Upgradation of WBCS officers: State bureaucrats hail CM move

MP | 8 Jun 2017 | Kolkata: West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) Officers' Association welcomed the move of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in taking a decision to introduce the West Bengal Higher Civil Service in Thursday's Cabinet meeting that was held in Darjeeling.

After the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister has come up with the announcement that West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) officers working for 8 to 10 years can be selected as members of West Bengal Higher Civil Service (WBHCS).

She said that the state did not get IAS officers despite requesting the Centre and a WBCS officer here takes around 28 to 30 years to get promoted as an IAS officer. The IAS officers who are working in Bengal at present are extremely talented. Thus, it has been decided to introduce WBHCS and a committee has also been formed to look into the entire process.

Somen Banerjee, general secretary of the West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) officers' Association, said: "We are extremely glad and honoured. We welcome the decision of the government and our sincere gratitude to the Chief Minister for the recognition that she has given today (Thursday) to the WBCS officers."

He maintained that in the coming days they have to work harder and with more responsibility so that they can give value to the confidence that the government has shown on them.

"This is a unique step that has been taken by the state government for the Civil Service officers who look after the development of the state," he added.

The committee that has been formed will be giving its report to the state government within a month and the report would include the detailed criteria, apart from their job tenure of 8 to 10 years, which a WBCS officer has to meet to become a WBHCS officer. It is learnt that meritorious and talented WBCS officers will be selected for the same by the committee.

According to a senior official in Nabanna, at present, there are more than 1,600 WBCS officers in Bengal. The number of years that a WBCS officer might have to wait to be an IAS officer depends on the strength of WBCS officers in a state. It had been taking 28 to 30 years in Bengal. In 2016, 10 IAS officers of Bengal cadre have retired. The same number of WBCS officers would get the opportunity to be IAS officers and at the present situation, 10 WBCS officers of 1987-88 batch are getting the opportunity. The total sanctioned posts for IAS officers in Bengal are 359; out of which, 109 are for the promoted ones. At present, 277 IAS officers including 97 promoted IAS officers are working in the state and the remaining 82 posts are lying vacant.

In other states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab, it takes 18 to 19 years for the officers to get opportunity to be an IAS officer.