Public Services

• The public services (civil services or government services) in India are classified into three categories

1. All-India services

2. Central services

3. State services

All-India Services

• All-India services are those services which are common to both Central and state governments.
• There are three all-India services.

1. Indian Administrative Service (IAS)

2. Indian Police Service (IPS)

3. Indian Forest Service (IFS)

• In 1947, the Indian Civil Service (ICS) was replaced by IAS, and the Indian Police (IP) was replaced by IPS and were recognised by the Constitution as all-India services.
• In 1966, theIndian Forest Service was established as the third all-India service.
• he All-India Services Act of 1951 authorised the Central government to make rules in consultation with the state governments for the regulation of recruitment and service conditions of the members of all-India services.
• The all-India services are controlled jointly by the Central and state governments.

Central Services

• At present, there are 62 group A Central services.

1. Central Engineering Service.

2. Central Health Service.

3. Central Information Service.

4. Central Legal Service.

5. Central Secretariat Service.

6. Indian Audit and Accounts Service.

7. Indian Defence Accounts Service.

8. Indian Economic Service.

9. Indian Foreign Service.

10. Indian Meteorological Service.

11. Indian Postal Service.

12. Indian Revenue Service (Customs, Excise and Income Tax).

13. Indian Statistical Service.

14. Overseas Communication Service.

15. Railway Personnel Service.

• Most of the above cadres of group A Central services have also corresponding group B services.
• The group C Central services consists of clerical personnel while group D consists of manual personnel.

State Services

• The personnel of state services work under the exclusive jurisdiction of the state government.

1. Civil Service.

2. Police Service.

3. Forest Service.

4. Agricultural Service.

5. Medical Service.

6. Veterinary Service.

7. Fisheries Service.

8. Judicial Service.

9. Public Health Service.

10. Educational Service.

11. Co-operative Service.

12. Registration Service.

13. Sales Tax Service.

14. Jail Service.

15. Service of Engineers.

• Articles 308 to 314 in part XIV of the Constitution contain provisions with regard to all-India services, Central services and state services.

Important Articles

• 309. Recruitment and conditions of service of persons serving the Union or a state.
• 312. All-India Services.