Indian Administrative Service

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The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is one of the the All India Services of the Government of India; other important services being the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). It is also called the 'Steel frame' of India and of the Government in implementing its policies and decisions effectively.

The precursor of Indian Administrative Service was the Indian Civil Service of the British Raj. ICS officers were generally held in high esteem; known as the 'Collector'. ICS officers were believed to be mostly incorruptible and good administrators.

Upon independence, the new Republic of India accepted the then serving Indian Civil Service officers who chose to stay on rather than leave for the United Kingdom and renamed the service the Indian Administrative Service.

1 Selection
2 Independence
3 Designations
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Selection

The officials of the IAS are involved in civil administration and policy making . They are selected by the Union Public Service Commission through a three-stage combined selection process called the Civil Services Examination, known for being extremely challenging, that recruits officers for 20 other Group A services and five Group B services also. Every candidate is asked to give their preference of services among these. Almost all of them choose IAS as their first choice. The entire selection process lasts fifteen to twenty months. Repeated attempts are allowed. The candidates can choose to be examined in about forty fields, from Civil Engineering and Medicine to Chinese Literature and Accountancy. About 50-70 are selected each year out of the nearly 5,00,000 appearing. IAS officers are highly regarded in the Indian society.

[edit] Independence

The Constituent Assembly of India intended that the bureaucracy should be able to speak out freely, without fear of persecution or financial insecurity as an essential element in unifying the nation. The IAS officers are recruited by the Union government on the recommendation of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and posted under various State governments. While the respective State Governments have control over them they can not censure or take disciplinary action against IAS and other All India Services officers without consulting the Union government and the UPSC.

[edit] Designations

The officers of the IAS normally start as Assistant Divisional Magistrates / Sub-Collectors and look after an area that is typically 1,000 - 5,000 sq. km in extent and may have a population of 200,000 to 1,000,000. After four years of service, they are promoted to the rank of Under-Secretary to Govt of India (equivalent to a Deputy Secretary to a State Government). At sometime in their careers, normally within the first ten years, they are posted as the Collectors/ Deputy Commissioners/ District Magistrates of a district. They will be subsequently promoted as Deputy, Joint, Additional and Principal Secretaries to the Government of India, or to equivalent positions in the Central Govt. The head of a State's civil service is called the Chief Secretary and the head of the country's civil service is called the Cabinet Secretary. These positions require at least thiry to thrity five years of service as IAS officers. In addition, the IAS officers are sent to work in all the Attached and Subordinate Offices of the Government of India.

Progression of IAS officers in State and Centre Government

Under Secretary to Govt of India = Deputy Secretary to State Govt / Addl. Distict Magistrate

Deputy Secretary to Govt of India = Distict Magistrate / Deputy Commissioner / Joint Secretary to State Govt.

Director in the Govt of India = Special Secretary to the State Govt / Other Heads of Departments (HODs) in the State Govt but not full fledged Secretaries to the State Govt

Joint Secretary to Govt of India = Secretary to the State Govt

Additional Secretary to Govt of India = Principal Secretary to State Govt / Financial Commissioners

Secretary to Govt of India = Chief Secretary of the State

Cabinet Secretary is the highest post and is the head of the civil service. He is ranked joint 11th in the Warrant of Precedence of India along with the Attorney General and the Lt. Governnor of Delhi.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

http://www.indianofficer.in IndianOfficer.in: Online community of Indian Officers
http://www.indianofficer.com IndianOfficer.com: Indian Officers helping Civil Service Aspirants
http://iasportal.blogspot.com IAS & Civil Services Portal -
http://upscportal.com/civilservices/search/node/IAS IAS Articles @ IAS & Civil Services Portal -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RADIAN_IAS_Academy IAS/IPS/IFS GROUP-I Exams DETAILS & Helpline: Join this Group.
http://www.indiahowto.com/how-to-become-an-IAS-IPS-officer.html How to become an IAS/IPS/IFS officer? - A complete guide to giving the USPC Civil Services Exam.