The All India Services are the three all India civil services of India, namely the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS) & the Indian Forest Service (IFS).
Recruitment to IAS & IPS is made through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on the basis of the annual Civil Services Examination, a competitive civil service exam. Recruitment to the IFS is made on the basis of the Indian Forest Service Examination, also administered by the UPSC. This is intended to insulate the civil service from political influences and prevent the development of apatronage system.
The officers of the All India Services are recruited and trained by the federal Union Government ("the Centre") and serve in the various State Governments ("the States") as well as Centre (which is why the Indian Revenue Service is a "central service" instead of an All India Service as they work only in the Central Government).
OBJECTIVES OF All India Services
(a) preserving national unity and integrity and uniform
standards of administration
(b) neutrality and objectivity - non-political, secular and
nonsectarian outlook
(c) competence, efficiency and professionalism - at entry by
attracting the best and brightest and throughout the career
(d) integrity
(e) idealism
