The revenue department of the ministry of finance has under its purview the Customs and Central excise department. The apex body - a chairman and about half a dozen members is known as the Central Board of Excise and Customs. There are thirty four Central excise Collectorates and half a dozen customs collectorates in India.
Each collectorate is headed by a collector who is assisted by additional collectors/deputy collectors and assistant collectors. There are also a number of directorates such as the directorate of revenue intelligence, directorate of anti evasion (Central excise), directorate of training, directorate of inspection and audit etc, which are a part of the customs and central excise departments.
Nature of work
The functions of customs and Central excise department falls under two categories
-- Prevention of evasion of customs and excise duties. The custom officials work at airports, seaports and dockyards checking incoming/outgoing people/ships/cargo for compliance to import/export licencing procedures. The work involves physical examination of air crafts, ships, cargo, vehicles and frisking of passengers etc. for detecting concealment of goods and duty evasion. Excise officials similarly monitor compliance in the trade, movement, marketing of goods on which excise is levied.
-- Evaluation of goods and collection of duties accruing to the government.
Both the prevention and appraisal wings of the customs and Central excise department function under an office of the rank of assistant commissioner.
Entry and Training
Through UPSC
Officer of the customs and Central Excise services are appointed through the UPSC examinations (The aricle Civil services-Entry has details) and are first posted as senior superintendents.
Those candidates who miss the class I services by a few marks are appointed in the group B service as appraisers in the customs.
For state level jobs in Customs & Excise the selection is through State Public Service Commission's Allied Services Examination.
Direct selection
There are only two stages where direct recruitment takes place in the customs and Central excise (1) as constables and
(2) as customs preventive officers and Central excise inspectors/constables.
Vacancies for the posts of constables are notified to the employment exchange which sponsors the names of candidates for recruitment.
Constables
Eligibility/Selection - A candidate eligible for this post must have at least passed seventh standard examination. The minimum physical requirements are height-157.5 cms, chest-81 cms (with a minimum expansion of 5 cms relax able in the case of Gharwalis Assamese, Gorkhas, Nagaland tribals and scheduled tribes candidates).
The candidate is required to walk 1600 meters in 15 minutes and cycle 8 kilometers in 30 minutes. Selection is made through a written test. A certain percentage of the posts of constables are filled through promotions from the rank of sweeper, chowkidars and peons. Constables can expect to be promoted to the rank of a hawaldar or head constable.
Preventive officers/Inspectors
Eligibility/Selection - Staff Selection Commission advertises the vacancies every year and holds a written examination for selecting candidates to this post. The examination for this cadre is held simultaneously at various centres all over India. After qualifying in the written tests, the candidates have to face an interview board. The minimum educational qualification for this post is graduation. Candidate must also qualify in the physical fitness test and have the required height 157.5 cm chest-81 cms. (minimum expansion 5 cm). The physical requirements are relaxable by 5 cms in the case of Gharwalis, Assamese, Gorkhas, and Nagaland tribals and scheduled tribes candidates. As in the case of constables the physical fitness test gauges the candidates ability to walk 1600 meters in 15 minutes and cycle 8 kilometers in 30 minutes.
Twenty five percent of the post of inspectors are filled through promotions from the rank of tax assistants and stenographer.
Clerical cadres
Eligibility/Selection- Selection of Clerical cadre is done centrally by the Staff Selection Commission for the posts of stenographer lower division clerks/Hindi typists and upper division clerks. The minimum qualification for this post is matriculation. The candidates are tested for proficiency in shorthand and typing.
Stenographer Group III are considered for promotion to the ranks of inspector, stenographers group II and as deputy office superintendent-III. However, division clerk (LDC). Hindi typists-vacancies are advertised by the staff Selection Commission and candidates are put through a written test.
Their proficiency in typing is also tested. The minimum qualification for this post is matriculation. LDCs/Hindi typists can be promoted to the rank for upper division clerks (UDC). Ten per cent of the posts of LDCs are filled through promotion from Group D rank of employees, five per cent are filled on a seniority cum fitness basis and the other five per cent are filled through passing departmental examinations.
Upper division clerk (UDC) the Staff Selection Commission advertises vacancies and holds examinations on an all India basis for this post. The minimum qualification required for this post is graduation. An upper division clerk can rise to the rank of a tax assistant or a deputy officer superintendent L II
