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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has now issued new posting guidelines for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers, which make it mandatory for the officers to return and serve at home after every posting abroad.
According to the new rules, the officers need to serve a compulsory Indian posting of three years if they wish to be deputed on a foreign posting again.
The new guidelines came into effect through a recent order following excessive requests from the IFS officers to continue their postings abroad and their reluctance to serve in the headquarters.
“There are instances of officers getting posting continuously for more than 10 years in different countries. Now, this will end,” informed sources told Deccan Herald.
The kind of perks that the officers get when they are posted abroad attract them to seek continued postings abroad, the sources said. If they are stationed in India, all that they get apart from the salary of between Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000 per month, is only a small taxi to travel in Delhi, a two-room quarters with no furniture, cutlery or air-conditioner.
In contrast, during their foreign postings: the officers of the rank of ambassador, consul general or deputy consul general procure special monthly allowance of $3000-$8000 apart from their salary. They get up to $25000 per year for their children’s education, the latest Mercedez-Benz with Indian flag and a five-bedroom house where they can entertain guests at government cost. All their furniture and cutlery are paid by the government.
For any club membership, they have to pay only 10% and the government will take care of the rest. Moreover, they can visit India twice a year on holiday.