IAS versus IFS

Vice-President Hamid Ansari who is also ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha has sought the services of an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer having UN experience as the new Secretary General in place of incumbent Yogendra Narain who is demitting office on the last working day of August. A 1965 batch IAS officer, Yogendra Narain had retired as Defence Secretary in 2002 and soon after became Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha.

The IAS officers have raised their ante !! Ansari, who is himself a retired IFS officer having served in the UN as India's representative, perhaps has the noble intention of raising Rajya Sabha proceedings to international standards. But the IAS lobby says an IFS man will not be able to understand the nuances of "floor" politics during question and zero hours and debates in the House. As per convention,the Rajya Sabha Chairman is supposed to send a panel of names but the final decision will be made by the Cabinet Committee on Appointments (CCA).