Govt relaxes rule to help NIA choose its staff

National Investigation Agency (NIA) will directly be able to take staff on deputation from other government departments without going through Union Public Service Commission, a mandatory provision part of recruitment process.

The Ministry of Personnel has notified Union Public Service Commission (Exemption from Consultation) Amendment Regulations, 2013, last week in this regard.

However, the relaxation in rule is for select class of employee -- upto the level of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police (non-IPS category). The NIA, which is facing staff crunch, will have to complete its recruitment procedure according to  the notification till January 31 next year.

The exemption from consultation with the UPSC is given for appointment on deputation basis to the posts of Superintendent of Police (non-IPS), Deputy Superintendent of Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Programmer, Assistant Programmer, Administrative Officer, Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, Section Officer, Senior Private Secretary, Stenographer Grade-C and Assistant in the National Investigation Agency.

NIA will also not have to consult UPSC for appointment on deputation basis to the posts of Deputy Inspector General (non-IPS), Cyber Forensic Examiner, Crime Scene Assistant and Forensic Physiologist for period upto January 31, 2014, the notification said.

NIA at present has a strength of about 600 personnel.

The agency will be able to take on deputation about 100 personnel from various departments following relaxation of rules, an NIA official said.

The NIA, with its headquarters at Delhi, has branch offices in Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow and Mumbai. The agency is probing at least 71 terror related cases.