The AIS Branch is primarily concerned with the promotions to the three All India Services viz. IAS, IPS, and IFS. The main items of work handled by the All India Services Branch are as follows: -  

1.  Promotions of State Service officers to the IAS, IPS and IFS

2.  Selection of Non-State Civil Service officers for appointment to the IAS under the IAS (Appointment by Selection) Regulations, 1997

3.  Consequential Court Cases associated with the AIS promotions/ selections

4.  Policy matters relating to All India Services and amendments in the Promotion Regulations.

5. The All India Services Cadre Rules provide for consultation with the Commission in the matter of appointment of State Service officers to the AIS Cadre posts if such appointment is made for a period exceeding six months. 

Determination of Vacancies

The selection process for recruitment to the All India Services for any recruitment year of a State/Cadre begins with the determination of the promotional vacancies by the Central Government in consultation with the State Government. From 31.12.1997, the concept of the size of the Select List was amended such that it would not exceed the number of substantive vacancies existing as on the 1^st day of January of the year for which the Select List is being prepared. The zone of consideration is equal to 3 times the number of officers to be included in the Select List. A compilation of the relevant AIS Regulations is given under Forms & Downloads. 

Proposals for convening of the Selection Committee Meetings (SCM)

The State Government forwards the necessary proposals for convening meetings of the Selection Committee for promotion to the All India Services. The proposal includes several documents like the seniority list, eligibility list, ACRs, Integrity Certificates, Statement of Disciplinary/Criminal proceedings, if any, pending against the officers, Statement of penalties imposed, etc. The proposal is examined by the Commission and the eligibility of officers is verified vis-a-vis the provisions of the Regulations. After the proposal is complete in all respects, the Commission convene a meeting of the Selection Committee. A Checklist of the documents required to be forwarded along with the proposals by the State Government is included under Forms & Downloads. 

Procedures of the Selection Committee Meetings

The SCMs presided over by the Chairman/ Member of the UPSC, are held annually for selection of State Civil/Police/Forest Service officers for promotion to the IAS/IPS/IFS. The selection of Non-State Civil Service officers for appointment to the IAS under the IAS (Appointment by Selection) Regulations, 1997, is also made by the Selection Committee. The Composition of the Selection Committee for all the three services is specified in the Regulations and includes nominees of the Government of India not below rank of the Joint Secretary. In addition, the members of the Selection Committee other than the Chairman/Member of the UPSC, should be from the All India Services. The absence of a member, other than the Chairman or Member of the Commission, shall not invalidate the proceedings of the Committee, if more than half the members of the Committee had attended it meetings.  

The Selection Committee classifies the eligible officers as 'Outstanding', 'Very Good', 'Good' or 'Unfit', as the case may be, on an overall relative assessment of their service records. The Committee is not guided by the remarks/ gradings recorded in the ACRs but makes its independent assessment on the basis of the entries recorded under various attributes; and the procedure followed is as per the Internal Guidelines of the Commission which ensures uniformity and consistency in the matter of selections. The list is to be prepared by including the required numbers of names, first from amongst the officers finally classified as 'Outstanding', then from amongst the officers finally classified as 'Very Good', and thereafter from amongst those similarly classified as 'Good' and the order of names within each category shall be in the order of their inter-se seniority in the State Civil/ Police/ Forest Service. (c.f. Instructions/Guidelines). 

Where no meeting of the Committee could be held during a year for any reason other than 'Nil' vacancy, the Select List shall be prepared separately for each year for which the Committee could not meet, as and when the Committee meets again. This provision of preparation of year-wise Select Lists is applicable for promotion only to IAS (SCS), IPS and IFS and not for selection to IAS from Non-SCS Category. 

Provisional inclusion in the Select List

The name of an officer included in the list is treated as provisional if the State Government withholds the Integrity Certificate or any proceedings, departmental or criminal, are pending against him or there is anything adverse against him. The Promotion Regulations specify that such provisionally included officer can be made unconditional in the Select List during the validity period of the Select List which is specified under Regulation 7(4). For this, the State Government has to send a proposal to the Commission, during the validity period, stating that the conditions leading to the provisional inclusion of the officer no longer subsist and that the State Government recommends that the officer's name should be made unconditional. The Regulations do not provide for making officers unconditional after the expiry of the validity period of the Select List. 

There is no provision in the Selection Regulations for provisional inclusion of a Non-SCS officer. In fact, those Non-SCS officers against whom departmental/criminal proceedings are pending or whose Integrity Certificate is withheld, are not entitled to be considered by the Selection Committee as has been clarified by the Central Government. 

Approval of the Select List by the Commission and its validity 

The list prepared by the Selection Committee is referred by the State Government to the Commission for approval. The Central Government also furnish their views on the recommendations of the Selection Committee. The list as approved by the Commission forms the Select List which shall remain in force till the 31^st day of December of the year in which the meeting of the Selection Committee is held or upto sixty days from the date of approval of the Select List by the Commission, whichever is later. The role of the UPSC comes to an end after approval of the Select List, in so far as the selection process is concerned.

Appointments to the All India Services

After the Select List has been approved, the Central Government notifies the same and also takes steps to appoint the Select List officers to the respective All India Services. The Central Government is also responsible for framing, interpreting and administering the AIS Rules and Regulations.

Officiating appointments of Non-cadre State Service officers to the IAS/IPS/IFS cadre posts are made under rule 9 of the IAS/IPS (Cadre) Rules 1954 and IFS (Cadre) Rules 1966. While approving these appointments, it is ensured that the following conditions are satisfied. 

1. No cadre officer is available for the post:
2. The officiating appointments are made in the order in which the names of the officers appear in the Select List prepared in accordance with the IAS/IPS/IFS (Appointments by Promotion) Regulations.
3. Where a Select List is not in force or it is proposed to appoint a Non-Select List officer, the State Government shall forthwith make a proposal to the Central Government explaining the reasons and appointment shall be made with the prior approval of the Central Government.  

In terms of Rule 9(3) of the IAS/IPS (Cadre) Rules, 1954 and IFS(Cadre) Rules, 1966, where a cadre post is likely to be filled by a person who is not a cadre officer for a period exceeding six months, the Central Government shall report the full facts to the UPSC with the reasons for holding that no suitable officer is available for filling the post and may in the light of the advice given by the UPSC, give suitable direction to the State Government concerned.