Summary: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has notified the Indian Corporate Law Service Rules, 2026 through G.S.R. 863(E) dated 6 October 2026, superseding the Indian Corporate Law Service Rules, 2015. The Rules constitute the Indian Corporate Law Service as a Group ‘A’ service comprising Higher Administrative Grade, Senior Administrative Grade, Junior Administrative Grade, Senior Time Scale and Junior Time Scale. They prescribe the authorised strength and designations of duty posts, methods of recruitment and promotion, non-functional upgradation, seniority, probation, appointment, service liability, disqualification, relaxation and reservation-related provisions. The Rules provide for direct recruitment to 60 per cent of vacancies in the Junior Time Scale through the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, with the remaining 40 per cent filled by promotion. They also prescribe mandatory training before promotion or placement to specified grades and provide for Non-Functional Upgradation in accordance with applicable Government instructions. Schedule-I specifies the grades, pay levels, designations and sanctioned strength of the Service, with a total of 362 posts including reserve posts. The Rules also provide for continuity of qualifying service of existing officers, a two-year probation period for officers appointed to the Junior Time Scale, liability to serve anywhere in India or outside, and application of Central Civil Service conditions where the Rules contain no specific provision.
MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 6th October, 2026
G.S.R. 863(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the Constitution and in supersession of the Indian Corporate Law Service Rules, 2015, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the president hereby makes the following rules, regulating the method of recruitment and conditions of service of the Indian Corporate Law Service, namely:-
1. Short title and commencement .- (1) These rules may be called the Indian Corporate Law Service Rules, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Definitions .- In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires, –
(a) “Cadre Controlling Authority” means the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India;
(b) “Commission” means the Union Public Service Commission;
(c) “Departmental Promotion Committee, Departmental Confirmation Committee and Departmental Screening Committee” means Committees constituted to consider promotion, confirmation, grant of Non-Functional Upgradation and Non-Functional Selection Grade respectively in any grade as specified in Schedule-III;
(d) “duty post” means any post, specified in column (2) of Schedule-I;
(e) “Examination” means the Civil Services Examination held by the Commission for recruitment to Central Services Group ‘A;
(f) “Government” means the Central Government;
(g) “Grade” means a grade specified in column (2) of Schedule-I;
(h) “Other Backward Classes” shall have the same meaning and applicability as laid down in the Office Memorandum No. 36012/22/93-Estt. (SCT) dated the 8th September, 1993 of the Department of Personnel and Training, as amended from time to time;
(i) “persons with disability” means the persons as defined in the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 (1 of 1996);
(j) “Regular service” in relation to any grade, means the period of service in that grade rendered after selection and regular appointment to that grade under the rules and includes any period,-
i. taken into account for purpose of seniority in the case of those already in service in the grade at the time of notification of these rules;
ii. during which an officer would have held a post on regular basis in that grade but for being on leave or otherwise not being available for holding such posts;
(k) “Schedule” means a Schedule appended to these rules;
(l) “Scheduled Castes” and “Scheduled Tribes” shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in clauses (24) and (25) of article 366 of the Constitution;
(m) “Service” means the Indian Corporate Law Service constituted under rule 3.
3. Constitution of Indian Corporate Law Service .- (1) There shall be a constituted Service to be known as the Indian Corporate Law Service.
i. The Service shall comprise of five grades namely, Higher Administrative Grade, Senior Administrative Grade, Junior Administrative Grade, Senior Time Scale and Junior Time Scale.
ii. All the posts included in the service shall be classified as Group ‘A’ posts.
4. Grades, authorised strength and its review .- (1) The designations, levels in the pay matrix, grades, sanctioned strength of the duty posts, of commencement, shall be as specified in Schedule-I.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the Government, by notification in Official Gazette, may,-
i. make additions, alterations, substitutions or modifications to the number of duty posts, Grades, designations and levels in the pay matrix as specified in Schedule-I;
ii. in consultation with the Commission, include in the Service any duty post or exclude from the Service any duty post mentioned in Schedule-I;
ii. in consultation with the Commission, appoint an officer to a duty post included in the Service under sub-clause (b) to the appropriate Grade.
5. Members of the Service .- (1) The following persons shall be the members of the Service, namely:-
i. the existing officers of the Indian Corporate Law Service holding duty posts in various grades of the Service on regular basis or holding lien on such posts on the date of commencement of these rules, shall be deemed to have been appointed to the duty posts; and
ii. persons appointed to the duty posts under rule 6;
iii. A person referred to in clause (a) of sub-rule (1) shall be a member of the Service in the appropriate grade applicable to him.
iv. A person referred to in clause (b) of sub-rule (1) shall be a member of the Service in the appropriate grade applicable to him from the date of such appointment.
v. The regular service of officers referred to in sub-rule (1) in the respective corresponding Grades, rendered prior to the commencement of these rules, shall be counted as qualifying service for the purpose of seniority, confirmation, promotion, Non-Functional Selection Grade and Non- Functional Upgradation.
6. Future maintenance of the Service. – The posts in any of the grades shall be governed by and filled in the following manner, namely:-
i. sixty per cent. of the vacancies in the grade of Junior Time Scale shall be filled by direct recruitment on the basis of examination conducted by the Commission in accordance with rules made by the Government from time to time and the remaining forty per cent. vacancies arising in the grade shall be filled by promotion of regular incumbents of the posts as specified in Schedule-II;
ii. appointment in the grade of Senior Time scale and above in the Service except Junior Administrative Grade (Non-Functional Selection Grade) shall be made by promotion on selection basis from officers in the grade immediately below with the minimum qualifying service as specified in column (4) of Schedule-II and on the basis of the recommendation of the Departmental Promotion Committee constituted in accordance with the Schedule III;
iii. the appointment to the grade of Junior Administrative Grade (Non-Functional Selection Grade) of the Service shall be made by placement based on seniority subject to suitability on the basis of eligibility specified in column (5) of the Schedule-IIA and on the recommendation of a Screening Committee constituted in accordance with Schedule-III;
iv. all officers shall have to complete a mandatory training of two to four weeks in the relevant area or field as specified by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs before promotion or placement to the grades of Junior Time Scale, Senior Time Scale, Junior Administrative Grade and Junior Administrative Grade (Non-Functional Selection Grade).
7. Non-Functional Upgradation .- (1) Non-functional upgradation shall be granted to the eligible members of the Service in various grades (upto Higher Administrative Grade) of the Service on the recommendations of Departmental Screening Committee, as specified in Schedule-III. Whenever any Indian Administrative Service Officer of the State or Joint Cadre is posted at the Centre to a particular grade carrying pay in a specific level in the pay matrix, the members of the Service belonging to batches of the Service that are senior by two years or more and have not so far been promoted to that particular grade, shall be granted the same grade on non-functional basis from the date of posting of the Indian Administrative officer in that particular grade at the Centre, in accordance with Department of Personnel and training Office Memorandum No. 14017/64/2008-Estt.(RR) dated 24th April, 2009 and instructions or orders issued by the Government from time to time.
i. The terms and conditions, including the prescribed eligibility criteria and promotional norms including ‘benchmark’ for Non-Functional Upgradation to a particular grade shall have to be met at the time of screening for granting of higher pay-scale as prescribed in the orders or instructions issued by the Government.
ii. The ‘Batch’ of the members of the Service for determining their eligibility for grant of Non-Functional Upgradation shall be as follows, –
iii. in respect of directly recruited members of the Service in the entry grade (Junior Time Scale), the ‘Batch’ year shall be the year following the year in which examination was held through which they were appointed to the service. The batch of the members of the Service promoted to subsequent grades of the Service shall remain the same for the purpose of grant of Non-Functional Upgradation in different pay levels, provided the member of the Service is not superseded due to any reason. In case a member of the Service is superseded, the officer shall be considered along with the ‘Batch’ with which his seniority is fixed;
iv. in respect of members of the Service who have been recruited to the entry grade (Junior Time Scale) of the Service by promotion, the “Batch” year shall be the ‘Batch’ of the directly recruited member of the Service, with whom their seniority is clubbed in the Indian Corporate Law Service. In subsequent grades of the Service, the batch shall remain the same provided the officer is not superseded due to any reason. In case a member of the Service is superseded, the member of the Service shall be considered along with the ‘Batch’ with which the member of the Service is fixed.
8. Seniority .- (1) The relative seniority of the members of the Service, appointed or holding any grade, on commencement of these rules, shall be the same, as determined prior to such commencement:
Provided that if the seniority of any such member has not been determined prior to the commencement, the same shall be determined by the Cadre Controlling Authority in accordance with the general instructions issued by the Government.
(2) The seniority of the members appointed to the Service after commencement of these rules shall be determined in accordance with the general orders or instructions on seniority issued by the Government.
9. Probation .- (1) Every officer (member of the Service) on appointment to the Service either by direct recruitment or on promotion in the grade of Junior Time Scale of the Service shall be on probation for a period of two years:
Provided that the Cadre Controlling Authority may extend the period of probation in accordance with the orders or instructions issued by the Government:
Provided further that any decision for extension of the period of a probation shall be taken ordinarily within eight weeks after the expiry of the previous period of probation and communicated in writing to the officer concerned together with the reasons for so doing, within the said period.
i. On completion of the period of the probation or any extension thereof, officers shall, if considered fit for permanent appointment, be retained in their appointments on regular basis and be considered for confirmation in due course against the available vacancies, as the case may be, in terms of the orders of the Government issued from time to time, and on the basis of the recommendations of the Departmental Confirmation Committee constituted in accordance with schedule-III.
ii. If, during the period of probation or any extension thereof, as the case may be, the Government is of the opinion that an officer is not fit for permanent appointment, the Government may discharge or revert the officer to the post held by him prior to his appointment in the service, as the case may be.
iii. During the period of probation, or any extension thereof, the members of the Service may be required by the Government to undergo such courses of training and instructions and to pass such examinations, and tests (including examination in Hindi) as the Government may deem fit, as a condition to satisfactory completion of the probation.
iv. As regards other matters relating to probation, the members of the Service shall be governed by the order or instructions issued by the Government in this regard.
10. Appointment to the Service. – All appointments to the Service shall be made by the Cadre Controlling Authority for all the duty posts in various grades of the Service.
11. Liability for service in any part of India and other conditions of Service. –
i. The members appointed to the Service shall be liable to serve anywhere in India or outside.
ii. The conditions of service of the members of the Service in respect of matters for which no provision has been made in these rules shall be the same as are applicable, to the Group ‘A’ officers of the Central Civil Service.
12. Disqualification. – No person, –
i. who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living; or
ii. who, having a spouse living, has entered into or contracted a marriage with any person, shall be eligible for appointment to the Service:
Provided that the Government may, if satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal law applicable to such person and the other party to the marriage and that there are other grounds for so doing, exempt any person from the operation of this rule.
13. Power to relax. – Where the Government is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do, it may
by order and for reasons to be recorded in writing, and in consultation with the Commission relax any of the provisions of these rules with respect to any class or category of persons.
14. Saving. – Nothing in these rules shall affect reservation, relaxation of age-limit and other concessions
required to be provided for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, ex-servicemen and other special categories of persons in accordance with the orders issued by the Government from time to time in this regard.
15. Interpretation. – If any question relating to interpretation of these rules arise, it shall be decided by the Government in consultation with the Commission.
SCHEDULE-I
[See rules 2(d), (g) and 4]
Designation, number and level in pay matrix of duty posts included in the various grade of the Indian Corporate Law Service
| Sl. No. | Grade and level in pay matrix | Designation. | Number of posts. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Higher Administrative Grade (HAG), Level – 15 in the pay matrix.(Rs. 1,82,200 – 2,24,100). | Director General of Corporate Affairs. | 01 |
| 2. | Senior Administrative Grade(SAG), Level – 14 in the pay matrix. (Rs. 1,44,200 – 2,18,200). | (1) Regional Director; (2) Director of Inspection and Investigation; (3) Director (Legal and Prosecution); (4) Director (Public Grievances). | 14 |
| 3. | Junior Administrative Grade (Non-Functional Selection Grade), Level-13 in the pay matrix. (Rs. 1,23,100 – 2,15,900). | (1) Registrar of Companies; (2) Official Liquidator; (3) Joint Director; (4) Registrar of Companies –cum -Official Liquidator. | 81** |
| 4. | Junior Administrative Grade (JAG), Level-12 in the pay matrix. (Rs. 78,800 – 2,09,200). | ||
| 5. | Senior Time Scale (STS), Level- 11 in the pay matrix. (Rs. 67,700 – 2,08,700). | (1) Registrar of Companies; (2) Official Liquidator; (3) Deputy Registrar of Companies; (4) Deputy Official Liquidator; (5) Deputy Director; (6) Registrar of Companies- cum-Official Liquidator. | 98 |
| 6. | Junior Time Scale (JTS), Level-10 in the pay matrix. (Rs. 56,100 – 1,77,500). | (1) Registrar of Companies; (2) Official Liquidator; (3) Registrar of Companies -cum-Official Liquidator; (4) Assistant Registrar of Companies; (5) Assistant Official Liquidator; (6) Assistant Director. | 153 |
| 7. | Reserve posts [“5 per cent. of Senior Duty Posts (i.e. all the duty posts at the level of Senior Time Scale and above in the service) as deputation reserve, 1.5 per cent. of Senior Duty Posts as training reserve and 1.5 per cent. of Senior Duty Posts as leave reserve). | 15 | |
| Total | 362 |
**Note 1: The Junior administrative Grade (Non-Functional Selection Grade) is Non- Functional and the maximum number of posts in this grade shall be equal to thirty per cent. of the senior duty posts (i.e all duty posts at the level of Senior Time scale and above in the service) and the maximum number of posts in this grade shall be limited to the number of sanctioned posts in the Junior Administrative Grade.
SCHEDULE-II
[See rule 6 (a)]
Method of recruitment, field of selection and minimum qualifying service in the next lower grade for appointment of officers on promotion to duty posts included in the various grades of the Indian Corporate Law Service
| Sl. No. | Grade. | Method of recruitment. | Whether by selection or non-selection. | Field of selection and the minimum qualifying service for promotion or grant of Non- Functional Selection Grade. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Higher Administrative Grade (HAG). | Promotion. | Selection. | (i) Senior Administrative Grade officers with three years regular service in level-14 (Rs.1,44,200 – 2,18,200) in the pay matrix; or (ii) officers with twenty-five years’ regular service in Group ‘A’ posts in the service out of which at least one year’s regular service should be in Senior Administrative Grade; or (iii) officers with twenty-one years’ regular service in Group ‘A’ posts in the service out of which at least one year’s regular service should be in Senior Administrative Grade for officers who had entered in the service at the level of Senior Time Scale; or (iv) officers with sixteen years’ regular service in Group ‘A’ posts in the service out of which at least one year’s regular service should be in Senior Administrative Grade for officers who had entered in the service at the level of Junior Administrative Grade. |
| 2. | Senior Administrative Grade (SAG). | Promotion. | Selection. | (i) Junior Administrative Grade officers with eight years’ regular service in level – 12 (Rs. 78,800 – 2,09,200) in the pay matrix including Non- Functional Selection Grade; or (ii) officers with seventeen years regular service in Group ‘A’ posts in the service out of which at least four years’ regular service should be in the Junior Administrative Grade (including service rendered in level-13 (Rs, 123100-215900) in the pay matrix in Non-Functional Selection Grade of the Junior Administrative Grade). |
| 3. | Junior Administrative Grade (JAG). | Promotion. | Selection. | Senior Time Scale officers with five years regular service in level – 11 (Rs. 67,700 – 2,08,700) in the pay matrix. |
| 4. | Senior Time Scale (STS). | Promotion. | Selection. | Junior Time Scale officers with four years regular service in level – 10 (Rs. 56,100 – 1,75,500) in the pay matrix. |
| 5. | Junior Time Scale (JTS). | Forty per cent. by promotion. | Selection. | Promotion: (i) Company Prosecutor in level-7 in the pay matrix (Rs. 44,900 – 1,42,400) with five years regular service. (ii) Senior Technical Assistant in level 7 in the pay matrix (Rs. 44,900 – 1,42,400) with five years regular service. Note: Vacancies in the promotion quota shall be apportioned between Company Prosecutor and Senior Technical Assistant in the ratio of 4:7 respectively. |
| Sixty per cent. by direct recruitment (through examination). | Not applicable. |
Note 1: The eligibility service for promotion shall continue to be three year for persons holding the feeder post viz. Company Prosecutor (Level-7) and Senior Technical Assistant (Level-7) on regular basis on the date of notification of these rules.
Note 2: Where juniors who have completed their qualifying or eligibility service are being considered for promotion, the seniors shall also be considered provided they are not short of the requisite qualifying service or eligibility service by more than half of such qualifying or eligibility service or two years, whichever is less, and have successfully completed probation period from promotion to the next higher grade along with their juniors who have already completed such qualifying or eligibility service.
SCHEDULE-IIA
[See rule 6 (c)]
Method of recruitment, field of selection and minimum qualifying service and method of grant of Non-Functional Selection Grade to Junior Administrative Grade officers of the Indian Corporate Law Service
| Serial Number. | Grade and designation. | Method of recruitment/ appointment. | Whether by selection or non-selection. | Field of selection and the minimum qualifying service for placement. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Non-Functional Selection Grade (NFSG) in Junior Administrative Grade. | By placement on seniority basis subject to suitability. | Non-selection. | (i) officers in Junior Administrative Grade with five years’ regular service in Grade; or (ii) officers of the Junior Administrative Grade who have entered the fourteenth year of service as on the 1st January of the year calculated from the year following the year of examination on the basis of which the member was recruited in the service; or (iii) officers of the Junior Administrative Grade who have entered the service through promotion at the Junior Time Scale and have completed thirteen years of regular service calculated from the year in which the officer was promoted to Group-‘A’ on the date of consideration of Non-Functional Selection Grade. |
SCHEDULE-III
[See rule 2(c), 6 (b), (c) and rule 7(1)]
(i) Composition of Departmental Promotion Committee for considering cases for promotion in the Indian Corporate Law Service;
(ii) Composition of Departmental Confirmation Committee for considering cases for confirmation in the Indian Corporate Law Service;
(iii) Composition of Screening Committee for considering cases for grant of Non-Functional Up-gradation or Non-Functional Selection Grade to officers of Indian Corporate Law Service.
| Sl. No. | Grade. | Departmental Promotion Committee. | Departmental Confirmation Committee. | Departmental Screening Committee for considering cases for grant of Non Functional Up-gradation/ Non Functional Selection Grade. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Higher Administrative Grade (HAG). | (i) Chairperson or Member, Union Public Service Commission – Chairperson; (ii) Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member; (iii) Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, Department of Legal Affairs – Member. | (i) Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Chairperson; (ii) Two Secretaries of any Ministry under Government of India – Member. | |
| 2. | Senior Administrative Grade (SAG). | (i) Chairperson or Member, Union Public Service Commission – Chairperson; (ii) Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member; (iii) Director General Corporate Affairs or Additional Secretary Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member. | (i) Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Chairperson; (ii) Director General Corporate Affairs or Additional Secretary of any ministry under Government of India – Member; (iii) Additional Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member. | |
| 3. | Junior Administrative Grade (Non-Functional Selection Grade). | (i) Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Chairperson; (ii) Additional Secretary or Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member; (iii) Regional Director(NR) or Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member. | ||
| 4. | Junior Administrative Grade (JAG). | (i) Chairperson or Member, Union Public Service Commission – Chairperson; (ii) Additional Secretary or Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member; (iii) Regional Director (NR) or Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member. | (i) Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Chairperson; (ii) Additional Secretary or Joint Secretary Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member; (iii) Regional Director (NR) or Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member. | |
| 5. | Senior Time Scale (STS). | (i) Additional Secretary or Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Chairperson; (ii) Director or Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member; (iii) Director, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member. | (i) Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Chairperson: (ii) Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member; (iii) Joint Director, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member. | |
| 6. | Junior Time Scale (JTS). | (i) Chairperson or Member, Union Public Service Commission – Chairperson; (ii) Director or Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member; (iii) Director or Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member. | (i) Additional Secretary or Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Chairperson; (ii) Director or Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member; (iii) Joint Director or Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Member. |
[F. No. 11/1/2025-Ad.II-MCA]
ANSUMAN PATTNAIK, Addl. Secy.
