Significant Vacancies in IAS and IPS Highlighted in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha has revealed significant vacancies in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), with 1,300 and 505 posts unfilled, respectively. Union Minister Jitendra Singh provided insights into the recruitment process, emphasizing adherence to reservation guidelines and ongoing assessments of vacancies. Over the past five years, numerous candidates from various backgrounds have been appointed to these services. The minister also highlighted the continuous nature of recruitment and the government's commitment to addressing vacancies effectively. This article delves into the details of the current status of these crucial positions within the Indian government.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 25, 2026, 17:02 IST

Vacancies in Administrative and Police Services

Guwahati, Mar 25: The Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday that there are currently 1,300 vacant positions in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and 505 in the Indian Police Service (IPS).

According to Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, out of the 6,877 sanctioned IAS posts, 5,577 are currently filled.

For the IPS, there are 4,594 officers in place, compared to a sanctioned strength of 5,099.

Singh elaborated that the filling of IAS positions adheres to the government's reservation guidelines.

Since 2012, an annual recruitment of 180 candidates to the IAS has been conducted through the civil services examination, with 4% of these positions reserved for candidates with benchmark disabilities (PwBD).

The process of candidate allocation through the civil services examination (CSE), managed by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is ongoing and systematic.

Regular assessments of vacancies are conducted, ensuring that all advertised IAS positions are filled in accordance with reservation norms, Singh noted.

Currently, there are no backlog vacancies in the IAS, and as of January 1, 2025, there are also no backlog reserved posts in the IPS.

Over the last five years, 245 candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), 135 from Scheduled Castes (SC), and 67 from Scheduled Tribes (ST) have been appointed to the IAS.

Similarly, during the same timeframe (CSE 2020 to CSE 2024), 255 individuals from the OBC, 141 from SC, and 71 from ST have been appointed to the IPS.

In a separate statement, the minister revealed that there are 1,029 vacant positions for Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officers, with a total sanctioned strength of 3,193.

Singh emphasized that recruitment is an ongoing process, with vacancies filled annually based on administrative needs and career advancement opportunities for officers.

He also mentioned that comprehensive information regarding sanctioned posts, personnel in position, and vacancies across various ministries and departments of the Union government can be found in the annual reports of the Pay Research Unit, Department of Expenditure, which are publicly available.

Singh stated that maintaining detailed vacancy information is the responsibility of the respective cadre controlling authorities, ministries, and departments.

When asked about any preliminary studies regarding sanctioned positions and vacancies across all central government ministries and departments, Singh reiterated that the process of addressing and filling vacant posts is continuous.

He added that instructions have been periodically issued to ministries and departments to ensure timely filling of vacant positions.

Addressing vacancies in the Union government has been approached in a mission-mode, with several lakh appointment letters distributed to selected candidates during national Rozgar Mela events since October 2022.