Indian Civil Service (pre-independence)

The Indian Civil Service (ICS) was the elite administrative body of British India, comprising highly trained officers responsible for governing the colony. Established during British rule, it recruited primarily through competitive exams, and its officers managed everything from law and revenue to public works. The ICS was considered prestigious and played a key role in implementing colonial policies. After independence in 1947, it was renamed the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), evolving into India's core civil service that administers government functions today.