Parliamentary Panel Recommends Reform of IAS Recruitment Process

A parliamentary panel has recommended the formation of a review panel to examine the recruitment process for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The panel, which is headed by BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi, has expressed concern over the increasing number of engineers and doctors being selected for the IAS.

The panel said that the current recruitment process is not giving enough weightage to candidates from other disciplines, such as humanities and social sciences. It also said that the process is too long and expensive, and that it takes a toll on the physical and mental health of the candidates.

The panel has recommended that the review panel should examine the following aspects of the IAS recruitment process:

• The eligibility criteria for the IAS exam
• The syllabus for the IAS exam
• The exam pattern
• The interview process
• The cost of the IAS exam

The panel has also recommended that the review panel should suggest ways to make the IAS recruitment process more fair and transparent.

The panel’s recommendations are likely to be debated in Parliament. It remains to be seen whether the government will implement the recommendations.

Experts Comment on Parliamentary Panel’s Recommendations

Experts have welcomed the parliamentary panel’s recommendations for a review panel for IAS selection. They have said that the current recruitment process is outdated and needs to be reformed.

Professor M.G.K. Menon, a former member of the UPSC, said that the current recruitment process is “too elitist” and that it does not give enough weightage to candidates from rural areas and from backward communities. He said that the review panel should suggest ways to make the IAS recruitment process more inclusive.

Dr. A.K. Verma, a former director of the National Institute of Public Administration, said that the current recruitment process is “too long and expensive”. He said that the review panel should suggest ways to shorten the process and to reduce the cost.

The experts have said that the review panel should also suggest ways to make the IAS interview process more objective and transparent. They have said that the interview process should be based on merit and should not be influenced by factors such as caste, religion, or gender.

The parliamentary panel’s recommendations are a step in the right direction. It is important to reform the IAS recruitment process to ensure that it is fair and transparent. The review panel should take into account the recommendations of the experts and suggest ways to make the IAS recruitment process more inclusive and efficient.