By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha already faces chronic shortages that the government has publicly acknowledged: roughly 36 IAS vacancies out of 248 sanctioned posts (about 14.5–15%, with ~25 of those in position on central deputation, leaving fewer available in-state), plus higher IPS shortfalls (previously reported in the 60+ range against ~195 sanctioned) and IFS gaps. These predate or run parallel to the recent exits and are filled primarily by the Centre (direct recruitment/promotion).
Opposition parties have sometimes linked timing of exits (especially Gopalan’s post-SIR) to broader controversies, while the government and officers emphasize personal reasons. Nationally, young/mid-career AIS resignations for personal, career, or lifestyle reasons are a noted trend and not unique to Odisha.
In the last three years, four IAS and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from the Odisha cadre have resigned. IAS officer VK Pandian, who was considered the successor to former chief minister Naveen Patnaik, opted for voluntary retirement in October 2023 before joining the BJD ahead of the 2024 assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state. His wife, Sujata Karthikeyan, an Odisha cadre IAS officer, resigned in March 2025 before joining BJD in June this year.
Jagmohan Meena, a 2013 batch IPS officer, took voluntary retirement last month to join a corporate house. Early this year, IPS officer CA Ramdas (2025 batch probationer) resigned while still under training at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad.
Consecutive exits of relatively young officers (e.g., Jagmohan Meena after ~13 years of continuous high-pressure field postings as DCP, and a 2025-batch IPS probationer who quit before even serving in Odisha) can create a perception that the cadre involves relentless operational intensity with limited “cooling-off” or recovery periods, burnout risks for technocrats, or that private-sector/other options offer better work-life balance, pay, or autonomy. A retired official explicitly noted that the back-to-back resignations of two young officers were “unusual and have naturally raised eyebrows,” suggesting the government should examine the matter.
Timing especially any high-profile exits can be politicized by the opposition as signs of administrative strain, dissatisfaction, or instability, even when officers cite personal,family,health reasons and express gratitude for their service.
Meena publicly said it was a well-thought-out decision after family discussions, not due to pressure or external factors, and requested privacy. Gopalan similarly cited personal/health reasons unrelated to specific controversies. The government processed them through normal channels (state acceptance → Centre/President for IPS).
In summary, the exits do contribute to a perception of retention challenges and can raise questions about working conditions in high-intensity roles—signals worth monitoring for any government. However, treating them primarily as a “wrong message” from Majhi risks over-reading personal choices and a wider generational shift in civil services preferences. The more relevant test is how the administration manages the resulting gaps while sustaining service delivery and officer morale.
