The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) provided a detailed response to a parliamentary question regarding the deputation of Central Civil Services officers and cadre management practices. According to the information given by Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, a total of 1,344 officers from Central Civil Services (other than All India Services) recruited through the Civil Services Examination have served on deputation or assignment outside their parent cadre under the Central Staffing Scheme, Non-Central Staffing Scheme, and as Chief Vigilance Officers during the last five years, including those currently serving.
The deputation and assignment processes outside these specific appointments are managed and administered by respective Cadre Controlling Authorities (CCAs) across various Ministries and Departments, with relevant records maintained by the CCAs. The cadre review and restructuring process is continuous, with sanctioned strength of cadres reviewed according to Cadre Review Guidelines based on proposals from CCAs.
Specific cadre review timelines were disclosed: the Indian Revenue Service last underwent cadre review in 2013, while both Indian Telecommunication Service and Indian Postal Service were last reviewed in 2016. During cadre reviews, manpower assessment considers multiple relevant factors including automation and adoption of Information and Communication Technology, business process re-engineering, changes in organizational mandate, and deputation requirements.