry of professionals into IAS

New Delhi: There is no proposal to allow lateral entry of professionals into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), government said on Thursday.

In order to address shortage of IAS officers in regular recruitment quota, the government has increased annual intake from 55 in civil services examination 1998 to 180 for this year's test, conducted by Union Public Service Commission to select IAS, IPS and IFS officers, among others.

"However, no proposal to permit lateral entry into IAS is currently under consideration of the government," Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said.

He said the government has sensitised the state governments to send complete and updated proposals to UPSC for selection of suitable officers for promotion quota of IAS.

During the present calendar year, 28 selection committee meetings for promotion of state or non-state civil services officers to the IAS have been conducted and 175 officers have been appointed by promotion or selection to IAS, Singh said.

Further, the government has also organised training programme for seven extra batches at four administrative training institutes to remove the backlog of induction training for promoted IAS officers.