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ClearIAS » Civil Services Mains » Cadre Allocation Policy for IAS/IPS/IFoS – Will You Get Posted in Your Home State?

Cadre Allocation Policy for IAS/IPS/IFoS – Will You Get Posted in Your Home State?

Last updated on January 4, 2019 by Alex Andrews George

Cadre Allocation Policy for IASThe Central Government of India (after consultation with state governments) had revised the cadre allocation policy for All-India Services like IAS, IPS, IFoS etc in 2017. Candidates should read the new cadre allocation policy (explained below) before filing the cadre preference.

What is a cadre?

Cadre refers to a state (or group of states/union territories) to which an officer of an All India Service like IAS or IPS may be posted. Examples include UP cadre, Bihar cadre, Kerala cadre, AGMUT cadre etc.

Usually, an IAS/IPS officer works in his allocated cadre (state) through-out his entire service life, unless he opts for central government deputation – where he works at the Centre.

A cadre is allocated to a candidate by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India.  Allocation of cadre depends on candidate’s rank, cadre-preference, and vacancies.

What is the new method of Cadre Allocation?

The existing 26 cadres of All-India Services — the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) — have been divided into five zones as per the new Cadre Allocation Policy, 2017.

The Zones are –

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  1. Zone-I (AGMUT, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
    Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana)
  2. Zone-II (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha)
  3. Zone-III (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh)
  4. Zone-IV (West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam-Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura and
  5. Zone-V (Telangana. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala)

Under the new policy, candidates can only select one cadre from a zone as their first choice. Their second, third, fourth and fifth choices have to be from a different zone. For example, if the first preference of a candidate is Uttar Pradesh (Zone 2), then he cannot select Bihar, Jharkhand or Odisha as the second choice (other cadres in Zone 2).

Cadre Allocation Policy (2017) for the All India Services-IAS/IPS/IFoS – Explained

How to submit cadre and zone preference for IAS or IPS

  • The candidates shall first give their choice in the descending order of preference from amongst the various Zones.
  • Thereafter the candidates will indicate one preference of cadre from each preferred zone.
  • The candidates will indicate their second cadre preference for every preferred zone thereafter.
  • A similar process will continue till a preference for all the cadres is indicated by the candidate.
  • It is to be noted that preference for the zones will remain in the same order and no change in the order of preference for the zones/ cadres will be permitted.
  • If a candidate does not give any preference for any of the Zones/Cadres, it will be presumed that he has no specific preference for those Zones/cadres.
  • A reserved category candidate selected on general merit standards shall be eligible for allocation against the available unreserved vacancy as per his merit and preference. But if he cannot be allocated against such vacancy, for he is lower in rank as compared with other general category candidates, he shall be considered for allocation as per his merit and preference against the available vacancy of his category.
  • This cadre allocation policy issues in supersession of the existing cadre allocation policy and comes into effect with the Civil Services Examination 2017/ Indian Forest Service Examination 2017.

You can read more details about the new policy here.

What is the major impact of the new cadre allocation policy?

Before 2017, even if one may not get the home-cadre, there was a high chance that he/she may get an allocation in the neighbouring states. However, after the new cadre allocation policy, selected candidates can be allocated to cadres far away. By doing this, Government of India hopes for better national integration.

“Will I get my home state as my cadre, after selection into IAS or IPS?”

You may or you may not.

It depends on your rank, your category, and the number of insider-vacancies for the post in your category in your home state.

A candidate shall be allotted to his Home cadre, on the basis of his merit, preference and vacancy available at his turn in his category. For allocation to Home cadre against an Insider vacancy, a candidate will be required to express his first preference to the Zone in which his Home cadre falls as well as first preference to the Home cadre within that relevant Zone, otherwise, he shall not be considered for his Home cadre at all.

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About Alex Andrews George

Alex Andrews George is a mentor, author, and entrepreneur. Alex is the founder of ClearIAS and one of the expert Civil Service Exam Trainers in India.

He is the author of many best-seller books like 'Important Judgments that transformed India' and 'Important Acts that transformed India'.

A trusted mentor and pioneer in online training, Alex's guidance, strategies, study-materials, and mock-exams have helped thousands of aspirants to become IAS, IPS, and IFS officers.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Prateek Kant Rai says

    January 7, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    please give the list of foreign languages available for optional subject besides the indian languages & english. Can a Candidate appear in german, French, spanish etc as for the optional subject in mains.

    (Prateek Kant Rai)

    Reply
    • STK says

      December 11, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      No, you cant . Only Indian languages, that list will be available along with the syllabus . syllabus will be in pg.31 of CSE notification that UPSC releases every year.

  2. Prashant Raj says

    September 26, 2019 at 2:45 pm

    My name prashant Raj belong to SC category from Uttar Pradesh .
    up-to which rank in UPSC CSE can I get a home cadre ?

    Reply
  3. Bhaveshkumar says

    July 18, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    I want to be ias

    Reply
  4. Rishi says

    August 17, 2020 at 11:33 pm

    Dear sir/mam,
    Can i get any city of my choice (except my hone cadre) ?? If my rank is very good.
    Please tell me

    Reply
  5. Rishi says

    August 17, 2020 at 11:35 pm

    Can i get any city of my choice other than my home cadre if i want and if i passed with very good rank??

    Reply
    • STK says

      December 11, 2020 at 6:17 pm

      no city of your preference will be alloted. only a state could be preference , u cant choose a district or a city, it will be alloted randomly

  6. Mahatama Gandhi says

    October 5, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    IRS vs DANICS

    Reply
  7. STK says

    December 11, 2020 at 6:14 pm

    Not city, in any preference mentioned you can indicate only up to a state, neither a district nor a city. You will be allotted a City or district randomly according to vacancy.

    Reply
  8. Krishna says

    December 14, 2020 at 7:13 am

    I have literally searched this thing beacause of same reason😂

    Reply

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