Rajasthan Administrative Service
Rajasthan Administrative Service, popularly known as RAS, is the supreme civil service of the Indian state of Rajasthan.It is a state civil service of state Rajasthan along with Rajasthan Accounts Service, Rajasthan Police Service and many other services. The recruitment to the service is made on the basis of an annual competitive examination Rajasthan State and Subordinate Combined Services Competitive Examination and promotion from Rajasthan Tehsildar Service.The Rajasthan State and Subordinate Combined Services Examination is organised by Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), a Rajasthan government body. The officers are included in the state cadre of civil service officers. RAS officers undergo two years training at HCM Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration.Cadre controlling authority for this service is Department of Personnel, Government of Rajasthan.The head of this service is Cabinet Secretary of India.
Posts
RAS officers start service as assistant collector and executive magistrate in training period.After training they usually serve as Sub-Divisional Magistrate for some years.After that they are posted as additional district collector and additional district magistrate or additional Divisional Commissioner till their induction in Indian Administrative Service by promotion. Beside these posts they also hold various other posts like Deputy Secretary to Rajasthan Government, Joint Secretary to Rajasthan Government, Deputy Inspector General Stamp and Registration, Special Assistant to State Minister, Commissioner to Municipal Corporation, Additional Chief Executive Officer to Zila Parishad, Chief Executive Officer to Zila Parishad,District Supply Officer,Secretary to Urban Improvement Trust, Registrar to State University, District Excise Officer, Member of Board of Revenue, Deputy and additional Commissioner to Colonisation and many other posts to different department.
Functions
The RAS officers hold various posts at sub-district level and district level while delivering various government services apart from conducting revenue administration and maintenance of law and order.They work at grass-root level of administration for policy implementation and policy formulation.They also work in secretariat at different posts.
Promotion
The cadres usually start from a designation lower in rank than Indian Administrative Service (IAS) (one of the All India Services). However, promoted RAS officers gradually can take posts equivalent to IAS officers. Usually it takes 25–30 years of service for promotion in IAS. Promotee IAS officers usually reach up to post of Divisional Commissioner before retirement. Promoted IAS officers are allotted a year of selection or batch on the basis of equivalent service of RAS to IAS.