Indian Civil Service

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The Indian Civil Service may be abbreviated ICS. See also Writer.

History

Initially, the Honourable East India Company Civil Servants handled the civil administration of India, they were covenanted to provide a lifetime of service.

Civil service control was transferred to the Indian Government under the Government of India Act of 1858 and new members of the service were contacted for a is a 10 year term. The creation of the Imperial Civil Service of India was as a result of the 1886–87 Public Service Commission recommendation.

Covenanted service was given by the top ranks of the Civil Service for the pledge good behaviour. Lower ranks that took Uncovenanted Service and were recuited in India, be they English, India, or Anglo-Indian.

Positions

In the Regulation Provinces, those that were the older provinces with a long period of settled administration e.g. Madras, Bombay, the positions (after 1858) were:

  • Assistant (to Magistrate and Collector)
  • Deputy Collector
  • Joint Magistrate,
  • Collector-Magistrate (before 1858 known as the District Officer)
  • Judge

After reaching the rank of Joint Magistrate, career progessions was to become a Collector-Magistrate, or Judge. Judges, ofter went on to sit on the High Court after 20 years service. A Collector-Magistrate may become a Commissioner of the District, or gain a seat on the Board of Revenue. Moving sideways, he may become an Under-Secretary for the Lieutenant Governor.


In the Unregulated Provinces, Deputy-Commissioners replaced the role of Collector-Magistrate.

Entry

Arriving in India in 1830, after 2 years patronage supported training at Hertford(1806-1809) and Haileybury Hertfordshire, England (1809-1858) entrants became a student writer at Calcutta College, Fort William, and sought to gain “Writership”. Students were lavishly rewarded, and encouraged to borrow heavily to acquire high status and comfortable lifestyle often enabling them to stable 40 horses; not unexpectedly this was reformed. Reforms still allowed students to finance the keep three horses and a buggy. Club memberships and mess parties continued to allow them to gain social influence in the capital.

In 1856 the system of appointment by patronage was replaced by an open competitive examination. Courses of instruction and language training were then carried out in England. Young men were deemed to be fit for immediate service so no longer socialised in the capital unlike their predecessors. They would rely on local tutors for regional dialects.

Records

Short records of service, providing the date of appointment, promotions and qualifications for individuals in the Indian Civil Service were published in the India Office List.

External Links

Historical books online

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