Civil Services in India

Civil Services in India

What is the Meaning of Civil Services?

• The term Civil Services came from the British era. When Britishers were ruling India than they built a system to run the administrative work properly which was known as Civil Services. The main work of the people who are in Civil Services is to implement the policies made by the national government for the people of the country.
• These Civil Servants or government officials works for the state administration and draw their salary from the state. These officials make the public administration.
• Civil Services most realistic definition is given by Herman Finer in “The Theory of Modern Government “. As per Herman Finer Civil Service is – “The function of the civil service in the modern state is not merely the improvement of the government, without it, indeed, the government itself would be impossible. The Civil Service is a professional body of officials, permanent, paid and skilled.”
• In modern times Civil Service system has become the backbone of the administrative system of the country.

A Brief History of Civil Services in India:

• The current Civil Services System of India is based on the Indian Civil Services of the British Era. When Britishers were ruling India than Warren Hastings prepared the road for Civil Services in India but Charles Cornwallis is known as “The Father of Indian Civil Services” as he reformed, rationalize and modernized it.
• The present Civil Services System was formed after India got independence in 1947. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel said that Civil Service will strengthen the national unity and integrity, impartiality and merit will remain the main pillars of the Indian Civil Services.
• The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions is known as the “Ministry of Civil Services” This Ministry is responsible for the training, reforms, and pensions for the Civil Services employee.
• The Constitution, under Article 312 gives power to The Rajya Sabha also known as the upper house of the parliament that it can set up new branches of the All India Services. So, under this article, The Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, and Indian Forest Service have been formed.
• Every year on April 21^st, Civil Services Day is celebrated. The main purpose of the celebration is to give a Civil Servant a chance to introspect, thinking about the future, and recommit themselves to the cause of the people.

Values and Code of Ethics required for Civil Services:

 Code of Ethics: There are certain values and standard of ethics which should be followed by every Civil Servant and also promoted by The Government of India:

• Always perform the official duty with responsibility, accountability, honesty, and without doing any kind of discrimination.
• To ensure effective management, personal growth, and leadership development.
• Never use the official position or information for the person or any kind of benefits.
• Always serve as an instrument of good governance and foster social and economic development.

Values: A member of Civil Services should always work by maintaining integrity, the law of the nation, national pride, allegiance to the constitution, the devotion of the duty, honesty, transparency, and impartiality.

What are the Responsibilities of a Civil Servant?

The main responsibility of a Civil Servant is to implement the policies created by the Central Government on the ground level and run the administration of India. The entire country is run by a number of Central Government Agencies in accordance with policy direction from the respective ministries. The real Policy and Indian Lawmakers are these Civil Servants and work for the elected government as per the government's interest.

Various Post and Entry in Civil Services:

• The Highest post in the Civil Services is Cabinet Secretary.
• There are various boards are set up for entry into the Civil Services which takes India’s most difficult exam. These Boards are as follows:
• Civil Services Examination (Civil Service)
• National Defense Academy Examination (Defense Service)
• Combined Defense Service Examination (Defense Service)
• Combined Geo-Scientist Examination (Natural Resource)
• Engineering Services Examination (Engineering)
• Indian Economic Services/ Indian Statistical Service Examination (I.E.S./I.S.S.) (Civil Service)
• Combined Medical Services Examination (Medical)
• Central Armed Police Forces – Assistant Commandants Examination (Civil Service)

Civil Services can be divided into two category-

1. All India Civil Services
2. Central Civil Services – Group A & Group B

Order of the Civil Services Posts:

In Central Government-

• Cabinet Secretary to Government of India
• Joint Secretary to Government of India
• Deputy Secretary
• Additional Deputy Secretary
• Under Secretary
• Assistant Secretary to Government of India

In Courts-

• Judge of State High Court
• District Judge

In-State Government-

• Secretary to State Government
• Divisional Commissioner
• Deputy Commissioner/ District Collector

All India Civil Services:

Appointment of this category is made by the President of India.

• Indian Administrative Service (Civil Service)
• Indian Forest Service (Natural Resource)
• Indian Police Service (Civil Service)

Central Civil Services- Group A:

All the appointments under Central Civil Services- Group A are made by the President of India and are falls under the administration of the Union Government.

Central Civil Services- Group B:

Group-B Civil Services post is filled by Staff Selection Commission Board via the Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGLE). All the appointments are made by the authorities specified by the general or special order by the President.

State Civil Services:

Every state also conducts the State Civil Services Examination and recruitment is conducted by each state individually. All these appointments are made by the Governor of the state.

State Civil Services- Group A:

State Administrative Service: All states conduct their own State Administrative Service Exam, mostly these exams named after the state. For Rajasthan the name will be Rajasthan Administrative Service same goes for another state too. These State Civil Servants later promoted to Indian Administrative Service.

State Forest Service: In all the State Forest Service above the rank of Assistant Conservator of Forest are Group A Natural Resource Service. These State Forest Servants are later promoted to The Indian Forest Service.

State Police Service: The State Police Services officers later promoted to the Indian Police Service.

State Civil Services- Group B:

Group B State Civil Servants deal with land, revenue, agriculture, forests, education etc. These officers are recruited by the respective State Public service Commission and Appointed by the Governor of the State.

• Sub Divisional Officer in various departments
• Assistant Registrar Cooperative Societies
• Block Development Officer
• District Employment Officer
• District Food and Supplies Controller/Officer
• District Treasury Officer
• District Welfare Officer
• Tehsildar/Talukdar/ Assistant Collector
• Forest Range Officer