New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an interactive session on Tuesday with 172 newly inducted IAS officers. These officers of 2014 batch started their career from Monday as assistant secretaries in 48 central government departments. This is the second batch of IAS officers to have their first stint in the central government instead in their respective cadre States. They will work with the departments concerned for a period of three months.

Last year as well, as many as 158 IAS officers of 2013 batch were appointed as assistant secretaries in different ministries as part of a first-of-its-kind initiative by the Union government to groom bureaucrats at the Centre before they move out to their respective State cadres. As per existing rules, IAS officers were eligible to come on central deputation only after completing nine years service at their respective cadre.