Centre asks All India Services officials to shun private awards

Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has made it clear that such gestures from private entities need not be encouraged

Hyderabad: The Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has sounded a caution to members of the All India Services against accepting awards given by private bodies and institutions.

Issuing fresh guidelines on the acceptance of awards by officers of All India Services from both government and private organisations, the Department made it clear that such gestures from private entities need not be encouraged because of the fact that there were various methods open to the government to recognize the merits and services of members from All India Services.

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It would not be appropriate to accept an award from a private body, clarified the department. In exceptional circumstances like rewarding the merit of an officer for the work done outside the purview of his functions in government or in case where the government thinks that an officer deserves a particular award, the award from such organisations and bodies may be accepted only with the prior approval of the competent authority.

In case of officers serving in the State, the competent authority would be the State government. In case of officers serving in the Centre, the competent authority would be the Secretary of the Ministry or Department concerned. In case of secretaries to Government of India, the competent authority would be the cabinet secretary, according to the guidelines.