JAMMU: Eleven IAS and IPS officers have been transferred out of Jammu and Kashmir in less than two months through four separate transfer orders, with the latest order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) moving three more IAS officers out of the Union Territory.
The successive transfers have resulted in officers of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir cadre being posted across 10 different segments of the AGMUT cadre, with Andaman and Nicobar Islands being the only segment where such officers have not yet been posted, according to information available with Cross Town News.
Sources indicate that the movement of officers out of J&K may continue, with one or two more senior officers likely to be posted outside the Union Territory. Sources have attributed the possibility to what they describe as “over-crowdedness” at the senior level in J&K.
11 IAS, IPS Officers Moved Out Through Four Orders
The latest developments take the number of IAS and IPS officers transferred out of Jammu and Kashmir to 11 in less than two months.
According to the information provided, the transfers have been carried out through four separate orders.
The first order moved six IAS and IPS officers out of Jammu and Kashmir. This was followed by two separate orders, each concerning a single officer — one IAS officer in one order and one IPS officer in the other.
The latest development came on Thursday, when the Ministry of Home Affairs issued another transfer order covering three IAS officers.
Taken together, the four orders have resulted in 11 officers being shifted out of J&K in a period of less than two months.
J&K Officers Posted Across 10 AGMUT Segments
The movement is also notable because officers belonging to the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir cadre have now been posted across almost the entire Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre.
According to the information available, J&K cadre officers have been posted in 10 segments of the AGMUT cadre, with Andaman and Nicobar Islands remaining the only segment where such officers have not yet been posted.
The wide geographical distribution reflects the cadre reorganisation and subsequent allocation of officers following the changes involving the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir cadre.
More Senior Officer Transfers May Follow
Sources have indicated that the latest round of transfers may not be the end of the movement.
According to sources, one or two senior officers are likely to be posted outside Jammu and Kashmir in the coming period.
The possible movement has been attributed to the presence of a relatively large number of officers at the senior level in J&K.
The posting of additional officers outside the Union Territory could therefore help in managing the distribution of officers across the AGMUT cadre while also creating space within the senior administrative structure in J&K.
Recently Inducted IAS Officers May Also Be Posted Outside J&K
Sources have further indicated that the movement could extend beyond officers who are already part of the senior administrative structure.
According to the information available, one to three IAS officers who have recently been inducted into the IAS are also likely to be posted in segments outside Jammu and Kashmir.
If implemented, the move would further expand the deployment of officers associated with the J&K cadre across other AGMUT segments.
The possible postings would also provide administrative exposure to newly inducted IAS officers in other parts of the AGMUT cadre.
Latest MHA Order Adds to Continuing Cadre Movement
The latest MHA order involving three IAS officers comes after three earlier orders had already moved eight officers out of J&K.
The sequence of orders — six officers in the first order, followed by one IAS officer, one IPS officer and finally three IAS officers — has taken the total number of officers transferred out of J&K to 11.
The pace of the transfers has drawn attention within the administrative establishment, particularly because they have taken place over a period of less than two months.
Possible Rebalancing of Officer Strength
The continuing transfers appear to be part of a broader redistribution of officers within the AGMUT framework.
With J&K officers already deployed across 10 AGMUT segments, the movement has significantly broadened their geographical postings outside the Union Territory.
The possibility of further transfers, particularly involving senior officers and recently inducted IAS officers, could lead to another round of cadre-level redistribution.
However, the exact officers who may be moved next and their proposed destinations have not been officially announced in the information available.
For now, the latest MHA order takes the number of IAS and IPS officers shifted out of Jammu and Kashmir in less than two months to 11, while sources indicate that additional movements could follow.
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