SERVICES/DEPARTMENTS IN CIVIL SERVICES
The civil services in India are
classified into two major categories—All-India services and Central
services
About All India Services:
All-India services are common to both
Central and state governments and the members of these services occupy key
positions under both the Centre and the states and serve them by turns.
At present, there are three all-India
services:
- Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
- Indian Police Service (IPS)
- Indian Forest Service (IFS)
The all-India services are jointly are
controlled by the Central and state governments. However, the ultimate control
lies with the Central government and any disciplinary action against these
officers can only be taken by the Central government while the immediate
control is vested in the state governments.
About Central Services:
The officers of Central services work
under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Central government. They hold
specialized positions in various departments of the Central government. The
Central services are further classified into groups.
GROUP 'A' SERVICES
Currently, there are 60 group A Central
service. Some of them are:
- Indian Foreign Service.
- Indian Economic Service.
- Central Information Service.
- Central Legal Service
- Central Secretariat Service.
- Indian Audit and Accounts Service.
- Indian Defence Accounts Service.
- Central Engineering Service.
- Central Health Service.
- Indian Meteorological Service.
- Indian Postal Service.
- Indian Revenue Service (Customs, Excise and Income Tax)
- Indian Statistical Service.
- Overseas Communication Service.
- Railway Personnel Service.
Among all, the most prestigious and
highest central service in terms of status, pay and emoluments is the Indian
Foreign Service (IFS). Though it is a central service, it comes next to the IAS
in ranking and its pay scale is higher than the IPS. It competes with the
All-India services in position, status and pay scales.
Most of the cadres of Central services
group A have also corresponding group B services. The Central services group C
consists of clerical personnel and group D consists of manual personnel.
Therefore, Group A and B comprises of gazetted officers and Group C and D are
non-gazetted.
GROUP 'B' SERVICES
Some of the examples of the Group 'B'
Services are
- The Central Secretariat Service
- The Railway Board Secretariat Service
- The Indian Foreign Service
- The Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service
- The Customs' Appraisers Service
- Posts of Assistant Commandant
- Deputy Superintendents of Police -Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The process of recruitment of the
Central Civil Services is made through the Civil & Engineering Services
Examination of UPSC and the Combined Graduate Level Examination of Staff
Selection Commission (SSC).
About the Indian Administrative Service
(IAS)
Controlling Authority: Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Recruitment : UPSC Civil
Services Examination
Responsibilities & Training:
- The IAS officers handle the government affairs and frame policies in diverse areas of importance such as finance, commerce, administration, etc. They modify the policies if needed and implement them through various means. Upon attaining higher ranks, an IAS officer also may represent the government in another country or in various bilateral and multilateral forums, and at certain ranks (Deputy Secretary) they can even sign agreements on behalf of the government.
- The officers assumes various responsibilities and work very diverse roles like the collector, chief secretary, commissioner, head of public sector units, cabinet secretary ,etc.
- The IAS officers are appointed after two years of probationary period carried out in field offices, training schools, in a District Magistrate's office and in a secretariat.
- Initially, the officer works as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate and carries out tasks such as handling the law and order, implementing developmental work in the stipulated area and general administration.
- After completing two years as Sub-Divisional Magistrate, the officer shifts to a senior scale and starts climbing the ranks. Over the years, with experience the officer keeps on climbing ranks and may also be designated with key positions in Indian administrative systems such as Principal Secretaries and Financial Commissioners.
- The top rank civil servant in a any State is the Chief Secretary of that state, who is generally assisted by the Additional Chief Secretaries, Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate.
- Some other Prestigious Posts: Home Secretary, Finance Secretary and Development Commissioners.
About the Indian Forest Service (IFS)
Controlling authority: Ministry of
Environment, Forests and Climate Change
Recruitment: UPSC
Indian Forest Service Examination
The Indian Forest Service, one of the
three All India Services, was constituted in the year 1966 under the All India
Services Act, 1951 by the Government of India.
Responsibilities:
The Major mandate of the IFS officers is
the proper implementation of the National Forest Policy which envisages
sustainable environment, ecological balance and scientific management of
forests. The IFS officers are independent of the district administration and exercises
administrative, financial and, judicial powers in their domain.
- The IFS officers also work in several wildlife and forest related organizations such as:
- Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA)
- Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
- Forest Survey of India
- The Wildlife Institute of India
- Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) etc..
About the Indian Police Service (IPS)
Controlling authority: Ministry of Home
Affairs
Recruitment: UPSC
Civil Services Examination
Responsibilities & Training:
The IPS officers assumes the
responsibility of maintaining law and order, public safety and security by
indulging in activities such as prevention of Crimes, traffic management,
criminal investigations etc. To achieve greater efficiency, these services are
further classified into various functional departments such as Crime Branch,
Home Guards, Traffic Bureau, Criminal Investigation department etc
The Process of recruitment and training
is the longest among all the services for IPS officers which extends to almost
2 years in total. During the probation period these officers train in the
office of a Superintendent of Police of a district where they have been
allocated and when they complete their probation period they are given a three
star Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) rank.
Higher Ranks: IPS officers attains the
following ranks:
- Commissioner of Police ( looking after a city)
- Deputy Commissioner (metropolitan cities)
- Superintendent of Police (Whole district level)
- Director General of Police (Entire state)
IPS officers also need to clear
specially designed physical tests once they have been allotted to a particular
IPS as per his rank.
These IPS officers also work and serve
various national intelligence and security based organizations such as,
- Intelligence Bureau
- Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)
- Border Security Force
- Central Bureau of Investigation
- Central Reserve Police Force
With increasing experience these
officers may also get an opportunity to serve in International Organizations
related to the security, policing and intelligence, such as Interpol, United
Nations, International Cricket Council, in various embassies around the world
etc.
About the Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
Controlling authority: Ministry of
External Affairs
Recruitment: UPSC
Training and Career:
- After selection to the Indian Foreign Service through the combined Civil Services examination, the new entrants undergo a training programme intended to give them diplomatic knowledge, qualities and skills at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussourie.
- Thereafter the probationers join the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi and undergo a training programme in various disciplines required for a career diplomat. The objective of this programme is to inculcate a strong knowledge of diplomacy, international relations and a grasp of general political principles in an officer.
- At the conclusion of the training programme the officer is assigned his/her compulsory foreign language (CFL). After a brief period of desk attachment in the Ministry of External Affairs the officer is posted to an Indian Mission abroad in a country where his CFL is the native language and enrolled in a language course.
- Ranks: An IFS is give a job as a Third Secretary and then as Second Secretary when he is confirmed in service.
- Subsequent promotions: First Secretary- Counsellor-Minister and Ambassador orHigh Commissioner or Permanent Representative.
- Officers are also posted to Indian Consulates abroad where the hierarchy (going upwards) is Vice-Consul, Consul and Consul General.
Responsibilities:
As a diplomat, IFS Officer is required
to promote India’s interests at various platforms and on a variety of issues
including bilateral political and economic cooperation, trade and investment
promotion, cultural interaction, pres, etc.
Some other important functions of IFS
officers are as follows:
- Protecting India’s national interests
- Representing India in its Embassies, Consulates and in India's Permanent Missions to multilateral organisations like UN
- Promoting friendly relations with nations
- Negotiating agreements on various issues with the authorities of the receiving state.
- Providing consular facilities to foreigners and Indian nationals abroad.
About Indian Revenue Services (IRS)
Controlling Authority: Ministry of
Finance
Recruitment: UPSC and
Central Services (Group B) of Income Tax Service (Group B).
Responsibilities:
The IRS functions under administrative
direction of the Revenue Secretary and ministerial command of the Ministry of
Finance (Department of Revenue). The IRS is primarily responsible for
discharging important functions such as collection of revenue for development,
security and governance.
The IRS is controlled by two separate
statutory bodies i.e the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT )- IRS (Income
Taxes) and the Central Board of indirect taxes and Customs (CBIC)- and IRS
(Customs and Indirect Taxes)
An IRS officer serve the Government of
India by playing an important role indifferent capacities. While administering
, Direct Taxes through the ITD, they formulate policies, implement such
policies and discharge the functions of an investigator, quasi-judicial
authority, prosecutor and negotiator of International Agreements etc.
Training and Career:
An IRS officer begins his service in
Group A as Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax. Recruitment at this level is
through the Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC. Some Income Tax
Officers (Group B gazetted) also enter into IRS by way of promotion. The Indian
Revenue Service Recruitment Rules regulate the selection and career prospects
of an IRS officer.
After the selection, the IRS officers
undergo training at National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT), Nagpur. NADT
conducts the Induction training for IRS officers and the Foundation Course for
other services as well. At first, the officers are given the training in
Foundation Course for about 4 months, then they undergo training of 16 months
in specialized modules in taxation, accounting, public finance, fiscal policy etc.
To give exposure on global best practices in taxation, the training also
includes a study tour and international attachment to different countries.
Some Major Posts: Principal
Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in the ITD, Member or Chairperson of the CBDT,
Deputy Commissioner, Joint Commissioner, Additional Commissioner, Commissioner,
Principal Commissioner and Chief Commissioner of Income Tax.
About the Indian Railway Personnel
Service (IRPS)
Controlling Authority: Ministry of
Railways
Recruitment: UPSC
Responsibilities:
Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)
functions under the administrative control of Member (Staff) at Railway Board's
level, it is a unique service as it is the only service amongst the Central
Group 'A' Civil Services catering exclusively to the Human Resources &
Personnel Management discipline in the Central Government.
They perform a major role in all the
activities of Indian Railways- those, which are directly connected with train
operations, safety, productivity and earnings, as also the support activities
for all departments of IR. IRPS officers are posted to work on divisions,
workshops, zonal headquarters, production units and the Ministry of Railways
(Railway Board).
There recruitment to IRPS takes place in
two ways, they are:
- Through Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC every year; (ii)
- Through promotion of Group 'B' Personnel Officers working on zonal Railways to IRPS.
Training: National
Academy of Indian Railways (NAIR)/Vadodara, Lal Bahadur Shastri National
Academy for Administration (LBSNAA)/ Mussorie, National Academy for Direct
Taxes (NADT)/ Nagpur and other specialized training institutes like at reputed
management institutes are HR & Personnel Management, as well as field
training on zonal railways, divisions, construction organizations and
manufacturing units of the Indian Railways.
Other Group A Railway Services:
- Indian Railway Traffic Services (IRTS)
- Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)Engineering Service Examination (ESE)
- Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE)
- Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers(IRSME) and Special Class Railway Apprentice (SCRA)
- Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE)
- Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineer(IRSSE):
- Indian Railway Stores Services (IRSS)
- The Indian Railway Protection Force (IRPF)
- Indian Railway Medical Services
About the Indian Postal Service:
Controlling Authority: the Ministry of
Communications
Recruitment: UPSC
Responsibilities:
The officers of the Indian Postal
Service are responsible for running ‘India Post’, which is a subsidiary of the
Ministry of Communications India Post provides services which ranges from
conventional postal services to banking and e-commerce services. The Indian
Postal Service Officers undergo training to perform wide range of functions
such as, administration and management of postal operations and services,
management of overall the Post Offices, development and expansion of India Post
network, Coordination with police and public authorities and Recruitment,
Transfer, Promotion and Disciplinary related matters of employees.
The Indian Postal Service, is one of
those services which contains high job mobility as well as variety as it is the
only service where an officer one can go on a deputation to the army and serve
military officials of various ranks from Captain to Major General.
Training:
Selected recruits are trained at the Lal
Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad and National Academy of Direct Taxes
(NADT) in Nagpur.
Higher Ranks: Senior
Superintendent of Post Office (SSPO), Assistant PMG (Post Master General). They
can also be promoted to the senior most level of PMG of a "Circle".
Promotions after that are to the posts such as:
- Additional Secretary in a ministry
- One of the members of the Postal Services Board
- Chief PMG or rather HAG i.e. Higher Administrative Grade
- Secretary, Department of Post who is also ex-officio DG
- Chairman of the Postal Services Board
About Indian Audit and Accounts Service
The Indian Audit and Accounts Service
(IA&AS) officers works in the top and middle-level management of Indian
Audit and Accounts Department headed by the Comptroller & Auditor General
(CAG).
The Indian Audit and Accounts Service
(IA&AS) audits the accounts of various government departments, public
sector enterprises (PSE), railways, defence etc. This service is
the most sought after services amongst the central civil services as it is
believed that it has the highest percentage of job satisfaction amongst its
officers and along with opportunities to serve within India and on deputation
to foreign countries.
Training and Career:
The Indian Audit and Accounts Service
(IA&AS) recruits undergo 18 months training at National Academy of Audit
and Accounts located in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
The officers are trained in various stages
on different disciplines, initially on principles and concepts of government
and commercial accounting and auditing and later then on their implementation
part. The officers tend to visit various government institutions like National
Institute of Public Finance and Policy, Reserve Bank of India, Bureau of
Parliamentary Studies and visiting premier institutes like Indian Institute of
Management and London School of Economics (LSE).
After the training, the officers are
posted as Deputy Accountant General (DAG) and subsequently achieve higher ranks
like,
- Senior DAG
- Accountant General (AG)
- Principal Accountant General (PAG)
- Additional Deputy CAG
- Deputy CAG
About the Indian Information Service
(IIS):
Indian Information Service officers
forms part of Media wing of the Government of India. These officers play an
important role in creating a vital communication link between the Government
and the citizens by way of disseminating information and providing information
to citizens on various Government policies and schemes and by collecting
valuable information required for the Government in policy formulation.
Most IIS officers work in various media
institutions and organizations which works under the Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting such as All India Radio, DD News and Press Information Bureau
The IIS officers may also get an
opportunity to be posted as spokespersons to various constitutional bodies.
Training and Career:
Three months Foundation Course at Lal
Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration(LBSNAA )Mussoorie and nine
months of professional training at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New
Delhi.
The period of probation is two years and
after successful completion, these officers are posted to a media units, during
the various roles in their career, these officers progresses achieve higher
ranks, as :
- Assistant Director
- Deputy Director
- Joint Director level of Deputy Secretary to Government of India
- Director
- Additional Director General level of Joint secretary to the Government of India
- Director General
- Principal Director General
About the Indian Defence Accounts
Service (IDAS)
Controlling Authority: Ministry of
Defence
Recruitment: UPSC and
Responsibilities:
The major responsibility of is Defence
Accounts Service (IDAS) is to audit the accounts of is to provide financial
advice and augment internal accounting auditing functions for the Army, Air
Force, Navy are of the Indian Defence Ministry and to Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO), Border Road Organisation, Ordnance Factories
and other allied organisations. The IDAS officers can also be appointed into
governmental organisations, ministries and departments and may also get an
opportunity to serve and be a part of Indian Army’s UN peacekeeping missions.
Training:
The IDAS officers undergo a total 24
months training initially, four months at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy
of Administration, then at Centre for Training and Development (CENTRAD)
located in New Delhi. Final training at National Academy of Defence Financial
Management Institute located at Pune.
About the Indian Ordnance Factories
Service (IOFS)
Controlling Authority: Ministry of
Defence
Recruitment: UPSC engineering
services exam, Interviews
The Indian Ordnance Factories Service
(IOFS) offers two types of services, technical and non-technical services. The
UPSC conducts recruitment only for the non-technical position through Civil
Service Examination and the recruitment to technical services is made through
the Engineering Service Examination.
Responsibilities:
The Indian Ordnance Factories Service
(IOFS) officers are responsible for the management of the Indian Ordnance
Factories which are one of the major defense equipment and arms/ammunition
production factories of our country. The officers also work in several
managerial positions in various Public Sector Enterprises and also may serve as
advisors and secretaries to Union Cabinet ministers, Prime Minister and the
President of India.
Training:
Foundation Course at at Lal Bahadur
Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA ) Mussoorie, Public
Administration and management training at the National Academy of Defence
Production (NADP), Nagpur. After this, they are sent on a visit to various national
defense, nuclear, space, industrial and other technical installations.
About the Indian Civil Accounts Service
(ICAS)
Controlling Authority: Ministry of
Finance
Recruitment: UPSC
Responsibilities:
The Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS)
provide auditing and accounting services to the Government of India and its
ministries and departments. Some other functions of ICAS include, framing rules
and procedures for accounting of receipts and payments of government,
monitoring cash balances with the RBI of the Government of India and
Coordination of management accounting systems in Civil Ministries, etc.
Training:
Six Months training at the National
Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), then at at the Institute of
Government Accounts and Finance (INGAF) and later on the Job Training (OJT).
These officers generally supports and
forms part of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA)
Higher Ranks: Principal Chief Controller
of Accounts, Controller of Accounts and Chief Controller of Accounts.
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