The Indian
Administrative Service (IAS) is the premier administrative civil service
of the Government of India. IAS officers hold key and
strategic positions in the Union Government, States and public-sector undertakings. Like in various countries (example UK) following Parliamentary system, IAS as the permanent
bureaucracy
in India
forms an inseparable part of the executive branch of the Government of
India thus providing continuity and neutrality to the administration. Unlike
Candidates selected to other civil services, a person once appointed to
Indian Administrative Service or Indian Foreign Service (IFS) becomes
ineligible to reappear in Civil Services Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission
because there are no higher civil services other than aforementioned two
services under Government of India.
Along with the Police Service and Forest Service, the IAS is one of the
three All India Services. Its cadre can be employed by both the Union Government and the individual States. Upon confirming to
service after probation as Sub-Divisional Magistrate, an IAS officer
is given administrative command of entire district as District collector. On attaining the upper
levels of Super Time Scale to Apex Scale, they can go on to head whole
departments and subsequently entire Ministries of Government of India and
States. IAS officers represent Government of India at the international level
in bilateral and multilateral negotiations. On deputations they work at Intergovernmental organizations
like World Bank and United
Nations or its Agencies.
IAS officers at various levels of administration play vital roles in conducting
free, fair and smooth elections in India under the direction of Election Commission of India and states.
