Country India | ||
Training centre National Telecom Academy and Advance Level Telecommunication Training Centre(ALTTC) National Telecom Academy and Advance Level Telecommunication Training Centre(ALTTC) National Telecommunications Institute for Policy Research, Innovation and Training since 2010 (NTIPRIT) Controlling Authority | ||
The Indian Telecommunications Service, widely known as ITS, and earlier known as 'Telegraph Engineering Service Class I'(TES Class I)is an organised civil service of Government of India. The appointment to this service is done through Combined Engineering Services exam held every year by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) of India. ITS is a Group 'A' Central Civil Service(Gazetted) post of the Union of India. The service was created to meet the technical and managerial functions of the government in areas related to telecommunications.The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) had been run for years by this permanent cadre of technical civil servants called the Indian Telecom Service (ITS).
Contents
- Recruitment and induction
- Training
- Appointments and responsibilities
- Designations
- Cadre controlling authority
- Indian Telecom Service Association
- Honours
- Retirements
- References
The officers of ITS are working in senior management and administrative positions in the Department of Telecommunications (DOT), Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM Cells), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL), Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL), Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), Unique Identification Authority of India (UID), Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), Metro Rail Corporations etc. At present, ITS officers are also working in many other central and state government assignments on deputation.
Recruitment and induction.
A competitive examination called combined engineering services examination is conducted by the UPSC for recruitment to the ITS. Recruitment to Group A and Group B Services/Posts are made under the following categories of Engineering:
I. Civil Engineering II. Mechanical Engineering III. Electrical Engineering IV. Electronics & Telecommunication EngineeringAppointments to ITS are made in category IV, i.e., Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering.
Training
After recruitment through Combined Engineering Services Examination, the officers undergo a two years course at National Telecommunication Institute for Policy Research Innovation and Training(www.ntiprit.gov.in) at Ghaziabad.Department of Telecommunication has set up this new training centre named as "National Telecommunicatios Institute for Policy Research, Innovation and Training" at Ghaziabad for its officers belonging to technical cadre i.e. ITS and TES. Previously (prior to 2010 Batch) ITS officers used to be trained at Advanced level telecommunication training centre (ALTTC), Ghaziabad and Bharatratna Bhimrao Ambedkar institute of telecom training (BRBRAITT),Jabalpur for management and telecommunications engineering. The officers are also deputed for on job field training in various areas.The ITS officers were trained at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) until 1980.
Appointments and responsibilities
As in the other Central Services, the officers are liable to be transferred and posted in anywhere in India. The officers of ITS work in the DOT, TRAI, TDSAT, BSNL, MTNL,Ministry of Home Affairs,UID,Ministry of Power,Department of Pharmaceuticals, Department of Defence, National Highway Authority of India, RITES, IRCON,TCIL,UPSC,SSC and various other Ministries and Statutory bodies of India.
The following officers of ITS are currently working in high positions:
Designations
The designations and time-scales within the Indian Telecom Service are as follows after cadre restructure
Cadre controlling authority
Member (Services), Telecom Commission of India is cadre controlling authority of ITS, Group A. Member(Services)is ex officio Secretary to Government of India. R K Mishra is currently working as Member(Services), Department of Telecom, Government of India
Indian Telecom Service Association
The officers of ITS are represented by the Indian Telecom Service Association in different forums. P.K.Jain and A.K. Tripathi are currently President and General Secretary, respectively.
Honours
Many members of ITS are awarded by many national and international organisations for their significant contributions.Few of them are enlisted below,
Shri G.B. Meemasi was the first ITS to receive Padma Shri (1998) for his work in Electronic Switching in DOT. He was the founder Director of CDOT and father of RAX. Shri SM Agarwal(Secretary DOT) and Shri P.S. Saran(Member Services) were other subsequent recipients, from ITS.
Retirements
Present strength of ITS is 1690. Many ITS officers will be retiring from government service shortly on attaining current superannuation age of 60 years. Year wise retirement position is given below,