After a gap of 15 years, the Ministry of Finance last week restored the post of Additional Director-General (Addl DG) of Archaeology at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

This is the second highest post in the ASI service rung. Previously, an archaeologist couldn’t aspire to become the director-general as the government in 1992 had

cancelled the post of the Addl DG after it lay vacant for two years. The government had, however, created a new post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the same seniority level to amend recruitment rules.

Sources said the Addl DG position could not be filled due to the Union Culture Ministry’s dilatory tactics to revise the recruitment rules. ASI comes under the ministry and has been headed by an IAS officer since 1992. Officials say the absence of professionals at the top post has had a demoralising effect on the service ranks, with many senior officers losing the opportunity in spite of having put in 30 years of field experience.

Last month, the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology, headed by Culture Minister Ambika Soni, decided that the position of director-general as well as others should be headed by professionals and not bureaucrats. One official described this as the most significant move to restore confidence and dignity to the profession.

The other grouse of ASI officers had been the non-revision of recruitment rules. After a 20 year wait, they were revised in May 2002. It states that to become a director-general, an officer must have completed three years of regular service and six years combined regular service in the grade of additional director-general and joint director-general.