IAS, IPS officers serving in J&K, Ladakh to be under 'hard areas' postings

IAS and IPS officers serving in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be considered under the category of "hard areas" postings.

A decision has been taken by the Centre and modified the guidelines for the transfer and posting of IAS, IPS officers of the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram Union Territory (AGMUT) Cadre.

"Consequent upon the merger of the J&K cadre into AGMUT cadre, the matter has been examined and with the approval of competent authority, it has been decided that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh may be categorised as Category B (Hard Areas) in the Joint AGMUT Cadre," the home ministry communication said.

The Jammu and Kashmir cadre was earlier merged with the AGMUT cadre in January last year after the bifurcation of the state and formation of the two Union Territories.

While the transfer and posting of IAS and IPS officers of AGMUT cadre in Jammu and Kashmir along with some other states will be considered as hard area postings, such actions in other states covered by the cadre will be considered as regular posting.

Postings in Delhi, Chandigarh, Goa, Puducherry, Dadar Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu will be considered as "regular areas" or Category A, while postings in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be considered as "hard areas" or Category B.