Civil Services- Key to Power

When a boy visits a marriage party, he observes that one of his/her cousin is showered with all the attention. He gets curious and discovers that because his cousin is an IAS officer people are interested in what he says and what he opines. He also notices that when his city faces any flood like situation he observes that the flood relief scheme is executed by the district administrative authority headed by a collector or DM. He also discovers that any rehabilitation programme announced by the government is carried out by the collector. When any law and order problem arises in the city in form of violent protest by any group or riot like situation surfaces, he sees that the city SP in his car (a white ambassador with a red light fitted at the car roof) makes round time to time. The SP also instructs his subordinate police officers to maintain law and order situation. All these things create interest in the mind of the boy and he gets inspired to become an Income tax commissioner, SP or collector; in other words he thinks of joining Civil Services.

Civil Services is the administrative machinery that implements the government policies and is by all means the most reputed and sought after government job in the country. The services are categorized into grades and the officers selected go on to become IAS, IPS, IFS and others.

Civil services is the gift of France to the world. It was introduced in India by the British in the year 1885. Civil servants had immense administrative powers during the British Raj. However, today’s a civil servants operate within the framework of a democratic welfare state with focus on development and progress.

Civil services have over decades been the fantasy of many youths and numerous parents who dream of a bright and golden future for their children.