As you are aware, the allocation of the direct recruits to the All India Services, including the Indian Forest Service is being made in accordance with the Limited Zonal Preferences System' from 1978 examinations and onwards. In this system all the cadres/joint cadres were divided into zones and the candidates were given the opportunity to indicate their preferences zone-wise and also for two cadres in each zone. The allocation was being made keeping in view the rank and preferences of the candidates subject to allocation of vacancies in each cadre between 'insiders' and 'outsiders'.
Our experience has shown that the limited zonal preferences system of allocation suffers from a number of deficiencies. Under this system there is only a very limited movement of candidates from one part of the country to another across several States and even this limited inter-regional movement of candidates takes place only in respect of a few low ranking candidates. Another draw back of the system is that 'outsiders' getting allocated to a State are mostly from a neighboring State.
Keeping in view the deficiency that is noticed in the working of the limited zonal preferences system it has been decided with the approval of the Prime Minister that from 1985 batch onwards (1984 examination candidates) we should revert back to the roster system, which was the system of allocation from 1966 to 1977 examination with certain modifications. The broad principles of allocation on the basis of roster system would be as follows: -
(1) The vacancies in every cadre will be earmarked for 'outsiders' and 'insiders' in the ratio of 2:1. In order to avoid problems relating to fractions and to ensure that this ratio is maintained, over a period of time, if not during allocation, the break-up of vacancies in a cadre between 'outsiders' and 'insiders' will be calculated following the cycle of 'outsider', 'insider', 'outsider'.
(2) The vacancies for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be reserved in the various cadres according to the prescribed percentage. For purpose of this reservation, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be grouped together and the percentages will be added. Distribution of reserved vacancies in each cadre between 'outsiders' and 'insiders' will be done in the ratio of 2:1. This ratio will be operationalised by following a cycle 'outsider', 'insider', 'outsider' as is done in the case of general candidates.
(3)Allocation of 'insiders', both men and women, will be strictly according to their ranks, subject to their willingness to be allocated to their home States.
(4)Allocation of 'outsiders', whether they are general candidates or reserved candidates, whether they are men or women, will be according to the roster system after placing 'insiders' at their proper places on the chart as explained below:-
(i) All the State cadres/Joint Cadres should be arranged in alphabetical order and divided into four groups which, on the basis of the average over a period of time, are taking roughly equal number of candidates each. On the basis of average intake during the last 4 years, the groups could be as follows:
Group I : Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar and Gujarat.
Group II : Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
Group III : Maharashtra, Manipur-Tripura, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan and Sikkim.
Group IV : Tamil Nadu, Union Territory, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
(ii) Since the number of cadres/Joint Cadres is 21, the cycles will be 1-21, 22-42, 43-63 and so on.
(iii) The 'insider' quota should then be distributed among the States and assigned to different cycles of allotment. For example, if a State gets 4 'insider' candidates, they should go to the share of the State in their respective cycles and if there are 2, 'insider' candidates from the same cycle, they should be treated as going to the State in two successive cycles and so on.
(iv) The 'outsider' candidates should be arranged in order of merit and allotted to the State cadres in cycles as described in (v) below.
(v) In the first cycle, State cadre/Joint Cadres which have not received 'insider' candidates should be given one candidate each in order of merit of 'outsider' candidates. The process should be repeated in successive cycles, each successive cycle beginning with the next successive group of States, e.g., the second cycle should begin from Group III States, the third cycle with Group III States and the fourth cycle with Group IV States and the fifth cycle again with Group I States. Occasionally it may happen that a candidate's turn may come in such a way that he may get allocated to his own home State. When that happens, the candidate next below him should be exchanged with him.
(vi) For the succeeding year, the State cadres should be arranged again in alphabetical order but with Group 1 of the previous year at the bottom, i.e., the arrangement will begin with Group II on top. In the third year, Group III will come on top and so on.
(vii) In the case of candidates belonging to the reserved category, such of those candidates, whose position in the merit list is such that they could have been appointed to the service even in the absence of any reservation, will be treated on par with general candidates for purposes of allotment though they will be counted against reserved vacancies. In respect of other candidates belonging to the reserved category a procedure similar to the one adopted for general candidates would be adopted. In other words, a separate chart should be prepared with similar grouping of States and similar operational details should be followed. If there is a shortfall in general 'insiders' quota it could, however, be made up by 'insider' reserved candidates.
Since the Prime Minister has already approved the roster system of allocation as indicated above, I would request you to ensure that this system of allocation is followed while allocating the candidates appointed to the Indian Forest Service on the result of the Indian Forest Service Examination, 1984 and onwards.
Details of procedure followed in the allotment of cadre to the officers of the All India Service
1. The States of the Union of India are divided into 24 cadres/Joint Cadres. Each State constitutes a cadre except the three Joint Cadres, namely, Assam-Meghalaya, Manipur-Tripura and AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories) Cadre.
2. The first stage in cadre allocation is to divide the vacancies in each cadre among general, OBC and SC/ST on the basis of prescribed percentage for both the categories are added for the purpose of cadre allocation).
3. The next stage is to divide the vacancies for each category (i.e. general, OBC and SC/ST) between insiders and outsiders on the basis of 30-point roster. In the said roster, the first vacancy goes to outsider, the second vacancy goes to insider and the third vacancy goes to outsider. The cycle is repeated. This 30-point roster is continuous.
4. A list of candidates allotted to the service is prepared indicating their home states and their willingness to be allocated to their home states and each candidate is assigned a Sl. No. in the order of merit in the said list.
5. Allocation of 'insiders' is done strictly according to their ranks, subject to their willingness to be allocated to their home-States. Allocation of `outsiders' is done according to the roster system after placing `insiders' at their proper places on the Allocation-chart as explained below.
6. All the cadres/joint cadres are arranged in alphabetical order and divided into four groups. These groups are devised on the basis of an average intake by each group, which over a period of time is roughly equal. The groups are as below: Group I: Andhra Pradesh, Assam-Meghalaya, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat;
Group II: Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala andMadhya Pradesh;
Group III: Maharashtra, Manipur-Tripura, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan and Sikkim and
Group IV: Tamil Nadu, AGMUT (UT Cadre), Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
7. Since the number of cadre/joint cadres is 24, the cycles are 1-24, 25-48, 49-72 and so on. The candidates between Sl. No. 1 and 24 who can be allocated to their home states are slotted into the first cycle (1-24) and the candidates between Sl. No. 25 and 48 who can be allocated to their home states are slotted in the second cycle (25-48) and so on.
8. If there are two or more candidates who as per their Sl. No. have to occupy the same cycle, they will occupy the next cycle irrespective of their Sl. No. In other words, if there are three candidates to be allotted as insiders at Sl. Nos. 3,7,11, then the Sl. No. 3 will occupy the first cycle (1-24), Sl. No. 7 will occupy the second cycle (25-48) and Sl. No. 11 will occupy the third cycle (49-72).
9. If a general candidate is not available to fill general insider vacancy then it is filled by an insider SC/ST candidate provided there is an SC/ST outsider vacancy available in that cadre to facilitate exchange. If SC/ST insider candidate is not available or SC/ST outsider vacancy is not available in that cadre then the general vacancy is filled by insider OBC candidate with the same condition that there must be an outsider OBC vacancy to facilitate the exchange. Similarly, the insider OBC vacancy, if not filled due to non-availability of insider OBC candidate is first filled by an insider SC/ST candidate and then by insider general candidate with the same conditions. An unfilled insider SC/ST vacancy is first filled by insider OBC candidate and then by a generalinsider candidate with the same conditions.
10. Even after exchange, if an insider vacancy is not filled it goes to outsider and it is not carried forwarded.
11. The candidates who could not get their home states are arranged in the order of merit and allocated to the cadres against vacant slots available in various cadres, beginning from the first cadre of the order in which they are arranged for the year. After the first cycle is filled, the remaining outsiders will be allocated in the second cycle but the second cycle will start from the next group of the States and so on. For example, in a particular year, the 1st Group which starts from Andhra Pradesh is at the top. After allocating the outsiders against the available slots in the first cycle, the next available outsider candidate will be allotted to the first available state of 2 nd Group and after allocating all the available outsider candidates who can be allocated in the second cycle, the next available outsider will be allocated in the first available state of 3rd Group and so on. This ensures equal distribution of merits.
12. For the succeeding year, the Groups of States will rotate. The Group at top this year will come at the bottom in the next year. The second Group will come at the top and so on.
13. In the case of reserved categories, separate charts are prepared for OBC and SC/ST candidates with similar details and methods.
14. In the case of candidates belonging to reserved category such of those candidates who are recommended for appointment against unreserved vacancy and get allocated to the service against unreserved vacancy are given the benefit of reservation if they get their home state as reserved candidates.
