It is amusing, if not ridiculous, for Shyam Saran to claim that his seniority in service needed to be protected even in the post-retirement job. The IAS cadre’s penchant for seniority and adherence to the concept of batch in which they are recruited, are anachronistic.
In contrast, in PSU banks, the chairman and the executive directors are selected on a seniority-cum-merit basis and the interview panel for selection to these posts comprises, among others, an IAS official, who owes his position to his seniority alone. In sports, the captain is selected on merit and winning traits.
In the political canvas, suitability, and not seniority, determines various positions. For instance, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the RBI Governor under Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and the latter is not complaining now. It is high time that all posts beyond the level of deputy secretary be filled in only on the seniority-cum-merit basis.
PV Maiya, Bangalore
