GROUP A SERVICES

The civil services, forming the permanent executive in the government in India is given due importance by the framers of the constitution of India  by constituting a public services commission for the union-the Article 315 of the constitution of India and a public Service commission in different states.

UPSC consist of a chairman and ten members. The terms and conditions of service of chairman and members. The terms and conditions of service of chairman and member of the commission are governed by the union public service commission regulations,1969. For the details of the recruitment area advised to visit www.upsc.gov.in .some of them are discussed subsequently.

Currently UPSC conduct the following 12 examinations given on its website including:

• Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination generally in May
• Civil Services (main) Examination in October-November
• Indian Forest Services examination in July
• Engineering Examination in June
• Geologist Examination in December
• Special class Railway Apprentices’ Examination in July
• National Defense Academy& Naval Academy Examination in April and September
• Combined Defense Services Examination in February and August
• Combined Medical Services Examination in January
• Indian Economic Service /Indian Statistical service Examination in November
• Section officers/stenographer(Grade—1) Limited Department Competitive Examination in December
• Central Police Forces (Assistant Commandants)Examination in October
• The limited departmental examination conducted by UPSC is for serving employees and not open for fresh candidates. These examination can be divided into following three categories:

1. General Group A Services
2. Technical Group A Services
3. Uniformed Group A/Premier Services
4. General Group A Services

The recruitment for the general group A Services is done through the Civil Service. Exam which is open for the candidates having any Graduation Degree. The candidates are even free to choose subjects other than the subject in which degree has been obtained.

As per the recruitment notification for 2014,following services and posts have been included for recruitment through the civil service Exam:

• Indian Administration Services(IAS)
• Indian Foreign Service(IFS)
• Indian Police Service(IPS)
• Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service Group A
• Indian Adult & Account Service, Group A
• Indian Revenue services(IRS)(Customs and Central Excise), Group A
• Indian Civil Account Service, Group A
• Indian Postal Service, Group A
• Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group A (Assistant Work Manager, Administration)
• Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group A
• Indian Railway Account Service, Group A
• Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group A
• Indian Defense Estate Service(Junior Grade),Group a
• Indian Corporate Law Service, Group A
• Indian Trade Service ,Group A(Grade 111)
• Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force (RPF),Group A
• Armed Forces Headquarter Civil service ,Group B (Section Officer’s Grade)
• Delhi Andaman & Nicobar Islands ,Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and and Dadra &Nagar Haveli Police Service, Group B
• Pondicherry Civil service, Group B
• All India Services 

There are three All- India Services and common to the centre and the states:

• Indian Administrative services: In this service the candidates can be initially appointed as Sub –Collector and reach to the ranks of chief Secretary in the States and Cabinet Secretary at the Centre. The IAS officers handle the general state and central of affairs of the government both at the state and central level they look after the implementation of various  developmental schemes.
• Indian police service: They serve the state Government in various capacities ranging from Assistant Superintendent of police at the beginning of career to the Director of police at the beginning of career to the Director General of police at the stage of retirement .the major task assigned to this service is the maintainence of law and order .
• Indian Foreign Service: Though technically they do not belong to the ‘ All India Services’ it is discussed here as this service has certain unique characteristics which differentiates it from other services .Members of this service primarily represent the country in the international aren. The Indian Service deals with the country’s external affairs, including diplomacy, trade and cultural relations.
• Other Group A Civil Services: The manpower for performing the functions of the Central Government is mainly provided by Central Services cadres. The Central Group ’A’ services account for the bulk of the Group ’A’ posts under the Central Government. The various services under this category are;
• Indian Adult and Accounts Service: The services are availed in the officers of Comptroller and Auditor General of India which is a Constitutional body and does not come under the control of any ministry of department. Though the post of C&AG of India IS A Constitutional body and does not come under the control of any ministry of department.
• Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Services: After successful completion of training the officers are posted to work in the Department of Post or Department of Telecommunication as Assistant Chief Account Officers in the Junior Time Scale Grade
• Indian Revenue Service: This service has been further sub –categorized into:

(a) Indian Customs And Central Excise Service : This service come under the direct control of Central Board of Excise and customs(CBEC).This major difference in the functioning of Central Excise and Customs wing is that Customs duty is levied on the goods imported into the country and deals with the import and export of goods while on the other side the Central Excise deals with levy of tax on goods manufactured within  the country.

(b) Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) : This services comes under the direct control of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).The services are availed in the Income Tax Department across the country.

• Indian Defense Account Service: The Indian Defense Account Service (IDAS) is responsible for maintain the accounts services (IDAS) is responsible for maintaining the accounts of the Defense Services. The first position to be placed in after appointment is that of Assistant Controller of Defense Account.
• Indian Postal Service: The entrants can become superintendent in post offices and Railway mail services to the rank of Chief Post Master General in the HAG rank. They can also become member or Chairman of the Post and Telegraph Board.
• Indian civil Accounts Services: They are initially appointed as Assistant Controller of Accounts to the rank of controller General of Accounts to the rank of controller General of Accounts. Unlike the C&AG of India, it is not a statutory post and is controlled by secretary (Expenditure) Ministry of Finance. The organization provides payment services, supports the tax collection system, performs government wide accounting, financial reporting functions, preparation of budget estimates and carries out Internal Audit in Civil ministries of the Union Government.
• Indian Railways Traffic services: The entrance have to work in the ministry of Railways as Assistant Superintendent commercial Transportation or operations and can reach up to Chief Commercial manager to Member(Traffic) in Railway Board.
• Indian Railway Accounts Services: The entrants can rise from Assistant Divisional Accounts Officers or Junior Accounts Officers to Financial commissioner in the Indian Railways.
• Indian Railway Personnel Service: From the initial posting as Assistant personnel officer, the members can rise to the ranks of Chief personnel officer or member (staff) in the Railway Board.
• Indian Railway Protection Forces: The entrants are initially posted as Assistant Security Commissioner or Assistant Commandant and can rise up to Director General.
• Indian Defense Estate Services: The recruitment is done as cantonment Executive Officer or Defense Estate officer and can rise up to Director Defense Estates.
• Indian Information Service: The candidates can rise from Assistant Director/Assistant News Editor/Assistant Research Officer to Director General/ principle Information officer in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Civil Services Examination

It is conducted in three stages:

(a) CS (Preliminary)

• Notification of examination – November/December of previous year
• Conduct of Examination – May
• Age limit – 21 to 32 years as on 1^st August of the year of exam
• Educational Qualification – Degree or equivalent
• Maximum attempts – Six (earlier four) for General candidates and nine for OBC candidates since 2014
• No limit for SC/ST candidate

(b) CS (Main)

• Tentative date – October to November

(c) Interview

• The third and the last stage is interview which consists of 275 marks. Candidates declared successful in the Mains exam are called for interview.

TECHNICAL GROUP A SERVICES

• The recruitment for certain technical Group A services are done through separate exams conducted by the UPSC
• Indian Forest Service exam is conducted for recruitment in Indian Forest Service
• Engineering Services Exam is conducted for Engineering Group A services in civil, Mechanical& Electrical stream.
• Combined Medical Service Exam is conducted for some Group A medical services.
• Indian Economic & Statistical Service Exam is conducted for recruitment in Economic and Statistical Departments
• Indian Geologist Examination is conducted for the Group A post in Geological Survey of India and Central Ground Water Board.
• Special Class Railway Apprentice Exam is conducted for recruitment in Indian Railways as Assistant mechanical Engineer.
• Indian Forest Service: It is an “All India Service” with State Cadre allotment. The administrative hierarchy of India Forest service in the Forest Departments in the States and Union Territories is in the following ascending order:
• Deputy Conservator of Forests
• Conservator of Forests
• Chief Conservator of Forests
• Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, and finally as the
• Principal Chief Conservator of Forest
• The Ministry of Environment and Forests is the cadre controlling authority for the Indian Forest Service and also the nodal ministry in respect of the Indian Forest service.
• Recruitment to this service is through a separate exam conducted by the UPSC known as the Indian Forest service Exam. The year 2014 is that the preliminary exam for the services is conducted along with the Civil Services Exam but the mains exam and interview is conducted separately as earlier.

IFS probationers undergo professional training in Forestry and allied subjects at Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun, the Foundation Course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie and one year “ on   the job training in the cadre to which they are allotted.

Indian Forest Service Exam

Notification of Exam: February/March every year

Exam date: July

Age limit : 21-30

Educational Qualification: A Bachelor’s degree with at least one of the subjects namely, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics ,statistics and Zoology or a recognized university or equivalent.

Scheme of Examination : Preliminary test to be conducted along with Civil Service Exam (since 2014). Mains will be conducted separately.

• Written Examination- subjective (1400 marks)
• Interview and personality Test- (300 marks)

Engineering Service Examination