Recommendations Approved

Background of Civil Services in India Before 1923:

The Civil Service examination for India under the British Government started after 1886. It was called Imperial Civil Service but later they changed it to Indian Civil Service. After independence, the ICS name was also changed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS)....

Recommendations of the Lee Commission:

The Commission intended to establish a “Public Service Commission” as one of the cardinal features of its proposals.  Three main categories were proposed– All India Services– Central services which dealt with Indian states and foreign affairs – Provincial Services The Existing members of ‘The All India Services’ were to retain all rights of officers in the All India Services, and the provincial governments were to be given appointment powers only on new vacancies.  The Central services dealt with Indian states and foreign affairs, as well as the administration of state railways, posts and telegraphs, customs, audit and accounts, and scientific and technological departments.  The Commission recommended that the Secretary of State retain the right of appointment and control of All India Services; primarily the Indian Civil Service, the Indian Police Service, the Indian Medical Service, the Indian Forest Service, and the Indian Service of Engineers.  However, the power of appointment for Central services was kept with the Government of India.  It restricted the power of the Secretary of State to the political department, Imperial Customs Department, and Ecclesiastical Department from taking any recruitment or appointment.   The Public Service Commission proposed the meritorious recruitment of people for All India, Central, and Provincial services. For efficiency in work, they also maintain discipline, facilities, pension, housing, and pay life.  It was planned that for the next 15 years till 1939, direct recruitment to ICS Indian Civil Service will be on the basis of 50:50 parity between Europeans and Indians.  Therefore, the Lee Commission proposal for the next 15 years planned 40% of future entrants will be British40% be Indians who will be directly recruited20% will be promoted from the provincial service....

Recommendations Approved:

The British government accepted almost all the Lee Commission’s recommendations. Eventually, the ‘All India Services’ that were left with the British (except in the provinces of Burma and Bombay) were only the Indian Civil Service, Indian Police, Indian Service of Engineers (Irrigation Branch), Indian Medical Service (Civil Branch), and Indian Forest Service.Finally, The Public Service Commission of India was established in 1926, to supervise the examination for civil service recruitment in 1927 on behalf of the Civil Service Commission of England....