India celebrates National Civil Services Day on April 21; Significance and history

National Civil Services Day is celebrated every year on April 21, it is celebrated by the Government of India as an occasion for Civil Servants to rededicate themselves to the cause of citizen and enforce their commitments to serve public selflessly and excellent dedication towards the service.

The date, April 21 is chosen to commemorate the date when the first home minister of Independent India Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel addressed the probationers of Indian Administrative Services Officers in 1947 at Metcalf House in Delhi. At that time, the Home Minister addressed Civil Servants as the ‘steel frame of India’. The first function like this was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on April 21, 2006.

On Civil Servant Day, Excellence in Public Administration awards is presented to District/Implementing Units for implementation of the Priority program and innovation category.

Most of the districts from across the country participate in the award schemes makes the overall process very lengthy. The award functions on Civil Servant Day provides an opportunity to meet Civil Servants of the country providing an opportunity to learn good governing practice being implemented anywhere in the country.

Civil Service in India dates back to the British period, known as Indian Civil Service (ICS) back then. ICS examination was organized to recruit officer to work as an administrative officer in the British government. Most of the Civil Servants at that time used to be from Britain, very Indian Indian was able to serve as an ICS officer in the British government. Satyendra Nath Bose was the first Indian to qualify the ICS exam and join Civil Service in the British government. Famous revolutionary freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose had also qualified the ICS exam. He was a Civil Servant officer until he resigned from his post to fight against British imperialism for the freedom of India.

Civil Service officer in the country is the highest civil officer responsible for the maintaining law and order in the country and helping the elected government in running the government with policy formulation and implementation. They are not a part of Legislative, Judiciary or Military. They do not hold primary membership in any political parties until they hold the office.

In India, Civil Services examinations are conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). It is divided into Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and comprehensive list of All India Services and Central Services of group A and B category.

The third Civil Service Day was celebrated on April 21, 2008, in New Delhi. While inaugurating the Civil Services Day Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the Civil Services needed a renewed commitment in placing them on the side of the disadvantaged in society.

Awards for exemplary service on National Civil Services day 2020

On National Civil Services day, ‘Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration’ is awarded. A large number of districts across the country participate in this award program.

On National Civil Services day, the officers of central and state governments are awarded by the Prime Minister of India for their extraordinary services in the field of public administration.

The ‘Prime Minister Award for Excellence in Public Administration ‘is awarded in three categories:

Category 1: It comprises of eight northeastern states and the three hill states namely Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Category 2: It consists of seven Union Territories

Category 3: It consists of the rest of the eighteen states of India.