Table of Precedence | Indian Polity for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Table of Precedence in India

The Table of Precedence in India is a protocol list that ranks officials and functionaries based on their position and office within the Government of India.

Rank 1: President of India

Rank 2: Vice President of India

Rank 3: Prime Minister of India

Rank 4: Governors of States (within their respective States)

Rank 5: Former Presidents

Rank 5(A): Deputy Prime Minister

Rank 6: Chief Justice of India; Speaker of Lok Sabha

Rank 7: (i) Cabinet Ministers of the Union

 (ii) Chief Ministers of States (within their respective States)

 (iii) Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission 

(iv) Former Prime Ministers 

(v) Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha

Rank 7(A): Holders of Bharat Ratna decoration

Rank 8: (i) Ambassadors Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary and High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries accredited to India

 (ii) Governors of States (outside their respective States) 

(iii) Chief Ministers of States (outside their respective States)

Rank 9: Judges of the Supreme Court

Rank 9(A): Chief Election Commissioner; Comptroller & Auditor General of India

Rank 10: (i) Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha 

(ii) Deputy Chief Ministers of States 

(iii) Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha 

(iv) Members of Planning Commission 

(v) Members of State of the Union (and any other Ministers in the Ministry of Defence for Defence Matters)

Rank 11: (i) Attorney General of India

 (ii) Cabinet Secretary

 (iii) Lt Governors in their respective Union Territories

Rank 12: Chiefs of Staff holding the rank of full General or equivalent rank

Rank 13: Envoys Extraordinary & Ministers Plenipotentiary accredited to India

Rank 14: Chairmen & Speakers of State Legislatures (within their respective States) ; Chief Justices of High Courts (outside their respective jurisdictions)

Rank 15: (i) Cabinet Ministers in States (within their respective States) 

(ii) Chief Ministers of Union Territories (within their respective Union Territories) 

(iii) Deputy Ministers of the Union

Rank 16: Officiating Chiefs of Staff holding the rank of Lt. General or equivalent rank

Rank 17: (i) Chairman, Central Administrative Tribunal 

(ii) Chairman, Minorities Commission 

(iii) Chairman, SC & ST Commission 

(iv) Chairman, UPSC 

(v) Chief Justices of the High Courts (outside their respective jurisdictions)

 (vi) Puisne Judges of the High Courts (within their respective jurisdictions)

Rank 18: (i) Cabinet Ministers of the States (outside their respective States) 

(ii) Chairmen & Speakers of State Legislatures (outside their respective States) 

(iii) Deputy Chairmen & Deputy Speakers of State Legislatures (within their States) 

(iv) Ministers of Union Territories (within their respective Union Territories)

 (v) Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories (within their respective Union Territories)

Rank 19: (i) Chief Commissioners of Union Territories (not having Councils of Ministers), within their respective Union Territories Deputy Ministers of States (within their respective States)

 (ii) Deputy Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories (within their respective Union Territories)

Rank 20: (i) Deputy Chairmen & Speakers of State Legislatures (outside their States) Ministers of State in States (outside their respective States)

 (ii) Puisne Judges of High Courts (outside their respective jurisdictions)

Rank 21: Members of Parliament

Rank 22: Deputy Ministers of States (outside their States)

Rank 23: (i) Army Commanders / Vice Chief of the Army Staff / equivalent in other services 

(ii) Chief Secretaries to State Governments (within their States)

 (iii) Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities

 (iv) Commissioner for SC and ST 

(v) Members, Minorities Commission 

(vi) Members, SC and ST Commission 

(vii) Officers of the rank of full General or equivalent rank 

(viii) Secretaries to the Government of India (including officers holding this rank ex-officio) 

(ix) Secretary, Minorities Commission

 (x) Secretary, SC & ST Commission

 (xi) Secretary to President 

(xii) Secretary to Prime Minister 

(xiii) Secretary Rajya Sabha & Lok Sabha

 (xiv) Solicitor General 

(xv) Vice-Chairman, Central Administrative Tribunal

Rank 24: Officers of the rank of Lt General or equivalent rank

Rank 25: (i) Additional Secretaries to the Government of India
(ii) Additional Solicitor General
(iii) Advocate Generals of States 
(iv) Chairman, Tariff Commission 
(v) Interim Chief Ministers of Union Territories (outside their Union Territories) 
(vi) Chief Secretaries of State Governments (outside their States)
(vii) Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General 
(viii) Speakers of Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories (outside their respective Union Territories) 
(ix) Chairman Delhi Metropolitan Council (outside their Union Territories) 
(x) Deputy Speakers of Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories (outside their respective Union Territories) 
(xi) Director, CBI 
(xii) Director General, BSF 
(xiii) Director General, CRPF 
(xiv) Director, Intelligence Bureau 
(xv) Lt Governors of Union Territories (outside their respective Union Territories) 
(xvi) Members, Central Administrative Tribunal
(xvii) Members MRTP Commission 
(xviii) Members, UPSC 
(xix) Ministers of Union Territories (outside their respective Union Territories) 
(xx) Principal Staff Officers of the Armed Forces and officers of the rank of Major General or equivalent rank

Rank 26: (i) Joint Secretaries to the Government of India and officers of equivalent rank 
(ii) Officers of the rank of Major General or equivalent rank