UP: Uncertainty Looms Over IAS Week Again, Last Held in 2019 -

UP: Uncertainty Looms Over IAS Week Again, Last Held in 2019

Indian Masterminds Bureau
Published on 31 Oct 2023, 4:20 pm IST
2 minutes read

Highlights

1997 batch IAS officer and UP IAS Association’s chairman Mahesh Gupta refused to comment on this issue while secretary Ranjan Kumar remained inaccessible

It’s been almost 4 years since IAS Week has not taken place in Uttar Pradesh. This year again, its fate is uncertain as assembly elections of five states are around the corner and many IAS officers have been deployed as observers.

Though a section of IAS officers is hopeful that the association may be able to hold the event in the next few weeks, some others are uncertain because of the elections in five state assemblies.

The UP IAS Association had on January 19, 2013, resolved that its AGM and Civil Service Week (IAS Week) would be organised every year. Ten years on, the association seems to be failing to keep its words.

The association held its AGM and IAS Week in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. It, however, could not hold the event in 2020 and 2021 due to the outbreak of Covid-19. It was not able to hold its annual event again in 2022 too, keeping in view the 2022 legislative assembly elections in UP.

And the association is left with limited options as the polls would be over in early December and the Election Commission’s code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections may come into force early in 2024.

1997 batch IAS officer and Association’s chairman, Mr. Mahesh Gupta, refused to comment on this issue while its secretary Ranjan Kumar remained inaccessible.

A senior IAS officer said that the IAS Week is UP IAS Association’s unique event that no other IAS association follows. Yet, this is not the first time that the association has not been able to hold its annual event.

The association had become virtually defunct during the BSP government’s tenure from May 13, 2007 to March 14, 2012.

“UP IAS Week is very important. No other state IAS association has such a tradition. This provides an opportunity for camaraderie and bonding. It is also an opportunity to understand issues concerning the service. The association should not allow IAS Week to lapse,” said Alok Ranjan, former chief secretary and, former president of UP IAS Association.