Indian Economic Service

The Indian Economic Service (abbreviated as IES, I.E.S.) is an inter-ministerial^[2] and inter-departmental central civil service under Group A^[3] of the executive branch of the Government of India. The unique aspect of the service is that the cadre posts are spread across various departments and ministries of central government numbering more than 55. It is a highly specialised and professional service within the Government of India catering to economic analysis and policy advice.^[4]

Indian Economic Service

Service Overview
Abbreviation	I.E.S.
Formed	1961
Country	India
Civil Service academy	Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi
Controlling authority	Department of Economic Affairs (Economic Division), Ministry of Finance
Legal personality	Governmental: civil service
Cadre Size	477 (2015)[1]
Service Chief
Chief Economic Adviser to Government of India	V. Anantha Nageswaran
Head of the Civil Services
Cabinet Secretary	T. V. Somanathan, IAS

History

C. Rangarajan addressing at the Distinguished Lectures function on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Indian Economic Service in 2011.

The Indian Economic Service was introduced by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru^[2] for formulating and implementing economic policies and programmes in India. The initial steps towards formation of service can be traced to 1952.^[2] A Committee under V. T. Krishnamachari submitted a report in September 1953, recommending the formation of a service to be known as the Statistical and Economic Advisory Service.^[2] On the contrary, Prasanta Mahalanobis did not favour the idea of a combined Statistical and Economic Advisory Service.^[2]

The Cabinet in its meeting held on 12 February 1958 decided that two separate services should be formed; a Statistical Service and other an Economic Service.^[2] The Indian Economic Service was constituted on 1 November 1961 and the Service Rules were notified on the same date. The actual operationalization of service took place in 1964.^[2]

Until 2009, the post of Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India was a Union Public Service Commission appointment and until the 1970s almost all CEAs were members of the Indian Economic Service.

Recruitment

Minister of Finance Arun Jaitley interacting with probationers of IES in 2015.

The UPSC conducts a separate Economics Service exam. The minimum eligibility criterion is a post graduate degree in Economics and allied subjects.^[5]

Position

Authorised strength of various grades in the IES

Grade	Strength
Higher Administrative Grade + (HAG +)/ Principal Adviser (Apex)	5
Higher Administrative Grade (HAG)/ Senior Economic Adviser/ Senior Adviser	15
Senior Administrative Grade (SAG)/ Economic Adviser/ Adviser	89
Junior Administrative Grade (JAG)/ Joint Director/ Deputy Economic Adviser {including Non-Functional Selection Grade (NFSG)/ Director/ Additional Economic Adviser}	148
Senior Time Scale (STS)/ Deputy Director/ Assistant Economic Adviser/ Senior Research Officer	114
Junior Time Scale (JTS)/ Assistant Director/ Research Officer	107
Reserves	40
Total authorised strength	518

International equivalency

The Indian Economic Service is analogous and equivalent to services to other countries like Government Economic Service (UK), Economics and Social Science Services Group (Canada).

Training

The direct recruits undergo a comprehensive probationary training comprising various phases ranging from Foundation Course (along with All India Services and Central Civil Services) to Applied Economics at the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG). The training programme also comprises various attachments with institutions of repute all across the country. The training course also has international attachment with Civil Service College, Singapore.^[6]

Notable members

• I. G. Patel – 14th governor of Reserve Bank of India^[7][8]
• Manmohan Singh - Economic advisor, Ministry of Foreign Trade, India (1971–1972)^[a]
• Montek Singh Ahluwalia - Economic adviser in the Ministry of Finance (1979)^[b]
• P. N. Dhar - Economic adviser in Prime Minister's Secretariat (1970)^[c][9]
• Samar Ranjan Sen – Former executive director of the World Bank for India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.^[10][11]
• R. M. Honavar – 6th Chief Economic Adviser to Government of India^[12]
• Dr. Sangeeta Verma - Acting Chair & Member, Competition Commission of India, Ex- Principal Adviser (Secretary-rank)^[13][14]
• R.K. Chandolia - Private secretary to Andimuthu Raja and accused in 2G spectrum case^[15][16][17]