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Indian Ordnance Factories Service

Service Overview
Abbreviation	I.O.F.S.
Formed	1935
Country	India
Training Ground	National Academy of Defence Production, Nagpur
Controlling Authority	Ministry of Defence Department of Defence Production
Legal personality	Governmental Civil Service
General nature	Research & Development General Management Public Administration Defence Production
Cadre Size	1760 members
Association	IOFS officers Association (IOFSA)
Service colour	Red, Navy Blue and Sky Blue
Service Chief
	DGOF & Chairman, OFB Current: Hari Mohan	Head of the Civil Services
	Cabinet Secretary Current: Rajiv gauba

The Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS) is a civil service of the Government of India. IOFS officers are Gazetted (Group A) defence-civilian officers under the Ministry of Defence. They are responsible for the management of the Indian Ordnance Factories, which provide the defence production capabilities of India.

Composition

During the colonial times, the administrative service of Ordnance was known as the Indian Ordnance Service. 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.

OFB's background

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.

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

Functions

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.
• Quality controlling agencies such as Bureau of Indian Standards, Directorate of Standardisation, Directorate General of Quality Assurance (Army), Directorate General of Naval Armament Inspection (Navy), Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (Air Force).
• Inter-Services Organisations such as Military Engineer Services, Defence Exhibition Organisation.
• Educational institutes such as the IITs, NITs, IIMs, Indian Statistical Institutes.
• 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.
• 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.

On Deputation

IOFS is a participating civil service under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS), which allows bureaucrats to move to any organisation, commission, institution, agency, department, ministry of the Government of India on deputation basis (excluding posts which are specifically encadred within the organised Group A services), depending on their interests, educational qualifications, seniority, age and other eligibility criteria.

IOFS officers also serve at key managerial posts of PSUs and SEZs; as advisors and secretaries to the Union Cabinet Ministers, Prime Minister and the President of India; as diplomats at various consulates, missions and embassies of India, located abroad; as Commissioned Officers in the Indian Armed Forces; and as Scientists in DRDO.

Hierarchy

Notable officers

• Narinder Singh Kapany – Former IOFS officer, FREng, "Father of Fibre Optics", also known as "The Man who Bent Light", invented fibre optics that revolutionalised telecommunication, power transmission, etc. Named as one of the seven "Unsung Heroes of the 20th century" by Fortune magazine . Former Professor at Stanford, Universities of California at Berkeley, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. Has more than 150 patents to his credit.
• 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. 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).

See also

Ordnance Factories Board

References

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External links

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

• Civil Services of India
• Indian Engineering Services
• Central Civil Services (India)
• Ministry of Defence (India)
• Government of India
• 1935 establishments in India
• Government agencies established in 1935