Indian Telecommunication Service
The Indian Telecommunications Service, widely known as ITS, is an organized civil service of Government of India. The appointment to this service is done through 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 Telecommunication Service (ITS).
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) etc. At present, ITS officers are also working in many other central and state government assignments on deputation.
Service Profile of Indian Telecommunication Service (ITS)
ITS is a Group 'A' Central Civil Service(Gazetted) post of the Union of India. The service meets the technical and managerial functions of the government in areas related to telecommunications. The Indian Telecommunication Service being part of the Central Civil Services (CCS) are concerned directly with the administration and permanent bureaucracy of the Government of India The Department of Telecommunications (DOT), under the Ministry of Communications is responsible for Cadre Control and policy decisions such as cadre structure, recruitment, training, cadre deputation, pay and allowances, and disciplinary matters of the ITS officers. Member (Services), Telecom Commission of India is cadre controlling authority of Indian Telecommunication Service. Member(Services), Telecom Commission is the ex officio Secretary to Government of India.
Training
All the officers of Indian Telecommunication Service undergo probationary training at National Telecom Institute for policy research, innovation and training (NTIPRIT). After successful completion of probation, officers are confirmed in the service. Also, there is provision for Mid-Career Training for ITS officers spread across the entire service span.
Appointments and Responsibilities
The Officers of Indian Telecommunication Service work in policy formulation and policy implementation of the Department of Telecommunication. ITS Officers also perform the role of Telegraph Authority in the field at all the Licence Service Areas and Large Telecom Districts of the country, to ensure that service providers adhere to the licence conditions and for taking care of telecom network security issues and crackdown on illegal / clandestine telecom operations. 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, UIDAI, Ministry of External Affairs, 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.