"...Consider more lateral recruitments of external applicants with relevant expertise, especially in Embassies and Missions," the Standing Committee on External Affairs said in a report tabled in the Parliament today.
The Committee, chaired by BJP leader Ananth Kumar, made it clear that it was not satisfied with the pace of ongoing efforts being made by the ministry in the form of 'medium term expansion plan' for the Indian Foreign Service spanning over 10 years.
The panel expressed its displeasure over the ministry not pronouncing a clear cut assessment policy and commitment towards an early expansion and lateral entry of officers/staff at various levels to enhance the overall efficiency of the ministry.
"Therefore, the Committee desires that the ministry should appropriately assess the requirement and review the existing plans for expansion and infuse the envisioned expansion plans with scope for lateral entries of experienced manpower, both officers and staff with area specific expertise," it said.
The MEA has embarked on an expansion plan that entails addition of 514 positions in the Indian Foreign Service between 2008 and 2018, a majority of them being at the diplomatic level.
"In the Committee's view, such a long term plan is not going to serve the purpose because there is an immediate need for matching human resource base to carry the mandate of the Ministry effectively," the report said.
