Gujarat is grappling with a shortage of top bureaucrats, with 56 IAS and 9 IPS posts lying vacant. As of December 31, 2024, the state has only 257 IAS officers against an approved strength of 313, with 14 on central deputation. The IPS cadre faces a similar crunch, with 198 officers in place against 208 sanctioned posts, while 24 IPS officers are currently serving at the centre. IAS cadre strength is determined by the central Government in consultation with the state. The structure undergoes a review every five years, with the last one conducted in 2018 setting Gujarat’s IAS cadre at 313 posts. These include 170 senior duty posts, 68 for central deputation, 42 for state deputation, 28 for leave reserve, and 5 for training reserve. The Gujarat Government proposed increasing the IAS cadre strength to 343 in 2024, aiming to address the ongoing shortfall. However, with only 8 to 9 IAS officers recruited annually through direct recruitment, the gap persists. Over the last five years, Gujarat has added 41 IAS officers this way, but the backlog remains.