DoPT initiates action against 2010 batch IAS Shah Faesal for a Twitter post; Kashmiri IAS releases what he calls the “love letter” from his boss

Shah Faesal as an IAS trainee (File Photo)

THE department of personnel and training (DoPT) has requested the Jammu and Kashmir government to initiate action against 2010 batch Jammu and Kashmir cadre IAS officer Shah Faesal for violating the conduct rules by posting some materials in his verified Twitter account. DoPT in its letter said, the posts written by the IAS officer are prima-face in contravention to…

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Will Dr Faesal and his friends succeed in saving a six-decade old Indian brand, IAS?

IT’S a tale of two doctors, Dr Shah Faesal, the IAS topper of 2009 and Dr Ravi Inder Singh, 1994 batch IAS and home ministry director who was recently detained for allegedly leaking information in lieu of money and sex. Both happen to be MBBS-turned IAS officers, but they are not on the same side when it comes to Brand IAS.

On last Thursday, India’s home minister P Chidambaram released a video entitled “Ray of Hope”, prepared by government-run autonomous organization, National Foundation for Communal Harmony, highlighting the importance of peace, communal harmony and national integration. The video has featured Dr Shah Faesal, 2009 batch IAS topper hailing from the trouble-torn Jammu and Kashmir, as the Goodwill Ambassador of NFCH. In the video, Dr Faesal has highlighted the need of being resilient against odds in life. While home minister Chidambaram released the politically correct video of featuring the young Indian IAS from Jammu and Kashmir, another IAS, a director ranked officer from Chidambaram’s own ministry was already detained as he allegedly leaked sensitive information related to a telecom company. And his reported code language, software from Uzbekistan, meaning sex workers from that country, became a spicy topic for discussion both inside and outside the corridors.

Here comes the big question in corridors of power--- is it the beginning of an end to Brand IAS? Remember, every IAS officer is a big brand in his locality and many middle class families virtually worship IAS officers of their locality or districts as big heroes. And there are many occasions in which IAS toppers are more popular than local MPs and MLAs, both elected representatives.

So, will the young breed of IAS officers being represented by Dr Faesal and his friends be able to stop the fast erosion of a century-old brand, Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Though IAS was formed in 1946, it was a much older brand considering that Indian Civil Service that was created in 1893 was just another name of today’s IAS. But Ravi Inder saga is just one of many recent occasions where brand IAS gets diluted. In February, 2010, Arvind Kumar Joshi and Tinoo Joshi, both 1979 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS, became the talk of the corridors when I-T sleuths recovered a whopping Rs 3.1 crore in cash, jewellery and documents of properties disproportionate to their known sources of income. Similar raids also recovered Rs 52 lakh cash and jewellery worth Rs 72 lakh.from the residence of 1988 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS, Babulal Agrawal.

What’s more, in the world of RTIs and growing activism, if the IAS officers finally succumb to the public pressure to disclose their assets, more fall guys are bound to surface. Your assets, your file noting and yes, your telephonic conversations could soon be under public scrutiny!

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UPSC topper defends politicians, supports Gandhigiri and wants Indians to be argumentative

Dr Shah Faesal, the topper of the UPSC exam, has defended the politicians when he said politicians are not magicians to get things done. In an interview with a national newspaper, Dr Faesal who has become a celebrity after becoming the first person from Kashmir to top civil service exam, said that things won’t change unless “we understand that we have a role to play and take action.”

He is a supporter of Gandhigiri, and said that the nation needs Gandhiji’s thoughts and ideals. He also advises people to be argumentative Indians, according to the report.

A Cong activist Vs IAS

A Congress activist, Krishna Kant Mishra, has accused a 2006 batch IAS officer Hrishkesh Bhaskar Yashod of manhandling him. The IAS officer who is Chief Development Officer (CDO) of Allahabad, has denied the charge, according some media reports.

Action and Appointments

a) Rakesh Singh, a 1978 batch Punjab cadre IAS, presently additional secretary, department of Information Technology has been appointed as additional secretary in the department of financial services under finance ministry.

b) G Mohan Kumar, a 1979 batch Orissa cadre IAS, presently in the cadre, has been appointed as additional secretary, in the ministry of water resources, in the vacancy of S Manoharan, a 1975 batch Assam cadre IAS.

Kashmiri IAS topper gets security cover; Also says he is not a slumdog millionaire

HEARD of a secretary to Government of India being escorted by two body guards in New Delhi? Not really! But this year’s IAS topper, Dr Shah Faesal from Kashmir Valley, has now been given a security cover, according to media reports.

In fact, both local and national media gave extensive coverage to medical graduate Faesal’s rare feat of topping the civil services examination from the conflict-infested Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, making him an instant celebrity. Now, two security personnel will accompany Dr Faesal all the time. His father incidentally was killed by militants barely a few days before his pre-entrance medical examination eight years ago.

A report by Hindustan Times quoted Dr Faesal saying that he wants “to shuffle back to normalcy” after receiving invitations from various organizations, coaching centers etc. in addition to requests from media.

But is he a typical rags-to riches story? “I am not a slumdog millionaire,” the same national daily quoted Dr Faesal as saying, who in fact studied in Kashmir's premier school Biscoe. (Photo used here is mere symbolic)

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Secretaries In Action

a) Union home secretary GK Pillai on Wednesday reviewed various security issues concerning airports in the country. Steps relating to biometric access, construction of watch towers, raising of perimeter walls, provision of adequate security staff, installation of CCTV cameras, provision of dog squads and bomb disposal squads, etc. were discussed at the specially-convened meeting.

b) Steel secretary Atul Chaturvedi urged industry lobby group FICCI to commission a study for taking the Joint Plant Committee (JPC) report forward.

Is Dr KP Krishnan joining PM’s Economic Advisory Council?

Dr KP Krishnan, a 1983 batch Karnataka cadre IAS, may join the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (EAC) as secretary. Currently, he is a joint secretary of capital markets in the finance ministry. EAC secretary Jayant Dasgupta, a 1981 batch Bihar cadre IAS, has been chosen as the new Ambassador, Permanent Mission of India, WTO, Geneva, for a period of three years from July 31, 2010.

BoI Extraa

Forget Rumour, Civil Services Prelims on May 23. Check: http://www.jobcorridor.com/

IAS Toppers Day: Special dinner and receptions to welcome India’s new icons

THOSE who made into IAS and other elite Indian civil services across the country spent a busy Friday as they were flooded with congratulatory messages and requests for media interactions apart from their attending of special dinners and receptions.

For Shah Faesal, who turned out to be the first Kashmiri ever to top the civil services examination, it was a big day as village drummers from his native Sogam in Kupwara sang traditional songs and threw rose petals to welcome him. According to media reports, Governor NN Vohra invited the Valley’s new celebrity and his mother to the Raj Bhawan.

In Delhi, DoPT issued a congratulatory message from minister Prithviraj Chavan, “We in DoPT greet all of you on choosing a career in the prestigious civil services and hope that you will live up to the expectations and aspirations of the citizens of India”.

In Orissa, Rashmita Panda (13^th rank), a bank officer’s daughter, who did not accept a placement in an IT major to become an IAS officer, became the talk of the town. Also, the state celebrated the success of Sudhanshu Mohan Samal, a boy from an Oriya-medium school in Kendrapada’s Indupur village who secured the 18th position in over-all ranking.

Action and Appointments

a) Sudha Pillai, 1972 batch IAS who retired on April 30, took over as member secretary of the Planning Commission in the rank of minister of state (MoS). A gold medalist from Punjab university, she secured the second rank in the civil services exams.

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b) PJ Thomas, a 1973 batch Kerala cadre IAS and secretary in the department of telecommunications, will hold the additional charge of the post of secretary, department of information technology during the period of absence of leave of R Chandrasekhar, a 1975 batch AP cadre IAS from May 10 to May 25, 2010.

A Kashmiri doctor tops the list of civil services exams, 2009

Dr Shah Faesal, a Kashmiri doctor who lost his father to militants eight years ago, has topped the Civil Services Examination, 2009. A school teacher’s son from the troubled valley, Dr Faesal made into the elite service in his first attempt itself. His father was killed by unidentified militants in 2002, just three days before he took the pre-medical exams. Prakash Rajpurohit, a BTech from IIT Delhi, stood second. This is his second attempt. Ms Iva Sahay, an MA in geography and the topper among female candidates, secured the overall third rank. This is her first attempt.

What It Means

Out of the first three toppers, two got into the services in their first attempt. What’s more, of the Top 25, six made into the merit list in their first attempt, four in second attempt, 11 in third attempt, three in fourth attempt and one in seventh attempt. Also, that 15 out of Top 25 appeared from Delhi indicates how cult Delhi has still remained vibrant for UPSC preparations.

Number Does Matter

As high as 875 candidates were recommended for appointment including 399 General (including 21 physically challenged candidates), 273 Other Backward Classes (including 9 physically challenged), 127 Scheduled Castes and 76 Scheduled Tribes candidates.

What It Means

The intake is almost double thanks to the special recruitment of IPS officers. Will help revamping our police system.

Sex Ratio

Out of 875 selected candidates, 680 are male and 195 female.

What It Means

It symbolizes a status quo. A mere 22% of female recruits means Indian women who perform well in Class 12 exams and beyond, have not yet taken UPSC seriously.

Educational Qualification

The Top 25 candidates comprise 13 engineers; 9 commerce, management, humanities, science and social sciences, three doctors. Of these, 21 took the examination in English medium and four in Hindi medium.

What It Means

Four Hindi medium students’ entry into in the list of Top 25 is an interesting trend.

Action and Appointments

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) which conducted a study to assess the key issues and constraints in implementation of the Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005, has pointed out that there is inadequate planning by the public authorities in regard to supply of information. The study further talks about low awareness about the Act in rural areas and among women, lack of clear accountability in respect of various functions, etc. The study was commissioned by the government.