Civil Services of India
Encyclopedia
The Civil Services of India (known simply as the Civil Services) refer to the civil service
and the permanent bureaucracy
of the Government of India
. The civil service system is the backbone of the administrative machinery of the country.
In the parliamentary democracy
of India, the ultimate responsibility for running the administration rests with the elected representatives of the people which are the ministers. The ministers are accountable to the legislature, elected by the people on the basis of universal adult franchise. The ministers are thus indirectly responsible to the people. But the handful of ministers cannot be expected to deal personally with the manifold problems of modern administration. Thus the ministers lay down the policy and it is for the civil servants to carry out this policy.
The executive
decisions are implemented by the Indian civil servants. A civil servant is any person who is a citizen of India appointed by the Government to any civil service or post in connection with the affairs of the Union and includes a civilian in a Defence Service. The members of civil service serve at the pleasure of the President of India
and Article 311 of the constitution
protects them from politically motivated or vindictive action. Civil servants are employees of the Government of India
; however, not all employees of the Government are civil servants. Civil servants in a personal capacity are paid from the Civil List
. Senior civil servants may be called to account by Parliament
.
. It was formed after Independence of India in 1947 from the British Raj
.
provides for more Civil Services branches to be set up by giving the power to the Rajya Sabha
(upper house of the Parliament of India) to resolve by a two-thirds majority to establish new all-India services or central services. The Indian Forest Service and the Indian Foreign Service are the two services set up under this constitutional provision.
At present, the Central Government is finalising on creation of two new all-India services namely the Indian Judicial Service and the Indian Legal Service.
The members of the civil services represent as administrators in the central government and state government; emissaries in the foreign missions/embassies; as tax collectors and revenue commissioners; as civil service commissioned police officers; as permanent respresentative(s) and employees in the United Nations
and its agencies and as Chairman, Managing Director, full-time functional Director/Member of the Board of Management of various Public Sector Undertakings/ Enterprises, Corporations, Banks and financial institutions. Civil servants are employed to various agencies of India and can also be appointed as advisors or special duty officers or private secretaries to ministers of the Union and the State Government.
. He is ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board of the Republic of India; the chief of the Indian Administrative Service
and head of all civil services under the rules of business of the Government of India
. He also holds the 11th position in the Order of Precedence of India
.
The position holder is accountable for ensuring that the Civil Service is equipped with the skills and capability to meet the everyday challenges it faces and that civil servants work in a fair and decent environment.
and the Central Civil Services (Group A and B). The recruits are university graduates (or above) selected through a rigorous system of examinations, called the Civil Services Examination
(CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission
(UPSC).
All India Services
All appointments to All India Services are made by the President of India
.
, unlike the AIS which work for the Union as well as the various State Governments
. These services deal with the subjects such as foreign affairs, defense (civil administration), union taxation, economy, engineering, accounts, communication etc. The Central Civil Services are classified into Group A (Class I) and Group B (Class II).
.
Independent agencies:
against civil servants.
On this occasion, all officers of Central and State Governments are honoured for excellence in public administration by the Prime Minister of India
. The 'Prime Minister Award for Excellence in Public Administration' is presented in three categories. Under this scheme of awards instituted in 2006, all the officers individually or as group or as organization are eligible.
The award includes a medal, scroll and a cash amount of Rs.1 lakh. In case of a group, the total award money is Rs.5 lakh subject to a maximum of Rs.1 lakh per person. For an organization the cash amount is limited to Rs.5 lakh.
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
and the permanent bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. The civil service system is the backbone of the administrative machinery of the country.
In the parliamentary democracy
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
of India, the ultimate responsibility for running the administration rests with the elected representatives of the people which are the ministers. The ministers are accountable to the legislature, elected by the people on the basis of universal adult franchise. The ministers are thus indirectly responsible to the people. But the handful of ministers cannot be expected to deal personally with the manifold problems of modern administration. Thus the ministers lay down the policy and it is for the civil servants to carry out this policy.
The executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
decisions are implemented by the Indian civil servants. A civil servant is any person who is a citizen of India appointed by the Government to any civil service or post in connection with the affairs of the Union and includes a civilian in a Defence Service. The members of civil service serve at the pleasure of the President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
and Article 311 of the constitution
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
protects them from politically motivated or vindictive action. Civil servants are employees of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
; however, not all employees of the Government are civil servants. Civil servants in a personal capacity are paid from the Civil List
Civil list
-United Kingdom:In the United Kingdom, the Civil List is the name given to the annual grant that covers some expenses associated with the Sovereign performing their official duties, including those for staff salaries, State Visits, public engagements, ceremonial functions and the upkeep of the...
. Senior civil servants may be called to account by Parliament
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
.
History
The present modern civil services of India is mostly followed on the pattern of the Indian Civil Service of the British RajBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. It was formed after Independence of India in 1947 from the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
.
Constitution
The constitutionConstitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
provides for more Civil Services branches to be set up by giving the power to the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
(upper house of the Parliament of India) to resolve by a two-thirds majority to establish new all-India services or central services. The Indian Forest Service and the Indian Foreign Service are the two services set up under this constitutional provision.
At present, the Central Government is finalising on creation of two new all-India services namely the Indian Judicial Service and the Indian Legal Service.
Power, Purpose and Responsibilities
The responsibility of the civil services is running the administration of India effectively and efficiently. It is believed that the administration of a vast and diverse country like India requires efficient management of its natural, economic and human resources. The country is managed through a number of Central Government agencies in accordance with the policy directions given by the ministries.The members of the civil services represent as administrators in the central government and state government; emissaries in the foreign missions/embassies; as tax collectors and revenue commissioners; as civil service commissioned police officers; as permanent respresentative(s) and employees in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and its agencies and as Chairman, Managing Director, full-time functional Director/Member of the Board of Management of various Public Sector Undertakings/ Enterprises, Corporations, Banks and financial institutions. Civil servants are employed to various agencies of India and can also be appointed as advisors or special duty officers or private secretaries to ministers of the Union and the State Government.
Head of the Indian Civil Service
The highest ranking civil servant is the Chief of the Cabinet Secretariat of Republic of India who is also the Cabinet SecretaryCabinet Secretary (India)
The head of executive officers of civil services of India is the Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister...
. He is ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board of the Republic of India; the chief of the Indian Administrative Service
Indian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....
and head of all civil services under the rules of business of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. He also holds the 11th position in the Order of Precedence of India
Indian order of precedence
The Order of precedence of the Republic of India is the protocol list in which the functionaries and officials are listed according to their rank and office in the Government of India. The order is established by the President of the India, through the Office of the President of India and is...
.
The position holder is accountable for ensuring that the Civil Service is equipped with the skills and capability to meet the everyday challenges it faces and that civil servants work in a fair and decent environment.
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| N. R. Pillai N. R. Pillai Narayanan Raghavan Pillai or Sir N R Pillai was the first Secretary of External Affairs, post and office he held from February 6, 1950 until May 13, 1953. He was later the first Secretary General or Cabinet Secretary of the Republic of India... |
1950 to 1953 |
| Y.N.Sukthankar | 1953 to 1957 |
| M.K.Vellodi | 1957 to 1958 |
| Vishnu Sahay | 1958 to 1960 |
| B.N.Jha | 1960 to 1961 |
| Vishnu Sahay | 1961 to 1962 |
| S.S.Khera | 1962 to 1964 |
| Dharam Vira | 1964 to 1966 |
| D.S.Joshi | 1966 to 1968 |
| B.Sivaraman | 1969 to 1970 |
| T.Swaminathan | 1970 to 1972 |
| B.D.Pande | 1972 to 1977 |
| N.K. Mukarji Nirmal Kumar Mukarji Nirmal Kumar Mukarji IAS ICS was an Indian administrator and the last member of the Indian Civil Service to serve. In the course of a long career he was Home Secretary, Cabinet Secretary, and eventually Governor of Punjab. He died in 2002.Born in Delhi to Satyanand Mukarji, Principal of St.... |
1977 to 1980 |
| S.S.Grewal | 1980 to 1981 |
| C.R.Krishnaswamy Rao | 1981 to 1985 |
| P.K.Kaul | 1985 to 1986 |
| B.G.Deshmukh | 1986 to 1989 |
| T.N.Seshan | 1989 to 1989 |
| V.C.Pande | 1989 to 1990 |
| Naresh Chandra | 1990 to 1992 |
| S.Rajgopal | 1992 to 1993 |
| Zafar Saifullah | 1993 to 1994 |
| Surendra Singh | 1994 to 1996 |
| T.S.R.Subramaniam | 1996 to 1998 |
| Prabhat Kumar | 1998 to 2000 |
| T.R. Prasad | 2000 to 2002 |
| Kamal Pande | 2002 to 2004 |
| B. K. Chaturvedi B. K. Chaturvedi B. K. Chaturvedi is an Indian civil servant. He is former cabinet secretary, Government of India. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2010 for his contribution to the field of civil services. He belongs to 1966 batch of IAS.-Early life:... |
2004 to 2007 |
| K. M. Chandrasekhar | 2007 to 2011 |
| A.K. Seth | 2011 to Present |
Civil Service Values
A member of the civil service in discharge of his/her functions is to be guided by maintaining absolute integrity, allegiance to the constitution and the law of the nation, patriotism, national pride, devotion to duty, honesty, impartiality and transparency.Civil Service Codes
The Government of India promotes values and a certain standard of ethics of requiring and facilitating every civil servant:- To discharge official duty with responsibility, honesty, accountability and without discrimination.
- To ensure effective management, leadership development and personal growth.
- To avoid misuse of official position or information.
- To serve as instruments of good governance and foster social economic development.
Construction
The Civil Services of India can be classified into two types - the All India ServicesAll India Services
The All India Services are the three all India civil services of India namely the Indian Administrative Service , the Indian Police Service and the Indian Forest Service ....
and the Central Civil Services (Group A and B). The recruits are university graduates (or above) selected through a rigorous system of examinations, called the Civil Services Examination
Civil Services Examination
The Civil Services Examination is a nationwide competitive examination in India conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to the various Civil Services of the Government of India, including Indian Administrative Service , Indian Foreign Service , Indian Police Service and...
(CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission
Union Public Service Commission
The Union Public Service Commission is the central agency authorized to conduct the Civil Services Examination for entry-level appointments to the various Civil Services of India. The agency's charter is granted by the Constitution of India...
(UPSC).
All India ServicesAll India ServicesThe All India Services are the three all India civil services of India namely the Indian Administrative Service , the Indian Police Service and the Indian Forest Service ....
(AIS)
All appointments to All India Services are made by the President of IndiaPresident of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
.
- Indian Administrative ServiceIndian Administrative ServiceThe Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....
- Indian Forest ServiceIndian Forest ServiceThe Indian Forest Service is the Forestry service of India. It is one of the three All India Services of the Indian government, along with the Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service; its employees are recruited by the national government but serve under the state governments or...
- Indian Police ServiceIndian Police ServiceThe Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...
Central Civil Services (CCS)
The CCS are concerned with the administration of the Union GovernmentGovernment of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
, unlike the AIS which work for the Union as well as the various State Governments
State governments in India
State governments in India are the governments ruling States of India and the main minsters in the state are the chief ministers. Power is divided between central government and state governments. While central government handles Military, external affairs etc., the state government controls...
. These services deal with the subjects such as foreign affairs, defense (civil administration), union taxation, economy, engineering, accounts, communication etc. The Central Civil Services are classified into Group A (Class I) and Group B (Class II).
Group A
All appointments to Central Civil Services, Group A are made by the President of IndiaPresident of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
.
Group B
All appointments to Group B, Group C and Group D are made by the authorities specified by a general or special order of the President.- Indian Foreign Service, Group ‘B’ - (General Cadre, Grade I and General Cadre, Grade II only)
- Central Secretariat Service, Group 'B' (Section and Assistants’ Grade officers only)
- Indian Posts and Telegraphs Accounts and Finance Service, Group ‘B’ Telecommunication Wing.
- Indian Posts & Telegraphs Accounts & Finance Service, Postal Wing, Group ‘B’
- Indian Salt Service, Group ‘B’
- India Meteorological Service, Group ‘B'
- Central Secretariat Official Language Service, Group ‘B’
- Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service, (Grade I, Grade II and Selection Grade officers only)
- Central Health Service, Group ‘B’
- Income Tax Service, Group ‘B’
- Botanical Survey of India, Group 'B'.
- Geological Survey of India, Group 'B'.
- Geological Survey of India, Group 'B'.
- Survey of India, Group 'B'.
- Zoological Survey of India, Group 'B'.
- Central Electrical Engineering Service, Group 'B'.
- Central Engineering Service, Group 'B'.
- Central Power Engineering Service, Group ‘B’
- Postal Superintendents’ Service, Group ‘B’
- Postmasters’ Service, Group ‘B’
- Telecommunication Engineering Service, Group ‘B’
- Telegraphs Traffic Service, Group ‘B
- Central Excise Service, Group ‘B’
- Customs Appraisers Service, Group ‘B’- (Principal Appraisers and Head Appraisers)
- Customs Preventive Service, Group ‘B’ – (Chief Inspectors)
- Defence Secretariat Service
- Union Territories Administrative Service
- Union Territorries Police Service
State Civil Services (SCS/PCS)
The State Civil Services (also known as Provincial Civil Services) examinations and recruitments are conducted by the individual states of India. The state civil services deals with subjects such as land revenue, agriculture, forests, education etc. The officers of the state civil services are recruited by different States through the State Public Service Commissions. The categories of services to which candidates are selected through the state civil services (SCS) examination are as under:- State Civil Services, Class-I (SCS)
- State Police Service, Class-I (SPS).
- Block Development Officer.
- Tehsildar/Talukadar/Assistant Collector.
- Excise and Taxation Officer.
- District Employment Officer.
- District Treasury Officer.
- District Welfare Officer.
- Assistant Registrar Cooperative Societies.
- District Food and Supplies Controller/Officer.
- Any other Class-I/Class-II service notified as per rules by the concerned State.
Employment by Agency
Federal Government executive branch civilian employment:Independent agencies:
- Reserve Bank of IndiaReserve Bank of IndiaThe Reserve Bank of India is the central banking institution of India and controls the monetary policy of the rupee as well as US$300.21 billion of currency reserves. The institution was established on 1 April 1935 during the British Raj in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of...
- Securities and Exchange Board of IndiaSecurities and Exchange Board of IndiaThe Securities and Exchange Board of India is the regulator for the securities market in India.-History:It was formed officially by the Government of India in 1992 with SEBI Act 1992 being passed by the Indian Parliament...
- Department of SpaceDepartment of SpaceThe Department of Space is an Indian government department responsible for administration of the Indian space program.The Indian Space Research Organization is the primary research and development arm of the DoS...
- Department of Atomic EnergyDepartment of Atomic Energy (India)The Department of Atomic Energy is a department directly under the Prime Minister of India with headquartered in Mumbai. The department is responsible for nuclear technology, including nuclear power and research....
- Planning Commission
- Directorate General of Economic EnforcementDirectorate General of Economic EnforcementThe Directorate General of Economic Enforcement is a law enforcement agency and economic intelligence agency responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime in India. It is part of the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. It comprises officers of the Indian Revenue Service...
- Directorate General of Anti-EvasionDirectorate General of Anti-EvasionThe Directorate General of Anti-Evasion is a law enforcement agency now renamed as Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence, under the Ministry of Finance responsible for fighting tax evasion in India....
- Directorate of Revenue IntelligenceDirectorate of Revenue IntelligenceThe Directorate of Revenue Intelligence is an Indian intelligence agency.Even today, the organisation runs on skeleton staff even when compared to other intelligence agencies such as IB or state Police organisations.It comproses of officers of the Indian Revenue Service.However, its track record...
- National Advisory CouncilNational Advisory CouncilThe National Advisory Council of India is an advisory body set up to monitor the implementation of the UPA government's manifesto, the Common Minimum Programme. It is a brainchild of Congress party president, Sonia Gandhi. It is also informally called as UPA's Planning Commission for social...
- Central Bureau of InvestigationCentral Bureau of InvestigationThe Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
- Intelligence BureauIntelligence Bureau (India)The Intelligence Bureau also known as IB is India's internal intelligence agency and reputedly the world's oldest intelligence agency. It was recast as the Central Intelligence Bureau in 1947 under the Ministry of Home Affairs...
- Central Vigilance CommissionCentral Vigilance CommissionCentral Vigilance Commission is an apex Indian governmental body created in 1964 to address governmental corruption. It has the status of an autonomous body, free of control from any executive authority, charged with monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government of India, and...
- National Security GuardsNational Security GuardsThe National Security Guard is a Special Response Unit in India that has primarily been utilized for counter-terrorism activities and was created by the Cabinet Secretariat under the National Security Guard Act of the Indian Parliament in 1986...
Reforms and Changes
As of 2011, in a duration of past three years over 450 chargesheets have been filed and a total of 943 cases are at different stages of investigation by CBICentral Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
against civil servants.
Civil Service Day
The Civil Service Day is celebrated on 21st of April every year. The purpose for this day is to rededicate and recommit themselves to the cause of the people. It is observed by all Civil Services. This day gives civil servants the opportunity for introspection and thinking about future strategies to deal with the challenges being posed by the changing times."On this occasion, all officers of Central and State Governments are honoured for excellence in public administration by the Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
. The 'Prime Minister Award for Excellence in Public Administration' is presented in three categories. Under this scheme of awards instituted in 2006, all the officers individually or as group or as organization are eligible.
The award includes a medal, scroll and a cash amount of Rs.1 lakh. In case of a group, the total award money is Rs.5 lakh subject to a maximum of Rs.1 lakh per person. For an organization the cash amount is limited to Rs.5 lakh.