The 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) will review the pay structure and benefits for all employees of the central government. This includes officers from All India Services (AIS) like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Forest Service (IFoS), and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). These officers are selected through a nationwide examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Currently, the AIS includes the IAS, IPS, and IFoS, while the IFS is categorized as a Central Group A service. The IAS, IPS, and IFS officers are appointed through the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by UPSC in two stages: Prelims and Mains. The preliminary exam for IFoS is the same as for IAS and IPS, followed by the Indian Forest Service Mains exam, which follows a similar pattern to the CSE.
However, the salaries of IAS, IFS, IPS, and IFoS officers differ. Historically, IAS and IFS officers have had an advantage in terms of pay and promotions over other central services.
Pay Advantages for IAS and IFS Officers
IAS and IFS officers receive extra pay at three specific grades: Senior Time Scale, Junior Administrative Grade, and Selection Grade. They get two additional increments of 3% each, which are above the regular promotional increment. This extra benefit is not offered to IPS and IFoS officers.
Past Pay Commissions and Their Views on the Pay Edge
In the run-up to the 8th Pay Commission, it’s useful to understand the reasons behind the pay advantage for IAS and IFS officers, as well as the arguments against it.
- 2nd Pay Commission: This commission justified the higher pay for IAS and IFS officers, saying their selection criteria were stricter and that they recruited higher-quality candidates.
- 3rd Pay Commission: The third commission also supported the pay edge, arguing that it wouldn’t be fair to have identical pay scales for all services based on a common examination, without considering the responsibilities and duties of each service.
- 4th Pay Commission: This commission kept the pay edge and recommended improvements for other services seeking pay parity with the IAS.
- 5th Pay Commission: The fifth commission continued the pay edge but addressed the argument that the small difference in marks between IAS and other services should not cause such a big gap in their careers. They clarified that the best candidates in each service had significant marks differences, and a simple comparison of candidates by marks wasn’t valid.
- 6th Pay Commission: At the time of the sixth commission, the government decided to keep the pay advantage for IAS and IFS officers intact.
7th Pay Commission and the Debate Over the Pay Edge
The 7th Pay Commission couldn’t reach a consensus on whether to keep the edge for IAS and IFS officers. The chairman of the 7th CPC believed that this advantage should be extended to IPS and IFoS as well. However, one member, Vivek Rae, strongly supported maintaining the edge for IAS and IFS, while another member, Dr. Rathin Roy, suggested removing the advantage.
The Supreme Court’s View
In a 1991 Supreme Court ruling (Mohan Kumar Singhania vs. Union of India), the court observed that each service has its own responsibilities, status, and conditions of service. Therefore, it is not right to argue that just because candidates are selected through the same examination, their pay and benefits should be the same. Once a candidate is appointed to a service, they should be treated based on the specific duties and responsibilities of that service.
Arguments Against the Pay Edge
Since the 2nd Pay Commission, other AIS and central services have been calling for the removal of the pay edge for IAS and IFS officers. They argue that the principle of “equal pay for equal work” is violated by giving IAS and IFS officers more benefits, even though they all go through a similar selection process.
Before 1979, IAS and IFS aspirants had to appear for additional papers, with at least one subject outside their field of study. After 1979, the examination pattern became the same for all services, but the pay and promotion edge for IAS and IFS continued.
The 7th Pay Commission received complaints from various central services who found the pay edge for IAS and IFS unfair. They argued that since the CSE is common for recruitment to around 18 Group A services, and candidates choose their service based on multiple factors, it was not justified to offer special treatment to IAS and IFS officers.
Conclusion
As the 8th Pay Commission prepares to review this issue, it is expected that the debate over the pay edge for IAS and IFS officers will continue. The core argument is whether it’s fair to offer higher pay and promotions based on historical practices or whether a more equal approach should be adopted across all central services.
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