Central Secretariat Service

Subject – Governance

Context – 30% vacancies in Central offices as promotions on hold

Concept –

Central Secretariat Service is the administrative civil service under Group A and Group B of the Central Civil Services of the executive branch of the Government of India.
They are governed by Central Secretariat Service Rules of 1962,which has been issued under the powers of Article 309 of the Constitution of India.
The service members work under restrictions and rules of Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.
The service serves as the backbone of administrative work and provides permanent bureaucracy and functionary staff in the Union Government ministries, Cabinet Secretariat, Central Secretariat and other offices of Government of India.
Based on CSS service model, State governments like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh have organised their own independent services like Bihar Secretariat Service and Provincial Secretariat Service of UP.
The Union Government ministries such like Railways, Defence and External Affairs, have organised their own independent services based on CSS model which are known as Railway Board Secretariat Service, Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services and Indian Foreign Service, Group B (general cadre)respectively.

Recruitment

Minister of State at Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh interacting with CSS officers in 2018.
From 1946 until 2003, 50 percent of direct recruitment into CSS was through the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, the next 25 percent recruitment was through Annual Departmental Examination and next 25 percent by promotion.
However, after the cadre restructuring in 2003, the direct recruitment into CSS through the Civil Services Examination has been stopped.
The mode of recruitment was changed to the grade of Section Officer by way of 50% through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination by Union Public Service Commission and 50% by seniority.

Allocation and placement

After appointment by the President, the officers (Entry grade/Probationers) are allocated to different Ministries/Departments under Government of India.
The Group B officers work in the levels of Assistant Section Officer and Section Officer/Assistant Director (For Directorate).
The Group A officers work in the levels of Under Secretary/Deputy Director (For Directorate), Deputy Secretary/Joint Director (For Directorate), Director, Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary under Central Staffing Scheme of Government of India.
The officers are posted in various Ministries and Departments, Prime Minister’s Office, National Security Council Secretariat, intelligence agencies, Apex /Autonomous organizations of Government of India located at different places in the Secretariat in New Delhi. They are also appointed in personal staff of Union Council of Ministers of India.