Probably this is the first time that many senior civil servants were seen puzzled: indeed, many tried to find out the meaning and implications of the classification of empanelment - 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent' & 'Secretary equivalent'. Even though the empanelment of two batches of 1984 & 1985 together was seen as a welcome move, many wondered about the exceptions & their possible implications.
Based on rules and the established conventions, one clear parameter for empanelment as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent' is that one should have at least two years of residual service (on 1st January of the year of empanelment). This means that officers having all requisite clearances (APRs, CVC, IB report, 360 feedback etc) but having less than two years of residual service are empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent' and those with more than two years of residual service are empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent'. It may be mentioned that 'Secretary equivalent' entitles the officer to draw secretary rank scale (apex scale) and to hold posts that are equivalent to the secretary.
In view of the many exceptions made in the empanelment list, one is left gasping for meaning.
For example, Ms. Malini Shankar (IAS:1984:MP) had (on 1st Jan 2017) slightly less than two years of residual service (retirement in Dec 2018) and she was empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent' whereas Ms. Usha Sharma (IAS:1985:RJ) has the longest period of residual service (with retirement in June 2023) among all the empanelled officers but she is empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent'.
Similarly, Surendra Nath Tripathi (IAS:1985:OR), Saraswati Prasad (IAS:1985:AM), Rabindra Panwar (IAS:1985:BH) and N Baijendra Kumar (IAS:1985:CG), too, have more than two and a half years of residual service (with retirement in 2020), but they are empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent'.
Further; Inder Jit Singh (IAS:1985:KL), Sumanta Chaudhuri (IAS:1985:WB), Chhabilendra Roul (IAS:PB:1985), Sanjeev Chopra (IAS:1985:WB), Pawan Kumar Agarwal (IAS:1985:WB), Sumeet Jerath (IAS:1985:AM) have more than three and a half years of residual service, with retirement in 2021,but they are also empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent'. It is understood that many officers empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent' would be further empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent as it happens in every next review.
It may be reiterated that the NaMo administration has had earlier found ways to get out of this confusion by appointing (on 26 April 2016) Ms. Snehlata Srivastava (IAS:1982:MP) as Secretary, Dept of Justice even though she was empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent' (on 07 December 2015). Hence there are reasons to assume that those officers empanelled as 'Secretary Equivalent' may also be posted to 'Secretary rank' post.
Even though some believe that the NaMo administration might have started turning the exception into the rule, the current empanelment may be its way to narrow the gap between the long practiced classification between 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent' and 'Secretary Equivalent'.
Readers' Choice
L K Atheeq appointed Financial Advisor to Karnataka CM; T G Nath Add CS
Former Himachal Pradesh CS Appointed Chairperson of PSERC
K K Pant gets additional charge of Himachal Chief Secretary
Five names under consideration; K K Pant ahead in the race for Himachal CS
Lucknow Ends Ad Hoc Era: Rajiv Krishna Appointed as Regular DGP of Uttar Pradesh
Secretary empanelment: Exceptions turning into rules?
By IndianMandarins - 2017-05-06 14:07:32
Probably this is the first time that many senior civil servants were seen puzzled: indeed, many tried to find out the meaning and implications of the classification of empanelment - 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent' & 'Secretary equivalent'. Even though the empanelment of two batches of 1984 & 1985 together was seen as a welcome move, many wondered about the exceptions & their possible implications.
Based on rules and the established conventions, one clear parameter for empanelment as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent' is that one should have at least two years of residual service (on 1st January of the year of empanelment). This means that officers having all requisite clearances (APRs, CVC, IB report, 360 feedback etc) but having less than two years of residual service are empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent' and those with more than two years of residual service are empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent'. It may be mentioned that 'Secretary equivalent' entitles the officer to draw secretary rank scale (apex scale) and to hold posts that are equivalent to the secretary.
In view of the many exceptions made in the empanelment list, one is left gasping for meaning.
For example, Ms. Malini Shankar (IAS:1984:MP) had (on 1st Jan 2017) slightly less than two years of residual service (retirement in Dec 2018) and she was empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent' whereas Ms. Usha Sharma (IAS:1985:RJ) has the longest period of residual service (with retirement in June 2023) among all the empanelled officers but she is empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent'.
Similarly, Surendra Nath Tripathi (IAS:1985:OR), Saraswati Prasad (IAS:1985:AM), Rabindra Panwar (IAS:1985:BH) and N Baijendra Kumar (IAS:1985:CG), too, have more than two and a half years of residual service (with retirement in 2020), but they are empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent'.
Further; Inder Jit Singh (IAS:1985:KL), Sumanta Chaudhuri (IAS:1985:WB), Chhabilendra Roul (IAS:PB:1985), Sanjeev Chopra (IAS:1985:WB), Pawan Kumar Agarwal (IAS:1985:WB), Sumeet Jerath (IAS:1985:AM) have more than three and a half years of residual service, with retirement in 2021,but they are also empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent'. It is understood that many officers empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent' would be further empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent as it happens in every next review.
It may be reiterated that the NaMo administration has had earlier found ways to get out of this confusion by appointing (on 26 April 2016) Ms. Snehlata Srivastava (IAS:1982:MP) as Secretary, Dept of Justice even though she was empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent' (on 07 December 2015). Hence there are reasons to assume that those officers empanelled as 'Secretary Equivalent' may also be posted to 'Secretary rank' post.
Even though some believe that the NaMo administration might have started turning the exception into the rule, the current empanelment may be its way to narrow the gap between the long practiced classification between 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent' and 'Secretary Equivalent'.
