The civil service system introduced in India by the East India Company for the benefit of its commercial affairs evolved into well-structured machinery to oversee the administrative affairs of India's acquired territories. In fact, the term "civil service" was first used to distinguish the Company's servants engaged in commercial affairs from those employed in the military and naval services. Civil servants gradually gained additional responsibilities and authority. In this article, we will discuss Civil Service in India which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Evolution of Civil Services in India

Ancient India

• The administrative apparatus is defined by Kautilya's Arthasastra as having seven basic elements: Swamin (the ruler), Amatya (the bureaucracy), Janapada (territory), Durga (the fortified capital), Kosa (the treasury), Danda (the army), and Mitra (the ally).
• The higher bureaucracy was made up of mantrins and amatyas, according to Arthasastra. The mantrins were the King's highest advisors, while the amatyas were his civil servants.

Medieval Period

• The mansabdari system was used to run the bureaucracy during the Mughal era.
• The mansabdari system was essentially a pool of civil servants who could be deployed either civilly or militarily.

During British Period

• The implementation of Macaulay's Report 1835 brought about significant changes in British India's civil services.
• The Macaulay Report recommended that only the best and brightest be appointed to the Indian Civil Service in order to serve the British empire's interests.

Post-Independence

• Following independence, the Indian civil services system retained elements of the British structure.
• It unified the administrative system and an open-entry system based on academic achievements, as well as permanent tenure.

Role of Cornwallis

Cornwallis (governor-general from 1786 to 93) was the first to establish and organize the civil services. He attempted to check corruption by—

• Raising civil servants' salaries,
• By strictly enforcing rules against private trade, prohibiting civil servants from accepting gifts, bribes, and so on,
• By enforcing promotions based on seniority.

Role of Wellesley

• Wellesley (governor-general, 1798-1805) established Fort William College in 1800 to train new recruits.
• The Court of Directors rejected Wellesley's college in 1806 and instead established the East India College at Haileybury in England to train recruits for two years.

Charter Act, 1853

• The Company's patronage was terminated by the 1853 Charter Act, which mandated that future recruitment be done through an open competition.
• Indians, on the other hand, were barred from high positions from the start. "Every native of Hindustan is corrupt," Cornwallis reasoned.
• The Charter Act of 1793 reserved all posts worth 500 pounds per year for the Company's covenanted servants.

For detailed notes on this topic, check this link Charter Act, 1853.

Indian Civil Service Act, 1861

• The Indian Civil Services Act was enacted in 1861 during Lord Canning's Viceroyalty. It provided for the reservation of certain key positions for covenant service members. As a result, the Principal positions were reserved for the British.
• This Act reserved certain positions for covenanted civil servants, but the examination was held in England in English, based on classical Greek and Latin learning.
• The maximum permissible age gradually decreased from 23 (in 1859) to 22 (in 1860), 21 (in 1866), and 19 (in 1878).

For detailed notes on this topic, check this link Indian Civil Service Act,1861.

Statutory Civil Service

• Lytton established the Statutory Civil Service in 1878-79, with one-sixth of covenanted posts filled by Indians of high families through nominations by local governments subject to approval by the secretary of state and the viceroy.
• However, the system failed and was repealed.

Aitchison Commission, 1886

• In 1886, a Commission led by Sir Charles Aitchison was appointed to devise a plan for admitting Indians to all branches of government service.
• It was expected to investigate the issue of Indian employment not only in appointments normally reserved by law for members of the covenanted civil service but also in uncovenanted service covering lower-level administrative appointments.
• The idea of changing the system of recruitment to the covenanted civil service was rejected by the Commission.
• It advocated the abolition of the Statutory Civil Service and the division of civil services into three categories: Imperial, Provincial, and Subordinate.

For detailed notes on this topic, check this link Aitchison Commission, 1886.

Montford Reform, 1919

• The Government of India Act of 1919 on Constitutional Reforms proposed a three-tiered classification of services: All India, provincial, and subordinate.
• All Imperial services operating in the provinces at the time, whether in reserved or transferred departments, were referred to as the 'All India Services.' Members of the All India Services were given special protections in terms of dismissal, salaries, pensions, and other rights.
• As a safeguard against political influence, the Act proposed the establishment of a Public Service Commission tasked with recruiting for the service.

Lee Commission, 1924

• Lee Commission, a body appointed by the British government in 1923 to examine the ethnic composition of the government of India's superior Indian public services.
• Lord Lee of Fareham presided over the committee, which had an equal number of Indian and British members.
• It turned in its report in 1924.
• In 1924, the Lee Commission proposed that 40% of future entrants be British, 40% be directly recruited Indians, and 20% be promoted from the provincial service.

For detailed notes on this topic, check this link Lee Commission,1924.

Government of India Act, 1935

• The 1935 Act proposed the formation of a Federal Public Service Commission and a Provincial Public Service Commission within their respective spheres.
• However, positions of control and authority remained in British hands, and the process of Indianisation of the civil service did not provide Indians with effective political power because Indian bureaucrats acted as agents of colonial rule.

Civil Service - After Independence

• For reasons of national unity and achieving a minimum level of administration, the Indian Civil Service and Indian Police Service were allowed to continue after independence.
• The structure of the civil services changed after independence. There are three types of services: All India Services, Central Services, and State Services.
• 1947 – Following the transfer of power, the Indian Civil Service was replaced by the Indian Administrative Service.
• 1950 - The Federal Public Service Commission was replaced by the Union Public Service Commission in 1950.
• On April 15, 1958, then-Union Home Minister Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant announced in the Lok Sabha that the government would establish a National Academy of Administration to train all Civil Services recruits.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs also decided to combine the IAS Training School in Delhi and the IAS Staff College in Shimla to form the National Academy of Administration, which would be located in Mussoorie's Charleville Estate.
• The Academy's name was changed to "Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration" in October 1972, and the word "National" was added in July 1973.
• The Academy is now known as the "Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration" (LBSNAA).

Role of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

• Civil servants are in charge of implementing and carrying out effective and efficient policies for national and social welfare on behalf of the government.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, young India's first Home Minister, delivered a special address to the first batch of Indian Administrative Service officers on April 21, 1947, at Metcalf House in Delhi.
• Patel was instrumental in bringing the princely states into the Indian Union.
• Patel's relationship with civil servants predates his appointment as interim Indian government Home Minister.
• Patel was a very successful barrister in Ahmedabad before joining the freedom struggle, and he frequently dealt with British civil servants on issues concerning law and order in the city.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, our first Home Minister, envisioned the civil services as the country's "steel frame."

Recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission on Civil Services

• In 1966, the Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) was established as a follow-up to the establishment of the Department of Administrative Reforms in 1964.
• Its goal was to focus on "the need to ensure the highest standards of efficiency and integrity in public services and to make public administration a fit instrument for carrying out the social-economic goals of development as well as one that is responsive to the people."

Conclusion

Civil Services, though not in an organized form, have existed since ancient times. Later, with the arrival of the East India Company, the civil service was composed of a group of men known as factors who carried on its trade. With the shift in emphasis of the company's functions from trade to administration, the civil service gradually began to assume administrative functions. To meet the growing demand for Indians to work in the civil service, the British government established a number of commissions. Though some changes were made, the Indians felt they were insufficient.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Who is known as the "Father of Civil Services in India"?

A. Lord Wellesley
B. Lord Ripon
C. Lord Cornwallis
D. Lord Curzon

2. When was the Indian Civil Service (ICS) established?

A. 1773
B. 1793
C. 1854
D. 1864

3. What was the major recruitment challenge faced by Indians in the ICS?

A. Age limit restrictions
B. Language barrier and examination held in London
C. Lack of education
D. Financial constraints

4. Which act brought the civil services under direct British Crown control?

A. Pitt’s India Act 1784
B. Government of India Act 1858
C. Charter Act 1833
D. Government of India Act 1919

5. What replaced the Indian Civil Service (ICS) after India’s independence?

A. Indian Police Service (IPS)
B. Indian Revenue Service (IRS)
C. Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
D. Indian Forest Service (IFS)

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the evolution of the Indian Civil Services during the British period and its impact on colonial administration.

Answer: The evolution of Indian Civil Services began with the administrative structure set up by the East India Company, where positions were filled by British officials through nominations. Under Lord Cornwallis, the civil services were reformed to create a more efficient and honest bureaucracy. The establishment of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) in 1854 marked a major shift towards a professional administration, with recruitment based on competitive examinations. Although Indians were allowed to join after 1864, the ICS remained predominantly European. The ICS played a crucial role in maintaining British control over India, administering laws, collecting revenue, and enforcing colonial policies. This system became the foundation for the civil services after independence, though reforms were introduced to make it more inclusive and democratic.

Q2: Analyze the challenges faced by Indians in joining the Indian Civil Service (ICS) during British rule.

Answer: Indians faced several challenges in joining the Indian Civil Service (ICS) during British rule. Firstly, the competitive examination was held in London, which made it difficult for most Indians to appear due to financial constraints and logistical difficulties. Secondly, the language barrier posed a significant hurdle, as the exams were conducted in English. Additionally, the maximum age limit was set low, further limiting the opportunities for Indian aspirants. Despite these challenges, a few Indians like Satyendranath Tagore managed to clear the examination, opening doors for future generations.

Q3: Evaluate the role of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) in the governance of colonial India and its transformation post-independence.

Answer: The Indian Civil Service (ICS) played a pivotal role in the governance of colonial India, acting as the administrative backbone of the British Empire. ICS officers were responsible for revenue collection, maintaining law and order, and implementing colonial policies across India. While the ICS was efficient, it was heavily dominated by British officials, and the entry of Indians was limited. Post-independence, the ICS was transformed into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The IAS was restructured to serve a democratic India, with a focus on inclusivity, accountability, and nation-building. The service continues to play a crucial role in the governance and development of modern India.

Previous Year Questions on Evolution of Civil Services in India

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2019

Question: Who among the following is considered the “Father of Civil Services in India”?
A. Lord Wellesley
B. Lord Ripon
C. Lord Cornwallis
D. Lord Curzon

Answer: C

Explanation: Lord Cornwallis is regarded as the “Father of Civil Services in India” for his reforms that laid the foundation of an efficient and corruption-free administration.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2020 (GS Paper 1)

Question: Discuss the role of the Indian Civil Service (ICS) in colonial India and its transformation post-independence.

Explanation: The Indian Civil Service (ICS) served as the administrative backbone of the British government in India, overseeing revenue collection, law enforcement, and civil administration. Despite its efficiency, the ICS was criticized for being dominated by Europeans and serving colonial interests rather than those of Indians. After independence, the ICS was replaced by the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), which was restructured to meet the needs of a democratic and sovereign India. The IAS, along with other civil services, has since played a crucial role in governance, development, and public administration in modern India.