Even as three 1983 batch IAS officers, currently in Govt of India, continue to bide their time to get Secretary level postings, several Secretary level posts are virtually vacant including that of Inter State Council Secretariat (w.e.f 31 Jan 2017), Ministry of Tourism(w.e.f 28 feb 2017) and Ministry of Aayush (w.e.f 28 Feb 2017). While the reason for this is difficult to figure out, it is an interesting to note that all three officers waiting for their turn as Secretary belong to Assam-Meghalaya cadre. Jatinder Bir Singh is heading Punjab & Sindh Bank as CMD whereas Jagdish Prasad Meena and Arun Kumar are serving as Special Secretary in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Ministry of Social Justice respectively. It is said that Arun Kumar's and Meena's prospects may fade away fast as they have only 12 months and 17 months before hitting the superannuation age. On 18 July 2016 and 15 December 2016, altogether 33 officers were empanelled as Secretary and 15 as Secretary-equivalent. Of 33 officers, 14 are posted in state cadres whereas 03 (J P Meena, Arun Kumar  & Jatinder Bir Singh) are currently posted in Govt of India and thus have higher prospects to be picked to Secretary posts in the next round of senior appointments. Though Jatinder Bir Singh will retire from his current post only on 31 December 2017, Meena & Kumar are next to be picked for the top job.