Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS)

The IOFS was formed in 1954.
It is one of the Group 'A' Central Civil Service of India.
The cadre controlling authority is Ministry of Defense, Department of Defense Production and Supplies.
Cadre size: 1760 posts (direct recruitment – 60%, promotion - 40%).
Most of the directly recruited officers come through the Engineering Services Examinations and few from the Civil Services Examination.
The IOFS consist of a multi-disciplinary cadre comprising of engineers, metallurgists, chemists, textile and leather technologists, etc.
The Indian Ordnance Factories organization is a family of 40 Ordnance Factories under the aegis of its corporate headquarters Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata.

Responsible for the management of Ordinance Factories. The main functions of the factories are:
Serve as a production base for the Indian Armed forces for the supply of critical lethal as well as non-lethal stores.
Provide the defence services with high-level services in regard to equipment, spares, and technical services.
Design and develop new products and processes, make maximum use of indigenous R&D capabilities both within and outside.
Diversify into the civil trade and export sector.
Product development, project management, materials management, production planning and control, quality control, supplies management, industrial safety, labour welfare, personnel management, industrial relations, management of residential estates etc.
Interaction with with R&D organisations such as the Defence Research & Development Organisation, DGQA, MES, IITs, National Laboratories, Ministry of Home, Ministry of Labour and other ministries.
Responsible for day to day operational requirements of the organisation, fulfil various statutory obligations, and ensure the welfare of the workforce employed in the ordinance factories
Interaction with the officers of the IAS, the IPS, Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Indian Customs and Central Excise, Indian Defence Accounts Service, Indian Revenue Service, Indian Railway Traffic Service etc.