RECRUITMENT TO ALL-INDIA AND CENTRAL SERVICES

All-India Services

All-India Services are those services common to both Central and state governments. The Central and state governments also have their separate services called Central Services and State Services. Thus, the All-India Services exist in addition to these.

At present, there are three All-India Services:

• Indian Administrative Service (IAS)

• Indian Police Service (IPS)

• Indian Forest Service (IFS)

In 1947, the Indian Civil Service (ICS) was replaced by the IAS, and the Indian Police (IP) was replaced by the IPS, both recognised by the Constitution as All-India Services. In 1963, three more All-India Services were proposed:

• Indian Forest Service

• Indian Medical and Health Service

• Indian Service of Engineers

Of these, only the Indian Forest Service came into existence in 1966.

Article 312 of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to create new All-India Services based on a Rajya Sabha resolution. A new service can be created only by an Act of Parliament, but the recommendation of Rajya Sabha is necessary to protect state interests in the federal system.

Initially, the Draft Constitution did not mention All-India Services. Later, provisions under Article 312 gave them constitutional status and allowed creation of new services. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is regarded as the ‘Father of All-India Services’.

The All-India Services Act, 1951 authorised the Central Government to make rules in consultation with states for recruitment and service conditions. Members are recruited and trained by the Centre but assigned to different state cadres. They serve the Centre on deputation and return to their states after the tenure period. Each All-India Service forms a single service with common rights, status, and uniform pay scales across India. All are Class-I (Group-A) Services.

Categories of All-India Services:

• Super time scale

• Senior scale

• Junior scale

Officers begin in the junior scale and are promoted to senior and super time scale over time.

Controlling Ministries:

• IAS – Ministry of Personnel

• IPS – Ministry of Home Affairs

• IFS – Ministry of Environment and Forests

All-India Services are jointly controlled by the Centre and states. Ultimate control lies with the Central Government, while immediate control rests with the states. Salaries and pensions are paid by the states, but disciplinary actions can only be imposed by the Central Government.

Currently, there are 24 state cadres, including three joint cadres:

1. Assam and Meghalaya

2. Manipur and Tripura

3. Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territories (AGMUT)

Authorised Strength of All-India Services

Name	1971	1984	1996	2001
IAS	3203	5047	5067	5159
IPS	1790	2679	3344	3498
IFS	1097	2006	2672	2756

In 2004, IAS had an authorised strength of 5159, with 4791 officers in position.

Central Services

Personnel in Central Services work under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Central Government, manning specialised functional and technical positions. Most are managed by their respective ministries/departments, while a few fall under the Ministry of Personnel, which sets general policies for all Central Services. It acts as the central personnel agency of India.

Classification of Central Services:

• Central Civil Services – Established services

• General Central Service – Posts created outside established services

Earlier classified as Class I, Class II, Subordinate, and Inferior Services, the First Pay Commission (1946–47) replaced Subordinate and Inferior Services with Class III and IV. The Third Pay Commission (1970–73) further changed the classification to Group A, B, C, D.

Current Categories of Central Services:

• Group A – Gazetted officers

• Group B – Gazetted officers

• Group C – Clerical personnel (non-gazetted)

• Group D – Manual personnel (non-gazetted)

Group A Central Services have grown from 30 in 1971, to 49 in 1984, and 59 in 1996. Some small services include: Indian Naval Armament Service (94), Central Legal Service (114), Indian Inspection Service (121). Only 34 services have a cadre strength above 500.

List of 59 Group A Central Services:

1. Indian Foreign Service

2. Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service

3. Indian Postal Service

4. Indian Railway Accounts Service

5. Indian Railway Personnel Service

6. Indian Railway Traffic Service

7. Indian Audit and Accounts Service

8. Central Information Service

9. Indian Defence Accounts Service

10. Defence Lands and Cantonment Service

11. Indian Ordnance Factories Service (Non-Technical)

12. Indian Civil Accounts Service

13. Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax)

14. Indian Customs and Central Excise Service

15. Central Secretariat Service

16. Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers

17. Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers

18. Indian Railway Service of Engineers

19. Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers

20. Indian Railway Stores Service

21. Indian Telecommunication Service

22. Central Trade Service

23. Indian Defence Estates Service

24. Military Engineering Service

25. Indian Ordnance Factories Service (Technical)

26. Indian Naval Armament Service

27. Central Power Engineering Service

28. Indian Supply Service

29. Indian Inspection Service

30. Indian Salt Service

31. Central Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Service

32. Central Water Engineering Service (Civil)

33. Central Engineering Service

34. Central Engineering Service (Roads)

35. Border Roads Engineering Service

36. Indian Broadcasting (Engg.) Service

37. Overseas Communication Service

38. Central Health Service

39. Railway Medical Service

40. Indian Ordnance Factories Health Service

41. Indian Economic Service

42. Indian Statistical Service

43. Indian Cost Accounts Service

44. Defence Quality Assurance Service

45. Defence Research and Development Service

46. Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service

47. Central Legal Service

48. Company Law Board Service

49. Survey of India Service

50. Military Engineers Service of Architects

51. Military Engineers Service of Surveyors

52. Central Water Engineering Service (Mechanical)

53. Indian Defence Service of Engineers

54. P&T Building Works Service

55. Central Labour Service

56. Railway Protection Force

57. Indian Broadcasting (Programme) Service

58. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service

59. Railway Board Secretariat Service

Most Group A cadres have corresponding Group B Services. Group C includes clerical staff, and Group D comprises manual workers.

The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is the most prestigious Central Service, competing with the All-India Services in status, pay, and emoluments. It ranks just below the IAS and above the IPS, is managed by the Ministry of External Affairs, and serves in Indian missions and embassies abroad.

Constitutional Provisions

The Constitution of India provides for the recruitment and service conditions of All-India and Central Services:

1. Article 309 empowers the Parliament to regulate the recruitment and service conditions of persons appointed to Central Services and posts.

2. Article 310 provides that members of All-India Services and Central Services hold office during the pleasure of the President.

3. Article 311 states that no member of All-India or Central Services shall be dismissed or removed by an authority subordinate to that by which they were appointed. Dismissal, removal, or reduction in rank requires an inquiry, prior information of charges, and a reasonable opportunity to be heard.

4. Article 312 authorises Parliament to create new All-India Services (including an All-India Judicial Service) and regulate their recruitment and service conditions. Such creation requires a Rajya Sabha resolution with a two-thirds majority in the national interest. The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) existing at the commencement of the Constitution are deemed created under this article. The All-India Judicial Service excludes posts inferior to a district judge. Though the 42nd Amendment (1976) allowed for its creation, no law has been enacted so far.

5. Article 323-A authorises Parliament to establish an Administrative Tribunal for adjudication of disputes and complaints regarding recruitment and service conditions in Central Services and posts.

6. Article 335 provides that Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) claims shall be considered in appointments to Central Services and posts.