INDIAN POLITY

CIVIL SERVICES IN INDIA

Overview

• Running the administration of a vast and diverse country requires efficient management of natural, economic and human resources. This is the primary responsibility of the civil services
• Civil Services in India originated in the eighteenth century under the rule of the East India Company
• Civil services in India comprise three types of services
  • All India Services
  • Central Civil Services – Group A
  • Central Civil Services – Group B
  • State Civil Services
• According to the Constitution, more Civil Services can be set up by the Rajya Sabha with a 2/3^rd majority vote. This applies to All India and Central Services, while the State Services can be constituted by similar act of state legislatures. The Indian Forest Service and the Indian Foreign Service were set up in this fashion

Civil Services under British rule

• The civil services were first constituted under the East India Company as the Honourable East India Company Civil Servants (HEICS)
• At this stage there were two groups of civil servants: covenanted (who entered into covenants with the Company) and theuncovenanted. The covenanted civil servants occupied higher positions in the hierarchy while the uncovenanted occupied lower levels
• This service evolved to become the Indian Civil Service (ICS), which later became the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) after Independence
• The Public Service Commission 1886-1887 (Aitchison Commission), was constituted to guide the evolution of the civil service. The recommendations of the Aitchison Commission included
  • Two-tier classification of covenanted/uncovenanted to be replaced by three tier classification – Imperial Civil Service, Provincial Civil Service and Subordinate Civil Service
  • Maximum age of entry to be 23 years
  • Statutory system of recruitment to be abolished
  • Competitive exam should not be held simultaneously in England and India
  • Certain percentage of posts in the Imperial Civil Service to be filled by promotion from Provincial Civil Services
• The basic pattern of the cadre system in the civil service was established by the Aitchison Commission
• In 1912, the Islington Commission was appointed, however its recommendations were not considered
• By 1934, the system had evolved to consist of seven All India Services
• The first Indian to rank first in the ICS examination was Gurusaday Dutt in 1905

All India Services

• The All India Services are those civil services that serve all of India, under both the Union Government and the state governments
• There are three All India Services:
  • Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
  • Indian Police Service (IPS)
  • Indian Forest Service (IFS)
• The officers of the All India Services are recruited and trained by the Union Government, but work under the Centre as well as the states
• Officers of the All India Services are organised into cadres. 24 states have their own cadres. There are also three joint cadres:
  • Assam-Meghalaya cadre
  • Manipur-Tripura cadre
  • Arunchal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre

Central Civil Services

• Central Civil Services function under the Central government
• The Central services are categorised into two groups: Group A and Group B
• There are more than 30 Central Services Group A. Prominent services in the Central Civil Services – Group A include
  • Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
  • Indian Revenue Service (IRS)
  • Indian Postal Service
  • Indian Economic Service
  • Indian Audits and Accounts Service (IA&AS)
  • Military Engineering Service
  • Survey of India Service
  • Central Secretariat Service
• The Central Civil Service – Group B consists of three services
  • Defence Secretariat Service
  • Union Territories Administrative Service
  • Union Territories Police Service

State Civil Services

• Each state has its own civil service
• State level civil services include
  • State Civil/Administrative Service
  • State Police Service
  • State Forest Service
  • Public Works Department

UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (UPSC)

• The UPSC is a constitutional body authorised to conduct exams for appointment to the civil services. It was established under Part XIV of the Constitution
• The Constitution provides for a Public Service Commission for the Union and a Public Service Commission for every state
• The first Public Service Commission was set up in 1926, with the aim of indigenising the civil services
  
• The Government of India Act 1935 provided for the establishment of a Federal Public Service Commission and Provincial Public Service Commissions

Membership to the Commission

• The Chairman and other members of the UPSC are appointed by the President of India
• At least half the members are civil servants with at least 10 years experience in Central or state services
• The tenure of each member is six years or age 65, whichever is earlier
• Members of the UPSC can be removed by the President on charges of misbehaviour, if these charges are upheld by the Supreme Court

Functions of the UPSC

• Recruitment to services and posts under the Union Government through conduct of competitive exams
• Recruitment to services and posts under the Union Government by direct selection. This type of recruitment is done to fill immediate/irregular job vacancies.
• Advice on the suitability of officers for appointment, promotion and transfer
• Advice the government on all matters relating to recruitment to various posts and services
• Handle disciplinary cases related to different civil services

Indian Police Service

The Indian Police Service officers are members of one of the three all-India Services, the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Police Service and the Indian Forest Service.They are recruited nationally by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which conducts annual examinations for selecting candidates to all Class I Services, including the three all-India Services of the Central Government. More than a hundred thousand take the UPSC examinations every year; about 600 qualify, 60 -70 for the Indian Police Service.

In order to qualify for entrance into the IPS, the candidate must be between 20-28 years old; he must be a citizen of India; a graduate of an approved university. Candidates who pass the written test sit for a personality test. This is an oral interview designed to ascertain how the candidate conducts himself in a situation of personal interaction.

All evidence suggested, till recently, that the UPSC got the most able and the best qualified candidates every year. Careers in Management and Computers, seem to have now challenged the virtual monopoly of the Central government in the job market. Government employment, especially an all-India Service, enjoys enormous prestige, somewhat attenuated in recent years ,but still considerable.The Service provides for full and continuous use of talent,and for the exercise of influence in the shaping and execution of public policies and programmes.

The Indian Police Service officers are trained at the National Police Academy(NPA), Hyderabad in Andhra State.The regimen is stiff, involving training in police subjects-Criminology, Law, Forensic Science, Investigation,, State languages, Management Computers, Communications, Photography-and training in outdoor activities,drills, parades, riding, athletics ,swimming and martial arts.The course lasts one year culminating in a tour of polce installations and institutions all over India and a demanding final examination.

The IPS officers are recruited nationally , and after training at NPA, Hyderabad, are assigned to state cadres, to which they remain attached to for the remainder of their career. After passing their final examination officers report to their assigned state police forces. There they become familiar with the peculiarity of the state organisation,are assigned briefly to each phase of police work -night patrolling, identification parade of suspects,inventory management of the armoury,uniform items and a host of other activities.After a year of familiarisation,the officers are confirmed in the Service or terminated.

Postings begin at the level of Assistant Superintendent of Police,in charge of a sub-division,with four or more police stations. On an average,after five to seven years of service,the officer is posted as Superintendent of Police of a district with two or more sub-divisions.The next promotion is to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police,incharge of a Range,comprising three or four districts.They work under the Zonal Inspector General of Police,incharge of Zones,comprising eight to ten districts,who in turn, report to the Director General of Police at the state capital.When not in the Districts,Ranges or Zones,the officers move on transfer to the Crime Branch,Special Branch or the armed batallions of the state police force.

The IPS officers may also choose to move from the state to go on deputation to the Government of India Central Police organisations-the Central para-military forces including the Border Security Force,the Central Reserve Police,the Indo-Tibetan Border Police or the premier investigation agency -the Central Bureau of Investigation,the premier intelligence gathering agency-the Intelligence Bureau or vigilance organisations in the Public Sector Undertakings of the Central Government.

The IPS officers are well paid.They are in the highest income bracket among government employees.They are entitled to live in quarters provided by the Government,often in the best parts of the city.They are coverd by group life insurance schemes.Their medical bills are reimbursed by the Government.They use staff cars to move about on duty.

The retirement age for IPS officers is 60.Many decide to just hang up their boots.Others find employment in State or Union Public Service Commission as members on the recruitment board.More successful ones can become Governors ,often in troubled states, in the North-East of India,on the Indo-Chinese or the Indo-Burmese borders.The States of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir,where terrorism developed on a large scale,IPS officers were emloyed after retirement as Governors of the State. One IPS officer was also posted as the Indian Ambassador to an East European country. Some take up employment in the private sector, either in managerial positions or as in-charge of the industrial security set up. Many write memoirs, books or join newspapers. Some run their own security agencies or join an established firm offering private investigation, or security services.

Civil Service as a Career

Civil services as a career

What Are You Looking For In A Career?
An average educated person aspires for three things Position, Respect and Security. If you re looking for the same, then the civil Services is the right choice as it assures all these in a relatively short span of time.


Civil Services As A Career:

The Civil Services of India have always conjured up visions of fantasy and glory f or many a youth and numerous parents who keeping entertaining ambitions and dreams of their children blossoming into I.A.S and I.P.S. officers. The Civil Services considered as one of the premier services, offer an attractive and challenging career to the ambitious, the aspiring and the talented, with a wide variety of jobs having relatively greater sphere of authority and power than any other services in India.


What Are the Civil services?

Higher Civil Services under the Central Government are classified into All India services and Central Services. The All India Services comprise the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Police service and the Indian Forest service. These Services are named so because they are common to both central as well as the state Governments. The Central Services constitute those services which work for the Central Government and comprise services like the Indian foreign Service, Indian Revenue Service, Indian Customs & central Excise Service, Indian Railway services, Indian postal Service, Indian Information Service etc.


Indian Administrative Service (I.A.S):

The Indian Administrative Service is considered to be the premier service in India and offers an attractive, challenging career. The members of the I.A.S. serve the state Governments or the Central Government and assist them in the administration of the country. Members of this service hold various administrative posts like District Collector, Heads of Departments, Heads of Public Enterprises at the state level etc. They can also be posted on deputation to the Central Government to the various posts.


Indian Police Service (I.P.S):

The Indian Police Service is primarily concerned with maintenance of Law and Order in the country. This is the premier uniformed civil service in the country. An I.P.S officer works for both the Central and State Governments. He serves the State Government in various capacities ranging from Assistant Superintendent of Police at the beginning of his career to the Director General of Police (who is the head of the police force in his state) at the stage of retirement. He can also serve the Central Government in various organizations like the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Central Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) etc.


Indian Foreign Service:

The Indian Foreign Service is a Central Service and the premier diplomatic service of our country. Members of this service, primarily represent the country in the international arena. The service offers immense exposure to different political, social, ethnic and cultural milieu. An I.F.S officer can be posted in 160 odd Indian Embassies and Missions abroad. They can also be deputed to institutions like United Nations, UNESCO, World Bank, SAARC, etc. Back home, they can be posted in various parts of the country as Passport Officers.


Indian Revenue Service (I.R.S):

This service deals with the matters concerning Income Tax. The members of this service, begin their career as Assistant Commissioners of Income Tax and may rise to the level of Chief Commissioners of Income Tax.


Indian Custom and Central Excise Service:

The members of this service man the Customs and the Central Excise Departments. They begin their Career as Assistant Collectors of Customs/Central Excise and may rise up in the hierarchy to the level of Chief Collector of Customs.


Other Services:

There are various other services like the Indian Railway Services, the Indian Postal Service, the Indian Information Service etc., which deal with various functional areas.


How To Achieve These Coveted Positions?

Entry into these services is through a combined, competitive examination held on an All India basis. The allocation of services depends upon the rank achieved by the aspirant and his / her preference. To appear at the Civil Service Examination one has to be a Citizen of India, between the age group of 21-30 years and must hold a degree from any recognized university.

History of IPS

Indian Police Service(IPS) 

History 

Police in India - origin - Vedic period. 

Organisation - watch and ward - bringing evil-doers to justice - in existence - one form or other - differed according to the development of society - functions and duties - limited in scope in early times - increased with population and means of communication. 

Police - independent unit in the State administration - introduced by the British - 1861 - Police Act - need for a common pattern of police organisation and properly trained and disciplined body of men exclusively devoted to the prevention and detection of crime - police system on a provisional basis - Inspector General as the head of the provincial police administration - provinces - divided into districts - Superintendents of Police - heads of the police administration under the control of Magistrates. 

Further improvements - recommendations of the Police Commission of 1902-03. 

Indian Police Service - took time to acquire the designation - 1890s and later - known as the Imperial branch of the colonial police service - officers of the Imperial service wore shoulder badges of their Provinces: e.g., "P.P." for Punjab, "B.P" for Bengal. 

1907 - the Secretary of State in London - directed officers to wear the "I.P." - epaulettes to distinguish from the Deputy Superintendents of Police - new rank - starting point for Indian Police Service - another 10 years - officially known as the Indian Police Service. 

Referred - first time - by designation - 1917 - Islington Commission Report. 

1932 - ‘Service’ - dropped from designation - as demanded by the Indian Police Association - simpler designation - "Indian Police" - again officially adopted - till independence. 

After independence - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - first Union Home Minister - no democratic government effective - without a proper, well-organised, well-educated, well-disciplined, well-paid and independent civil service to carry out its will and to advice it on how to give its policies concrete and practical shape - saw the importance of organising the civil services on all-India basis - Central Government - say in their recruitment, training and career - counter-balance to emergent centrifugal forces - threat to unity and integrity of India. 

October 10, 1949 - Constituent Assembly - Sardar Patel - emphasized the importance of having a ring of services - help the country remain intact under a Federal Constitution - "… the Union will go, you will not have a united India, if you have not a good All India Service, which has the independence to speak out its mind…". 

Indian Police Service born - as an All India Service - successor service to the I.P. 

Recruitment 

After 1860 - recruitment of senior police officers - done in two ways- appointing officers from the British Army - nomination from among younger sons of landed gentry in UK. 

1893 - nomination system abolished - Army source discontinued - recruitment of officers through a combined competitive examination - held in London for the Indian Police Service - candidates - top of the merit list - appointed as Assistant Superintendents of Police - Provincial Governments - permitted to recruit some officers directly - common examination - conducted separately - domiciled Europeans only - superior police service - exclusively European service. 

Later - as in other civil services - recruitment to the IPS allowed for the Indians. 

Today - recruitment made through the Combined Civil Services Examination promotion from SPS - conducted annually - by the Union Public Service Commission. 

All India Service of the Union - Article 312 - Constitution of India. 

Ministry of Home affairs - cadre-controlling authority - dealing with appointment, training, fixation of seniority & pay, and deputation. 

Probationers recruited - undergo - very tough basic training course - all aspects of physical/academic/arms/other activities - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), Hyderabad - successful completion - confirmed in service - assigned to various State or U.T. cadres. 

January 1, 2004 - total cadre strength - 3666. 

Career in the IPS - full of opportunities - within the service - deputation outside the service within India and abroad - challenges - variety. 

Training Courses for the IPS

1. BASIC COURSE FOR I.P.S PROBATIONERS -PHASE-I – 44 Week Course 

Objectives: To introduce the Indian Police Service Probationer for life in the Police and his role as a leader of Police forces ; initially at the sub division and district levels . 

2. BASIC COURSE FOR I.P.S PROBATIONERS -PHASE-II – 1 Week Course

Objectives: To prepare Indian Police Service Probationers to work as Sub–Divisional Police Officers and Superintendents of Police and subsequently to take up leadership positions in more senior levels.

3. LEVEL-I MANAGEMENT COURSE – 4 Week Course 

Objectives: To enable the participants to study the internal and external environment in which police force functions; analyse problems encountered on ground through experience sharing; evolve strategies and individual action plans to tackle them; and identify knowledge and skills needed for implementation of action plan. 

4. LEVEL-II MANAGEMENT COURSE – 3 Week Course 

Objectives: To enable the participants to examine the internal and external factors affecting the work environment with a view to evolving strategies for improving performance; understand their pattern of behaviour and its impact on others and to improve their effectiveness in inter-personal interaction; avail opportunities for introspection with reference to organisation, leading to awareness of the need for organisational development and also to sharpen their managerial skills; and develop operational frame of reference for evolving effective leadership styles at different levels. 

5. LEVEL-III MANAGEMENT COURSE – 2 Week Course 

Objectives : To enable the participants to understand self and team which govern decision making; understand the environment within which he/ she operates and how he/ she could be a catalyst; and formulate strategies for development 

6. BASIC MANAGEMENT COURSE – 3 Week Course 

Objectives : To enable the participants to analyse the problems faced by the officers in the filed and to explore alternative strategies for tackling them; and perform the duties of a Superintendent of Police. 

7. INDUCTION TRAINING COURSE FOR S.P.S. OFFICERS – 6 Week Course 

Objectives : To enable the participants to acquire an all-India perspective as is expected of a member of the Indian Police Service; understand the ethos of the Indian Police Service as well as the role of the Central Police Organisations and the Army in the context of internal security; develop state of the art skills for public order management and investigation; appreciate Human Rights issues and the role of police; and comprehend latest trend/ development in the police profession at the national and global levels.