HRD ministry not in favour of Indian Education Service

The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry is not in favour of an all-India Education Service on the lines of civil services to enable posting of education administrators across the country.

A government-appointed committee headed by former cabinet secretary T S R Subramanian, had recommended in its report last year, creation of an Indian Education Service (IES) with officers to be recruited through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

“I don’t think there is any merit in it. Personally, I am not in favour of creating any such special service (cadre). Education is predominantly a teacher-student centric sector. It should remain within the domain of academicians,” HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said during an interaction with the media.

“Persons from the (IES) cadre would progressively man the higher level policy posts in the states and at the Centre; they will be, like other AIS (all India service) officers, deployed in teaching or managerial positions; there is also the possibility of lending IES officers to educational institutions, which will broaden the experience and in course of time enhance their efficacy. Part of manning the national institutions attached with HRD ministry could also come from this cadre,” the panel had suggested.

Javadekar said that the process was on to set up a committee under an eminent educationist for giving final shape to a draft new education policy.

“I hope in the next three to four months we will have the draft of the new education policy,” he added.

Replying to another question, the HRD minister assured that the new education policy will be formulated keeping in mind the "diverse culture and pluralistic society" of the country.

He trashed the Opposition parties' fears that the Narendra Modi government would toe the line of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) in finalising the new education policy.

"It is a deliberate attempt to politicise a non-political issue. The formulation of a new education policy is an exercise targeted at not just the next few years but one whole generation," the Union minister said.