Who among the following Governor Generals created the Covenanted Civil Service of India which later came to be known as the Indian Civil Service?

The Covenanted Civil Service that evolved into the Indian Civil Service was instituted under Lord Cornwallis. Cornwallis reorganised the Company’s civil administration, insisting on merit-based appointments and creating a structured, professional cadre of covenanted civil servants while excluding Indians from these posts — a feature noted as continuing “since the days of Cornwallis” [1]. His reforms also sharpened the separation and responsibilities of district administration (Collector, Magistrate, District Judge) and stabilised civil and criminal institutions, helping form the permanent civil service machinery that became known as the Indian Civil Service [2]. These measures collectively mark Cornwallis as the architect of the covenanted service.

Sources

1. [1] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 6: Administrative Organisation and Social and Cultural Policy > Civil Service > p. 108
2. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 17: Effects of British Rule > 17.5 Reforms in Civil and Judicial Administration > p. 269