Indian Civil Accounts Service
The Indian Civil Accounts Service(ICAS)(Hindi: भारतीय सिविल लेखा सेवा Bharatiya Civil Lekha Seva ) is one of the Civil Services of India ("Group A"). ICAS is under the Department of Expenditure in the Union Ministry of Finance. The service was created in 1976 with the purpose of separating the Auditing and Accounting functions of the Union Government with deputation and transfer from the Indian Audit and Accounts Department. Since 1977, personnel have been selected from the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, like all other Central Civil Services.
 Indian Civil Accounts Service | |
| Service Overview | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | ICAS |
| Formed | 1976 |
| Country |  India |
| Training Ground | National Institute of Financial Management, Faridabad Institute of Government Accounts and Finance, New Delhi |
| Controlling Authority | Ministry of Finance, Government of India |
| Legal Personality | Governmental , Civil Service |
| General Nature | Accounting and Finance |
| Service Chief | |
| Controller General of Accounts | Ms Bharati Das(ICAS) |
| Head of the All India Civil Services | |
| Current Cabinet Secretary | Rajiv Gauba, IAS |
Profile
The Indian Civil Accounts Organization performs a key role in the delivery of financial management services for the Government of India. The organization provides payment services, supports the tax collection system, performs government-wide accounting, and financial reporting functions and carries out internal audits in civil ministries of the Union Government. the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) in the Ministry of Finance heads the organization and is responsible for administering this system. The organization has been leveraging information technology for the delivery of these services in consonance with the constantly changing technological environment and increasing ICT penetration in the country. The goal is to provide reliable information that brings transparency in the use and reporting of public funds through an integrated government financial management system(PFMS).ICAS administers a crucial Government payment system through PFMS and is also responsible for providing platforms for Direct Cash Transfers to all Government agencies.
Training
Officers of ICAS are trained in three stages. For the first 6 months, they are trained at the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), Faridabad along with officers of the Indian Cost Accounts Service, Indian Defence Accounts Services and Indian Postal-Telecom Accounts and Finance Services.
After NIFM training, the ICAS officers are attached to the Institute of Government Accounts and Finance [INGAF]. In their third stage of training, ICAS officers are sent for On-The-Job-Training (OJT) from INGAF.
Organizational structure
Indian Civil Accounts Organization is headed by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) in the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. CGA is the central accounting and reporting agency for the Government of India and is assisted by officers of the Indian Civil Accounts Service.
As per the Departmentalised accounting arrangements in government, operational responsibility for accounting, reporting and internal audit functions in civil ministries is with the ICAS officers. These units are headed by the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts (Pr. CCA), Chief Controller of Accounts (CCA) or a Controller of Accounts (CA) in the respective ministries. Under the overall supervision of CGA, they assist the Secretary of the Ministry who is the chief accounting authority in the ministry. The Pr.CCAs / CCAs / CAs discharge their duties and responsibilities through the Principal Accounts Office (Pr. AO) at the Ministry's headquarters and Pay and Accounts Offices (PAOs) at the field formation level. There are currently 358 PAOs located at 87 stations across the country.
Administration
The cadre management of Group 'A' officers of the Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) vests with the Controller General of Accounts. It covers the entire gamut of personnel management of ICAS officers, both within the country as well as abroad, and periodical reviews of cadre strength and distribution.