Civil servants, who are employees of the Indian government, are recruited through a difficult and meticulous system of examinations called the Civil Services Examination that is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and various State Public Service Commissions.

All India Civil Services 

Based on the civil service exam result, the President of India makes the appointments to these posts.

• Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
• Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
• Indian Police Service (IPS)

Central Civil Services

These services look after the administration of the Union government.

Group A:

The President of India makes the appointments to group A civil services.

1. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services, Group A
2. Archaeological Service, Group A
3. Botanical Survey of India, Group A
4. Central Engineering (Civil) Service, Group A
5. Central Engineering (Electrical and Mechanical) Service, Group A
6. Central Engineering Service (Roads), Group A
7. Central Health Service, Group A
8. Central Information Service
9. Central Legal Service (Grades I)
10. Central Secretariat Official Language Service, Group A
11. Central Power Engineering Service, Group A
12. Central Revenues Chemical Service, Group A
13. Central Secretariat Service, Group A
14. Central Trade Service, Group A
15. Central Water Engineering Service, Group A
16. Company Law Board Service, Group A
17. Directorate General of Civil Aviation DGCA, Group A
18. Directorate General of Mines Safety, Group A
19. Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service, Grade I.
20. General Central Service, Group A
21. Indian Audits and Accounts Service, Group A
22. Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group A
23. Indian Cost Accounts Service, Group A
24. Indian Defense Accounts Service, Group A
25. Indian Defence Estates Service, Group A
26. Indian Economic Service, Group A
27. Indian Engineering Services, Group A
28. Indian Information Service, Group A
29. Indian Foreign Service
30. Indian Frontier Administrative Service, Group A
31. Indian Meteorological Service, Group A
32. Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group A
33. Indian Postal Service, Group A
34. Indian Posts and Telegraphs Accounts and Finance Service, Group A
35. Indian Railway Service of Engineers, Group A
36. Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers, Group A
37. Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers, Group A
38. Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers, Group A
39. Indian Railway Stores Service, Group A
40. Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group A
41. Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group A
42. Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group A
43. Indian Revenue Service
44. Indian Salt Service, Group A
45. Indian Statistical Service, Group A
46. Indian Telecommunication Service, Group A
47. Indian Trade Service, Group A
48. Mercantile Marine Training Ship Service, Group A
49. Railway Inspectorate Service, Group A
50. Survey of India, Group A
51. Telegraph Traffic Service, Group A
52. Zoological Survey of India, Group A

Group B:

Appointments to group B civil services are made by the authorities specified by an order of the President of India.

1. Income Tax Service, Group ‘B’
2. Indian Foreign Service, Group ‘B’ - (General Cadre, Grade I and General Cadre, Grade II only)
3. Central Secretariat Service, Group 'B' (Section and Assistants’ Grade officers only)
4. Indian Posts and Telegraphs Accounts and Finance Service, Group ‘B’ Telecommunication Wing.
5. Indian Posts & Telegraphs Accounts & Finance Service, Postal Wing, Group ‘B’
6. Indian Salt Service, Group ‘B’
7. India Meteorological Service, Group ‘B'
8. Central Secretariat Official Language Service, Group ‘B’
9. Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service, (Grade I, Grade II and Selection Grade officers only)
10. Central Health Service, Group ‘B’
11. Botanical Survey of India, Group 'B'.
12. Geological Survey of India, Group 'B'.
13. Geological Survey of India, Group 'B'.
14. Survey of India, Group 'B'.
15. Zoological Survey of India, Group 'B'.
16. Central Electrical Engineering Service, Group 'B'.
17. Central Engineering Service, Group 'B'.
18. Central Power Engineering Service, Group ‘B’
19. Postal Superintendents’ Service, Group ‘B’
20. Postmasters’ Service, Group ‘B’
21. Telecommunication Engineering Service, Group ‘B’
22. Telegraphs Traffic Service, Group ‘B
23. Central Excise Service, Group ‘B’
24. Customs Appraisers Service, Group ‘B’- (Principal Appraisers and Head Appraisers)
25. Customs Preventive Service, Group ‘B’ – (Chief Inspectors)
26. Defence Secretariat Service
27. Union Territories Administrative Service
28. Union Territorries Police Service