Indian Ordnance Factories Service

During the colonial times, the administrative service of Ordnance was known as the Indian Ordnance Service.[1] It was constituted in the year 1935. It had only European officers in the years that followed. They were engineering graduates who had to undergo specialised training prior joining the service. In 1939, there was only one Indian officer and the remaining forty-four officers were of European origin.

IOFS was reconstituted in its present form in 1954 with the cadre controlling authority of Ministry of Defence – Department of Defence Production with a cadre size of 1760 posts. The source of recruitment was through direct recruitment 60%; by promotion 40% and no lateral entries.

IOFS is a multi-disciplinary composite cadre consisting of technical – engineers (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Electronics), technologists (Chemical, Metallurgical, Textile, Leather) and non-technical/administrative (Science, Law, Commerce, Management and Arts graduates). Technical posts comprise about 87% of the total cadre. The doctors (Surgeons and Physicians) serving in OFB belong to a separate service known as the Indian Ordnance Factories Health Service (IOFHS). IOFHS officers are responsible for the maintenance of health of the employees, and the hospitals of OFB. They report directly to the IOFS officers. IOFS and IOFHS are the only two civil services under the Department of Defence Production.[2]

Ordnance Factories Board is engaged in research, development, production, testing, marketing and logistics of a comprehensive product range in the areas of air, land and sea systems. It comprises forty-one Ordnance Factories, nine Training Institutes, three Regional Marketing Centres and four Regional Controllerates of Safety, which are spread all across the country.[3][4]

OFB is the world's largest government operated production organisation,[5] and the oldest organisation run by the Government of India.[6][7] It has a total workforce of about 164,000.[8] It is often called the "Fourth Arm of Defence",[9][10][11] and the "Force Behind the Armed Forces" of India.[12][13] It is amongst the top 50 defence equipment manufacturers in the world.[14][15] Its total sales were at $3 billion (₹ 19982.71 crores) in 2015–'16.[16] Every year, 18 March is celebrated as the Ordnance Factories' Day in India.[17][18]

The recruitment in the Indian Ordnance Factories as a Group A and group B gazetted officer is done by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) based on the performance in the Engineering Services Examination (ESE) and the Civil Services Examination (CSE).[19] Engineering posts are filled through the Engineering Services Examination, while technologists are selected through interviews by UPSC. Posts in the non-technical streams are filled through the Civil Services Examination. IOFS is the only cadre in which officials are selected by all four means – CSE, ESE, interviews and promotions. IOFHS officers are selected through the Combined Medical Services Examination, conducted by UPSC.[20][21][22] All appointments to the Group A Civil Services are made by the President of India.[23]

National Academy of Defence Production (NADP), Nagpur provides training to the IOFS officers in areas of technology, management, public administration as induction and re-orientation courses.

The induction training programme of probationary officers is of 64 weeks, comprising technical, managerial and administrative modules of theoretical, practical and field nature. Classes are held at specialised educational institutions across India. Officer Trainees (OTs) are then sent on Bharat Darshan (Tour of India), which includes visits to the nuclear, defence, space, industrial and other technical installations of India. To understand the nuances of bureaucracy, they are familiarised with the functioning of district, state, national and international bodies, including the Parliament of India. Armed Forces attachment with the Army, Navy, Air Force and with the Police, Paramilitary and Special Forces for better understanding of needs of their customers. To get acquainted with the Indian legal system, they visit the Supreme Court of India. Thus, giving them exposure to all the three arms of the Government of India. Following which, they are sent for on-the-job training to various Ordnance Factories and are expected to apply the knowledge and experience gained. Examinations are held at the end of the training. The training concludes with interactions with the Members of Parliament, Ministers in-charge of the Home, Foreign and Defence ministries, Prime Minister, Vice-President and the President of India.[24]

IOFS officers are allowed to continue their higher studies at various national institutions such as the IITs, NITs, IIMs, IISc, NITIE, NDC, DSSC and DIAT under the sponsored category.[25][26] They are also trained at these institutes, at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration,[27] Administrative Staff College of India and the Indian Institute of Public Administration, while in service.[28][29][30][31] The officers are sent to countries which have friendly relations with India, such as the countries of erstwhile USSR, United States, UK, Sweden, Japan, Austria, Germany, Russia, France, Israel, Canada, Czech Republic, South Korea, Singapore etc.

The main functions performed by IOFS officers while at the Indian Ordnance Factories include product research & development, project management, materials management, production planning and control, quality control, supplies management, industrial safety, labour welfare, personnel management, industrial relations, management and maintenance of residential estates etc.

In discharging these functions, the IOFS officers interact extensively with:

• R&D organisations such as ARAI, BARC, BPRD, CSIR, ISRO, DRDO.[32]
• Quality controlling agencies such as Bureau of Indian Standards, Directorate of Standardisation,[33] Directorate General of Quality Assurance (Army),[34] Directorate General of Naval Armament Inspection (Navy),[35] Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (Air Force).[36][37]
• Inter-Services Organisations such as Military Engineer Services,[38] Defence Exhibition Organisation.[39]
• Educational institutes such as the IITs, NITs, IIMs, Indian Statistical Institutes.[40]
• Public Sector Undertakings of the Ministry of Defence: HAL, BEL, BEML, BDL, MDL, GSL, GRSE, Midhani; other Govt. PSUs; various Indian and foreign, private as well as government companies.
• Industrial and trade associations such as CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM.
• Ministries such as the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and others.[41]
• Besides, in order to meet the day-to-day operational requirements of the organisation, fulfill various statutory obligations, and ensure the welfare of the workforce employed in the ordnance factories, these officers also interact with the officers of the Indian Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, State Armed Police Forces, Paramilitary Forces of India, Special Forces of India; and other bureaucrats from IAS, IPS, IFS, IFoS, IA&AS, IDAS, IRS, IRTS, etc.[42][43][44][45]

• Narinder Singh Kapany – Former IOFS officer, FREng, "Father of Fibre Optics", also known as "The Man who Bent Light",[51] invented fibre optics that revolutionalised telecommunication, power transmission, etc. Named as one of the seven "Unsung Heroes of the 20th century" by Fortune magazine .[52] Former Professor at Stanford, Universities of California at Berkeley, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. Has more than 150 patents to his credit.[51]
• Nalini Ranjan Mohanty – Former IOFS officer. Secured All India 2nd Rank in the Engineering Services Examination of 1965, served as the Chairman & Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Director of Kudremukh Iron Ore Company, Mahanadi Coalfields, National Aluminium Company (NALCO), Bharat Earth Movers (BEML). Awarded Padma Shri in 2004 by the Government of India for his role in the development of LCA – Tejas.
• H. P. S. Ahluwalia – Former IOFS officer, FRGS. Author, mountaineer, social worker, first Indian to climb Mount Everest.[53][54] Founder & Chairman of Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. Awarded Arjuna Award, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. Also served as a Commissioned officer in the Indian Army and Member of Planning Commission (India).

Ordnance Factories Board

• IOFS civil list
• National Academy of Defence Production
• Indian Ordnance Factories
• Union Public Service Commission