New Delhi: The Centre Monday rationalised the process of granting approval for study leave for abroad to IAS officers and asked the states to ensure availability of sufficient number of bureaucrats both in the cadre and on central deputation before forwarding such proposals.
Prior permission from the central government is mandatory for ex-India study leaves for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers by the state government concerned.
“In this context, it is felt necessary that a holistic appreciation of the impact of such long study leave on the overall cadre management both at the state, as well as the central government level, is needed before a well-informed decision is taken both by the state while recommending and for Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to provide its approval,” an official order said.
With this objective, it is felt necessary that while recommending ex-India study leave in respect of IAS officers, the requests of study leave/ex-India leave/extension to study leave may be considered in the light of the availability of sufficient number of IAS officers in the cadre and for central deputation against the prescribed norms of central deputation reserve, it said.
This would ensure that the functioning of the state and central government is not affected due to shortage of officers, said the order issued to chief secretaries of all state governments.
Accordingly, it is requested that while recommending the proposals of study leave abroad, the state governments should submit the details of IAS officers who have returned from such leaves during the last two years and the posting(s) given to them according to the practical knowledge and experience acquired during study leave.
The states have also been asked to submit the details of officers sponsored for central deputation during the previous year and the current year against the prescribed norms of central deputation reserve and the details of IAS officers who are on study leave within India and outside India while sending such proposals, the order said.
PTI