Discover the first IAS officer of India male and female, their impact on civil services, and notable IAS officers who transitioned into politics.
theIAShub | 12 Mar, 2025 | 896 | 0
The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is one of the most prestigious services in India. It plays a crucial role in policy implementation, governance, and law enforcement. Over the years, IAS officers have significantly contributed to India’s administration and even transitioned into politics. This article explores the history of the IAS, including the first IAS officer of India, the first IAS officer of India female, the first IAS officer of India male, and other notable milestones.
The IAS evolved from the Indian Civil Service (ICS) after India’s independence. The transition marked a significant change from colonial administration to an independent bureaucratic framework.
| First IAS Officer of India (Male) | As such no such designate is there for the independent India., but first male IAS officer of India was Satyendranath Tagore who cleared the examination in 1863 |
| First IAS Officer of India (Female) | In 1951, Anna Rajam Malhotra became the first IAS officer of India female. She played a key role in infrastructure development and broke gender barriers in civil services, paving the way for more women to join the IAS. |
| First IAS Officer of British India | Before independence, Satyendranath Tagore became the first IAS officer of British India in 1863. He was the first Indian to clear the Indian Civil Service (ICS) examination, setting a precedent for future generations. |
| First Scheduled Tribe IAS officer in India | Jamchonga Nampui: He was the first person from Assam to be directly recruited into the IAS and also the first Scheduled Tribe IAS officer in India, having cleared the civil services examination in 1954. |
Here’s a list of notable IAS officers (then part of the Indian Civil Service, or ICS) during the colonial era:
| Name | Details |
| Satyendranath Tagore | First Indian to join the ICS in 1863. Brother of Rabindranath Tagore; broke racial barriers. |
| Romesh Chunder Dutt | Joined ICS in 1869. Historian, economist, and author of The Economic History of India. |
| Surendranath Banerjee | Passed ICS in 1869 but was dismissed in 1871 due to an age dispute. Later became a freedom fighter. |
| Behari Lal Gupta | Joined ICS in 1869. Advocated for Indian representation in civil services and administrative reforms. |
Several IAS officers have transitioned into politics, leveraging their administrative expertise to serve in higher leadership roles. Here is a list of IAS officers who became Chief Ministers or ministers:
| Name | Civil Service | Details |
| Yashwant Sinha | IAS (1960 batch) | Joined IAS in 1960; served till 1984. Entered politics with Janata Dal, later joined BJP. Resigned from BJP in 2018. |
| Mani Shankar Aiyar | IFS (1963 batch) | Joined Indian Foreign Service in 1963. Entered politics in 1989; elected to Lok Sabha in 1991. Held portfolios like Petroleum and Panchayati Raj. |
| Arvind Kejriwal | IRS | Joined Indian Revenue Service in 1995; resigned in 2006. Won the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2006). Founded Aam Aadmi Party in 2012; Delhi CM since 2013. |
| Hardeep Singh Puri | IFS (1974 batch) | Joined IFS in 1974; served as India’s Permanent Representative to the UN. Currently Cabinet Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Housing and Urban Affairs. |
| Raj Kumar Singh | IAS (1975 batch, Bihar cadre) | 1975 batch Bihar-cadre IAS officer; served as Union Home Secretary. Joined BJP in 2013; currently Cabinet Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy. |
| Satyapal Singh | IPS (1980 batch, Maharashtra cadre) | 1980 batch IPS officer; served as Mumbai Police Commissioner. Joined BJP in 2014; elected as MP from Baghpat. Former Minister of State for HRD. |
| Alphons Kannanthanam | IAS (1979 batch, Kerala cadre) | 1979 batch IAS officer; known as “Demolition Man” for clearing illegal buildings in Delhi. Joined BJP in 2011; became Minister of State for Tourism and IT. |
| Ajit Jogi | IAS (1968 batch, Madhya Pradesh cadre) | 1968 batch IAS officer; resigned to join Congress. Became first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh (2000-2003). Later formed Chhattisgarh Janata Congress. |
| Meira Kumar | IFS (1973 batch) | Joined IFS in 1973; served in embassies in Spain and UK. Entered politics in 1985; became first woman Lok Sabha Speaker (2009-2014). |
| N. K. Singh | IAS (1964 batch, Bihar cadre) | Held key economic policy roles. Served as MP in Rajya Sabha. Later became Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission but never held a ministerial position. |
| S. Jaishankar | IFS (1977 batch) | Joined IFS in 1977; served as Foreign Secretary. Currently serving as Cabinet Minister of External Affairs. |
A common question is, how many IAS officers in India currently serve? The total sanctioned strength of the IAS is around 6,500 officers. However, the actual number in service varies due to retirements and vacancies. As per recent data of DOPT, India has 5464 IAS officers, out of a total of 6829 IAS officers in its cadre. Each year, approximately 180 officers are recruited through the UPSC Civil Services Examination, ensuring a continuous supply of capable administrators.
Below we have attached a list of IAS toppers in last few years:
| Year | IAS Topper |
| 2010 | Dr. Shah Faesal |
| 2011 | Shena Aggarwal |
| 2012 | Haritha V. Kumar |
| 2013 | Gaurav Agrawal |
| 2014 | Ira Singhal |
| 2015 | Tina Dabi |
| 2016 | Nandini K.R. |
| 2017 | Anudeep Durishetty |
| 2018 | Kanishak Kataria |
| 2019 | Pradeep Singh |
| 2020 | Shubham Kumar |
| 2021 | Shruti Sharma |
| 2022 | Ishita Kishore |
| 2023 | Aditya Srivastava |
From the first IAS officer of India to today’s evolving cadre, the IAS has played a crucial role in shaping the nation. The IAS topper year wise list reflects the changing face of civil services, while the list of IAS officers who became Chief Ministers or ministers highlights their growing influence in governance. As India continues to develop, the role of IAS officers remains vital in ensuring efficient administration and policy implementation.
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Anna Rajam Malhotra became the first female IAS officer in 1951.
The total sanctioned strength of the IAS is around 6,500 officers, with approximately 5,464 officers in service as per recent data.
A comprehensive year-wise list of IAS toppers is available on the official UPSC website.
Yes, several IAS officers have transitioned into politics, including Yashwant Sinha and Arvind Kejriwal.
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