Full Form Of IS

IS stands for Indian services. Now, the question arises, what are Indian services? Indian services refer to All India Services, which is the backbone of our country.

All India Services include Civil Services of India, mainly Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Forest Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS). The members of All India Services are recruited by the Central Government. However, its history dates back to the British era before the independence. During East India Company, there was a nomination system by which civil servants were nominated, and they were mainly Britishers. But due to the Indian rebellion of 1857, the nomination system was abolished by British Parliament in 1853, and the combined examination system was started for both Britishers as well as Indians.

The services were divided into two categories covenanted and uncovenanted. The covenanted consisted of Britishers who occupied the higher post in the government, whereas the uncovenanted consisted of Indians who occupied the lower post of the administration. But with the passing of the Government of India Act 1909, the Indian Civil Services were split into two, All India Services and Central Services.

Responsibilities of Indian Administrative Service

Further, the responsibilities of Civil Servants vary according to their post. IAS Indian Administrative Service officers are trained to handle government affairs. Their main works include:

• To maintain law and order.
• To collect the revenue.
• To make and implement new policies.
• Sometimes during an emergency, they play a vital role in maintaining peace in that respective area.

IAS officers start their carrier with two years on probation as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).  Here they maintain law and order and do developments work for that respective area. After this training, they get promoted to senior officers.

Ranks of IAS officers

• District Magistrate, Managing Director of a Public Enterprise, or Director of a Department. (After 2 years of probation period). 
• Joint Secretary.
• Additional Secretary. (Junior administrative grade)
• Special Secretary (selection grade, after 13 years). 
• Commissioner-Cum-Secretary of a state. (After 16 years) 
• Principal Secretaries and Financial Commissioners in a state. (After 24 years).
• Chief Secretary.

However, there are many Secretaries and Principal Secretaries in a state, but there is only one Chief Secretary, who is the top ranking Civil Servant in a state. Further, the Civil Servant also represents the government in another country. As Deputy Secretary, they are authorized to sign agreements on behalf of the government.

Furthermore, India is one of the first countries in the world that introduced Scientific Forest Management. However it was established in 1864 by the British Raj, but in 1966, after the independence, the Modern Indian Forest Service was established under the All India Services act 1951.

Responsibilities of Indian Forest Service

The primary roles of the forest officers are:

• To give protection to the forest.
• Conservation and regeneration of forest resources.
• To solve environment and wildlife-related issues.
• To collect forest revenue.

Moreover, India has a large forest area of 635,400 km, which is about 19.32 percent of the entire country.

Ranks of the IFS Officers

• Assistant Conservator of Forests (Probationary Officer)
• Divisional Forest Officer (DFOs)
• Deputy Conservator of Forests
• Conservator of Forests (CFs)
• Chief Conservator of Forests (CCFs)
• Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (ADDL.PCCFs)
• Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) & (HOFF) highest post in the state.
• Director-General of Forests (India) – highest post at the center.

Further, this service needs technical knowledge along with excellent administrative capacity. So, the Indian government provides Hari Singh fellowships to the Forest Officers to be specialized in the field of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System. The officers do their specialization from ISRO’S Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, University of Twente/Itc Netherlands, as well as for Wildlife Management they go to Wildlife Institute of India. The forest officers also work with National and International organizations like; SAARC Forestry, Wildlife Institute of India, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy(IGNFA), Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, etc.

Responsibilities of Indian Police Service

Further, the IPS Indian Police Service is committed to public safety, internal security, and law and order. Their main work includes:

• To solve crucial problems.
• To face several lives – threatening incidents.
• To deal with complicated and harsh conditions.
• Overall, they are responsible for the internal security of entire districts as well as states.

IPS officers start their career as two years of probation period, and after training, they take charges as Assistant Superintendent of Police.

Ranks of IPS officers

• Assistant Superintendent of Police (After probation period)
• Superintendent of Police or Deputy Commissioner of Police. (After 4 years).
• Senior Superintendent of Police (Junior Administrative Grade after 9 years).
• Deputy Inspector General of Police or Additional Commissioner of Police (After 15 years).
• Inspector-General of Police (After 18 years).
• Additional Director General of Police (After 25 years).
• And finally, Director General of Police (After 30 years).

Reforms

Moreover, there are some reforms and changes done by the government like; according to the amendment of January 2012, the incompetent and non- performing officers will get retired after review on their completion of 15 years or 25 years. However, some expected reforms are:

• All India Judicial Service – to attract best law talent into the higher judiciary.
• Indian Education Service – to increase the quality of policymaking at the central level.
• Medicine – to create or establish medical facilities or services.

Apart from all these, there are some pros and cons of these services.

Pros

• The All India Services officers come on the basis of their merit through the top level of competitive examination (UPAC).
• The officers have authority in making policies, so their decision can bring change in society, as well as they have power to modify the public lives.
• For their prestigious post, powe, and good work, they get respect in society.
• They can also get the highest award like Padma Vibhushan and some others for their excellent services.
• The officers get all kinds of facilities like; Accommodation, Transport, Medical, and Security.

Cons

• Some bureaucrats became inefficient and corrupt.
• Political interference makes them weak as they have to work under the political pressure which makes them unable to make a decision by own.
• They may get threat by the terrorist, Naxalite, and some other anti-social elements.

Overall, whatever the pros and cons are there, but if we are safe, it is because of them (civil servants). They give their 24 hours services only in order to make the society peaceful as well as to make the society corruption-free.