Kolkata, 19 February (H.S.): Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya on Thursday issued a statement on the social media platform 'X', strongly questioning the West Bengal government's decision to create additional posts in the WBCS (Executive) Services and amend the cadre schedule. He said that presenting these steps as historic reforms is actually an attempt to mislead officers and that these reforms are too little, too late.
Malviya alleged that the government is hyping minor administrative changes while ignoring core problems that have been pending for years. According to him, without addressing issues such as financial deprivation, long-standing delays in promotions, and administrative insecurity, such announcements will prove to be mere window dressing.
He said that WBCS officers are suffering huge financial losses due to non-payment of dearness allowance (DA). An entry-level WBCS officer loses approximately ₹2.82 lakh annually, while a Special Secretary-level officer loses approximately ₹8.88 lakh annually. Unless this fundamental injustice is addressed, talk of service reform is hollow.
Amit Malviya also raised serious questions about promotions in the IAS. He said that in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, State Service officers are promoted to the IAS in 15 to 17 years, while in West Bengal, WBCS (Executive) officers have to wait 26 to 27 years.
He further said that in recent years, this waiting period has increased to 30 to 32 years. Citing examples, he pointed out that officers from the 1992–93 batch received promotions to the IAS in 2025, but some retired just months after their promotion, depriving them of any real career and financial benefits.
According to Malviya, a large number of officers become ineligible for IAS promotions due to crossing the age of 56. This results in nearly half of the officers from many batches being denied promotions and suffering significant financial losses at the time of retirement, further compounded by the problem of pending DA for years.
He also dismissed claims of a revision of the cadre schedule as inconsistent with ground reality. Malviya stated that there is no uniform cadre structure between the services. Deputy secretaries are working as BDOs, and joint secretaries are working as ADMs under district magistrates of the same rank, reflecting structural contradictions.
The BJP leader said that calling postings as SDOs a promotion is misleading, as they are merely postings, not advancements in rank. He also warned that increasing the number of entry-level posts, if not accompanied by a proportionate increase in higher positions, would further exacerbate service stagnation.
Malviya alleged that political interference in the performance appraisal system is increasing, affecting administrative fairness and a healthy work culture. He also raised the issue of arbitrary transfers and postings, stating that established transfer rules have been weakened, deepening a sense of insecurity among officers.
He also referred to the detailment provision implemented in 2014, stating that this system is open to arbitrary use and further increases the insecurity of WBCS officers.
Concluding, Amit Malviya stated that presenting the creation of additional posts as a major reform is not a real solution. Unless arrears of DA are paid, the promotion process is rationalized, and real cadre reforms are implemented, and arbitrary administrative decisions are curbed, such measures will remain merely symbolic and will not provide real justice to WBCS officers.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey
