Cadre allocation for IAS, IPS and other officers will now be based on a set of zones instead of the existing practice of States. The paradigm shift in the policy finalised by the Modi Government is to ensure “national integration” of the country’s elite bureaucracy.
The existing 26 cadres of all-India services — the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) — have been divided into five zones in the new policy, which is likely to be put into effect from this year.
Under the new policy, candidates can only select one State/cadre from a zone as their first choice. Their second, third, fourth and fifth choices have to be from the different zones. Usually candidates choose their home State as their first choice and neighbouring States as their subsequent preferences.