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Central Civil Services

Under the sole jurisdiction of the Indian central government From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Central Civil Services
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The Central Civil Services (CCS) encompass the various Civil Services of India that are exclusively under the jurisdiction of the Government of India. This is in contrast to the All India Services, which are common to both the central and state governments, or the state civil services, which fall under the purview of individual states.

Quick Facts

The services with the most personnel in the entire Civil Services of India and also the Central Civil Services are with the Central Secretariat Service[a] and Indian Revenue Service (IT and C&CE).[b]

The Cadre Controlling Authority for each established Service is controlled by the respective Union government ministries of India. The higher-level positions in Central Civil Services are classified into Group A and Group B, both of which are gazetted.

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History

British India

Main articles: Royal Commission on the Public Services in India and Imperial Secretariat Service

With the passing of the Government of India Act 1919, the Imperial Services headed by the Secretary of State for India, were split into two – All India Services and Central Services.[2]

The All India and Central Services (Group A) were designated as Central Superior Services as early as 1924.[3] From 1924 to 1934, Administration in India consisted of 10 All India Services (including Indian Education Service, Indian Medical Service) and 5 central departments, all under the control of Secretary of State for India, and 3 central departments under joint Provincial and Imperial Control.[3]

The Central Services was headed by the Viceroy and Governor-General of India.

Modern India

The Group A officers are appointed by the President of India and appointments to Group B are made by the authorities specified by a general or special order of the President.

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Nature, rules and deputations

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Rules and regulations

The Central Civil Services (CCS) is run as per Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rule and all service members work under restrictions and rules of Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules. The Indian Railway Services work under Railway Services (Conduct) Rules of 1966.

The Central Civil Services also follows CCS (Commutation of Pension) Rules and has its own Recognition of Service Associations Rules 1993 and Leave Travel Concession Rules 1988.

The University Grants Commission (UGC), in a circular released in October 2018, directed central universities to adopt the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1964 for professors of the university.

Deputations

The members of Central Civil Services are eligible for deputation to state governments either on personal grounds or official approval from both Government of India Staffing Scheme of Government of India.

Performance review and dismissal

The employees performance review is conducted under the Fundamental Rule (FR) 56 (J) and 56 (I), and also under Rule 48 (1) (b) of the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, that gives "absolute right" to the appropriate authority to retire a government servant, "if it is necessary to do so in public interest".[4]

A government servant can be retired "in public interest" under Central Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1965, as a penalty for possession of assets disproportionate to known source of income or for accepting gratification as a reward for doing or forbearing to do an official act.[5]

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Recruitment

The recruitment of the CCS (Group A) is made through Civil Services Examination, Engineering Services Examination, Combined Geo-Scientist and Geologist Examination, I.E.S./I.S.S. Examination, Combined Medical Services Examination, Central Armed Police Forces of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). All promotions or empanelment in the CCS are either by Civil Services Board or by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

Central Civil Services (Group A)

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The Central Services (Group A) are concerned with the administration of the Union Government.[6] All appointments to Central Civil Services (Group A) are made by the President of India.

Organised Service

The attributes of an Organised Group ‘A’ Service (OGAS) are as follows

  • The highest cadre post is not below the Senior Administrative Grade (Level 14)
  • The service has all standard grades such as Junior Time Scale (Level 10), Senior Time Scale (Level 11), Junior Administrative Grade (Level 12), Non-Functional Selection Grade (Level 13) and Senior Administrative Grade (Level 14)
  • At least 50% of vacancies in Junior Time Scale (Level 10) are filled through Direct Recruitment
  • All vacancies above Junior Time Scale (Level 10) and up to Senior Administrative Grade (Level 14) are filled by promotion from the next lower Grade
More information Sl. No., Name of the Service ...

In 2019, based on the Bibek Debroy committee report of 2015, the Cabinet of India approved the plan to merge eight railway services. In 2022, the government released a gazette notification about the merger of existing eight services, which fall under the Central Civil Services, into a new Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS). The eight services includes Indian Railway Accounts Service, Indian Railway Personnel Service, Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers, Indian Railway Service of Engineers, Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers, Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers, Indian Railway Stores Service, and Indian Railway Traffic Service.[12]

The merged Indian Railways Management Service is again demerged into various specific services as of 2024.

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Central Government Services (Group B)

For Group B civil service posts only, the Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGLE) is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).[f][13] All appointments to Group B are made by the authorities specified by a general or special order of the President. [g][13]

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Reforms and Challenges

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Reforms

On December 2019, as per decision approved by Union Cabinet of India, a new Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) was created by merging eight existing Group A Indian Railway services in the Central Civil Services.

A new Indian Skill Development Service was created as technical cadre within the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

Corruption and challenges

In 2016, the Ministry of Finance for the first time, dismissed 72 and prematurely retired another 33 Indian Revenue Service officers for non-performance and on disciplinary grounds.[14][15][16][17][18] In 2019, Government of India dismissed 12 (IRS IT) and 15 (IRS Customs and Central Excise) officers for corruption and bribery charges.[19][20] In 2019, Department of Personnel and Training in Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions listed 284 Central Secretariat Service officers for performance audit by review panel headed by Cabinet Secretary of India.[21]

Supreme court cases, verdicts and directions

In May 2025, Supreme Court of India upheld the organised service status of the Central Armed Police Forces. The judgement clarified that “for all intent and purposes, CAPFs belong to OGAS [Organised Group-A Services],"[11]

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See also

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Notes

  1. As on year 2021, CSS cadre has a total strength of 12,500 members and is controlled by DOPT, Ministry of Personnel GOI. According to a PTI report published by ThePrint on 7 March 2024, the sanctioned strength of the CSS officers is 13,016.[1]
  2. The Indian Revenue Service is not one entity and not one service. The two independent branches are controlled by two separate statutory bodies, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The IT and C&CE also have two different independent service associations. The total members are 4192 (Income Tax) and 5583 (Customs and Indirect Taxes).
  3. According to a PTI report published by ThePrint on 7 March 2024, the sanctioned strength of the CSS officers is 13,016.[10]
  4. This is for ITBP Executive Group A (excl. IPS).
  5. This is for BSF Executive Group A (excl. IPS).
  6. The Schedule of Central Civil Services for Group 'B'. The complete list as per Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Govt. of India
  7. The Schedule of Central Civil Services for Group 'B'. The complete list as per Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Govt. of India
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References

External links

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