JAMMU: Referring to nearly 41 percent representation of women officers in 2024 batch of IAS, marking one of the highest-ever gender participation in the history of the IAS, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that the changing character of India’s Civil Services mirrors the transformation taking place across the country, where access to opportunity is expanding beyond traditional social and regional boundaries and young Indians are shaping a new governance culture driven by aspiration, technology and accountability.
Interacting with IAS Officer Trainees of the 2024 batch at the Civil Services Officers’ Institute (CSOI), Vinay Marg, New Delhi, Dr Jitendra Singh said the officers entering service today are uniquely placed in history, as they will occupy leadership roles at the peak of their careers when India completes 100 years of Independence in 2047. He described the moment as both a privilege and a responsibility, saying the future course of India’s governance journey would largely be shaped by this generation of civil servants.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the Assistant Secretary Programme, introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, has fundamentally changed the early administrative exposure available to young IAS officers.
The Minister said that nearly 41 percent representation of women officers reflects wider social change underway in India. He said the growing presence of women across competitive examinations, higher education and professional spaces demonstrates how opportunity and access are becoming increasingly democratised.
Dr Jitendra Singh also spoke about the changing regional profile of Civil Services selections, noting that states which earlier had limited representation are now producing large numbers of successful candidates.
The Minister said 78 officers in the present batch come from engineering backgrounds, alongside professionals from medicine, law, management and humanities. He added that governance today increasingly requires technological understanding and interdisciplinary thinking, particularly at a time when government programmes are becoming more data-driven, digital and innovation-oriented.
