‘Today it’s me, tomorrow someone else…’: IAS officer says system has failed her after fourth transfer order in a year

An IAS officer from Madhya Pradesh, who received her fourth transfer order in a year, expressed her disappointment in an MP IAS Officer Association group, and said she was humiliated and demotivated. Her latest transfer came just 50 days after she joined her posting.

IAS officer Neha Marvya Singh, 40, is from the 2011 batch. She said she understands that her job needs her to relocate in order to perform her duties, but that this time she feels “demotivated”. She said in the message that has since gone viral, that her subordinates “organised a mutiny” to get her transferred and even “thumped her desk”.

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Singh’s remarks gained importance amid other instances of civil servants deciding to leave the government service. IAS officer Divya Mittal voluntarily resigned after 13 years of service, while another officer Roman Saini resigned after a brief stint in the bureaucracy.

“I reported the insubordination, hoarding of files by the subordinates, and mistreatment meted out to me in the department through proper channels hoping necessary action will be taken,” said Singh, adding that she was instead transferred.

She asked if an IAS officer is so vulnerable that even their subordinates can get them transferred by organising a mutiny. Singh said no IAS officer can do something that warrants a mutiny or a transfer within a month. An officer barely gets to understand their work within a month, she said.

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“How am I supposed to work? My tenures are short 2-3 months, by the time I understand the charge I am removed. Even my subordinates feel I am an easy target, if I don’t work according to them they can get me transferred,” Singh said, adding that she has been sidelined and not given any work. The situation has worsened and her subordinates are threatening her, said Singh.

The officer said that conspirators have won and she has failed. “The system has failed me. Today it’s me, tomorrow another IAS officer will be the target,” she said.