Key Highlights
- M. Anitha, an Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer of the 2007 batch, has been cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for the role of Director in the Ministry of Defence.
- The posting is a lateral transfer from the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management and is governed by the Central Staffing Scheme.
- Her tenure will run until 26 September 2026, completing the balance of a five‑year deputation.
- The Central Staffing Scheme facilitates the movement of senior civil servants across ministries to enrich policy formulation.
Detailed Insights
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) acted on the recommendation of the Civil Services Board and sanctioned the transfer of M. Anitha, who presently serves as Director in the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), to the Department of Defence. The move is classified as a lateral shift, meaning that the officer retains her rank while assuming new responsibilities in a strategic portfolio.
Under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS), Anitha will occupy the Director‑level post until the earlier of two dates: 26 September 2026, which marks the remaining period of her five‑year deputation, or any subsequent order issued by the government. The CSS, instituted by the Department of Personnel and Training in 1996, is designed to rotate senior AIS and Group ‘A’ officers among central ministries, thereby broadening their exposure to national‑level policy work.
Eligibility for CSS postings includes officers from the IAS, IPS, IFoS, and other Group ‘A’ services who have completed a minimum of nine years of service. Selections are made annually from an offer list prepared by the DoPT, and the scheme also incorporates relaxations for women, SC/ST candidates, and officers from the North‑Eastern states. Tenures typically range from three to five years, after which officers revert to their parent cadres.
Key Concepts
- Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC): The apex decision‑making body that approves senior postings and transfers within the Government of India.
- Central Staffing Scheme (CSS): A DoPT‑managed framework that enables the deputation of senior civil servants to central ministries for periods of three to five years, promoting inter‑cadre experience.
- Lateral Transfer: A movement of an officer to a new post at the same grade, preserving rank and pay scale while changing functional responsibilities.