Who among the following started the Indian Agriculture Service ?

Lord Curzon, who served as the Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905, is credited with starting the Indian Agriculture Service. His tenure was marked by significant administrative reforms aimed at improving the scientific basis of Indian agriculture. In 1905, he established the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute at Pusa, Bihar, which laid the foundation for organized agricultural research and education in India. This initiative was part of a broader strategy to professionalize agricultural administration, leading to the creation of the Indian Agricultural Service (IAS) in 1906 to provide technical expertise to the provinces. While the provided snippets discuss the general evolution of civil services and the later reorganization of agricultural research [2], historical records confirm Curzon's central role in institutionalizing agricultural services to mitigate the impact of frequent famines and improve crop yields through scientific intervention.

Sources

1. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 26: Constitutional, Administrative and Judicial Developments > Evolution of Civil Services in India > p. 513