Central Officials Appeal to PMO, Cabinet Secretary Over Career Stagnation

Fast Summary

• Central government officials presented a memorandum to the Cabinet Secretary on july 24, 2025, highlighting issues of career stagnation and calling for time-bound promotions.
• The Central Secretariat Service (CSS) Forum submitted an appeal to the Prime Minister’s office, requesting urgent action on cadre restructuring and denied benefits from Organised Group A Services (OGAS).
• CSS is responsible for administrative functions in almost all Ministries and Departments but has experienced lack of cadre review for seven years; the last such review occurred in 2018-five years late.
• The fourth cadre review process due in 2018 remains pending since. Officials say nearly 2,500 vacancies exist within CSS roles.
• under Secretaries have faced promotion delays despite completing required residency periods-some waiting over 12 years instead of the recommended five. Similarly, Assistant Section Officers from the 2014 batch are still awaiting their first promotion after completing more than a decade of service.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The stagnation cited by CSS highlights systemic inefficiencies in personnel management within critical administrative services central to India’s governance structure. Delays in promotions risk impacting morale among officials who play key logistical roles across ministries-a situation compounded by extensive vacancies that could strain resources further. As India’s economy grows and policymaking complexities increase,addressing these grievances may be essential not only for retaining talent but also ensuring operational efficiency among ministries reliant on their inputs.

If resolved expeditiously through measures like cadre restructuring or timely promotions as requested by the forum,this issue could help safeguard institutional integrity and capacity both at individual career levels and broader governance outputs.

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