Divisional System, District Administration, Sub-Division/Tehsil & Police Administration

Study Material#

Current Administrative Update (September 2026)#

Current count: 7 divisions and 41 districts. The 2023 descriptions below record the then configuration of 10 divisions and 50 districts. The three 2023 divisions—Sikar, Pali and Banswara—were subsequently discontinued. Nine of the 2023 districts were also discontinued, leaving 41 districts. The seven current divisions are Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer and Bharatpur.

Question-reading rule: Dates matter. For example, Banswara was the smallest division in the 2023 ten-division arrangement; it is not a current division. The 2023 tables, including the 19-district list and proposed division memberships, are preserved as historical study material.

Concept map: State secretariat → divisional commissioner → district collector/district magistrate → sub-divisional officer/sub-divisional magistrate → tehsildar → land-record staff. Police command runs through DGP → senior regional police officers → SP → station-level officers. The DM and SP coordinate on public order while exercising different legal powers.

Advanced exam method: First identify the date or period. Next identify whether a question concerns revenue appeal, executive-magisterial powers, development coordination or police command. Then choose the office legally responsible for that function.

1. Divisional System and Divisional Commissioner

In the Indian administrative system, the Division works as an important Supervisory & Coordinating Link between the State Headquarters (Secretariat) and District Administration.

[State Secretariat / Chief Secretary]
             │
             ▼
[Divisional Commissioner]  <── [Divisional Level: Supervision & Coordination]
             │
             ▼
[District Collector]       <── [District Level: Implementation Unit]

1.1 Historical Background of Divisional System in Rajasthan#

1.2 Role, Powers & Functions of Divisional Commissioner#

The Divisional Commissioner is a very senior IAS officer (Super-time / Above Super-time Scale).

2. Reorganization of Divisions and Districts: 2023 Historical Record

For administrative convenience, reducing the excessive distance of common people from district headquarters, and ensuring decentralized good governance, administrative units in Rajasthan were reorganized in 2023.

[21 March 2022] ──> Formation of Ram Lubhaya High-Level Expert Committee
[17 March 2023] ──> Announcement in Assembly by CM Ashok Gehlot (19 new districts + 3 new divisions)
[04 August 2023] ──> Cabinet approves demarcation proposal of new districts & divisions
[06 August 2023] ──> Official Gazette Notification issued by Revenue Department
[07 August 2023] ──> Formal Foundation Day (Inauguration Day) of new divisions & districts

2.1 Ram Lubhaya Committee#

2.2 Three New Divisions#

2.3 Structure of the Ten Divisions in 2023#

2.4 Nineteen Districts in the 2023 Reorganization#

2.5 Lalit K. Panwar Review Committee (2024)#

The Bhajan Lal Sharma government constituted a high-level committee chaired by former IAS officer Dr Lalit K. Panwar to review the administrative need, financial burden and practical viability of the districts and divisions created in 2023.

3. District Administration and Collector

The district is the most important Basic Unit of Administration of state administration. In the words of Harold Laski: "District administration is the pivot on which the entire wheel of state government revolves."

                           [Multi-Dimensional Post of District Collector]
                                            │
    ┌───────────────────────┬───────────────┼───────────────┬───────────────────────┐
    ▼                       ▼               ▼               ▼                       ▼
[District Collector]    [District Magistrate] [District Election] [District Development]  [Crisis Manager]
 • Land Revenue Collection • Law & Order       Officer (DEO)     Officer (Coordinator)  (Disaster Manager)
 • Land Records & Allotment • CrPC/BNSS       • Lok Sabha/      • Panchayati Raj &    • Famine, Flood,
                             Sections          Assembly Elections  Development Schemes   Disaster Relief

3.1 Origin of the Post#

3.2 Major Roles & Functions of District Collector#

1. As Collector (Revenue Administration)#

2. As District Magistrate (DM - Law & Order)#

3. As District Election Officer (DEO)#

4. As Development Administrator & Coordinator#

5. As Chairman of District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)#

4. Sub-Divisional Administration and SDO/SDM

The district is divided administratively into several Sub-Divisions.

[District Collector (DM/DC)]
          │
          ▼
[Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO / SDM)]  <── [Miniature Collector at Sub-Division Level]
          │
          ▼
[Tehsildar]                            <── [Tehsil Level: Revenue & Field Administration]

4.1 Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO / SDM)#

4.2 Functions & Powers of SDO / SDM#

5. Tehsil Administration and Tehsildar

Tehsil is that basic ground-level unit of state administration where there is direct contact between governance and common citizens (especially rural farmers).

[Tehsildar (Gazetted - RAS / RTS)]
               │
               ▼
[Naib Tehsildar (Sub-Tehsil In-charge)]
               │
               ▼
[Land Records Inspector (Girdawar)]
               │
               ▼
[Patwari (First Soldier of Revenue at Gram Panchayat Level)]

5.1 Role & Functions of Tehsildar#

6. Police Administration in Rajasthan

Rajasthan Police was formed under the Rajasthan Police Ordinance, 1949 by integrating police forces of various princely states.

6.1 Organizational Hierarchy of Police Administration#

[State Level]     ──> Director General of Police (DGP - Head of Police Force)
                         │
[Division / Range] ──> Additional DGP / Inspector General (ADGP / IGP - Range)
                         │
[District Level]  ──> Superintendent of Police (SP / SSP)
                         │
[Additional District] ──> Additional SP
                         │
[Circle / Sub-Division] ──> Deputy SP / Circle Officer (Dy.SP / CO - RPS)
                         │
[Police Station]  ──> Station House Officer (SHO - Inspector / Sub-Inspector)
                         │
[Outpost Level]   ──> Police Outpost In-charge (ASI / Head Constable)
                         │
[Basic Field Constable] ──> Constable

6.2 Zonal & Functional Division (Police Setup)#

6.3 Police Commissionerate System in Rajasthan#

[Traditional District System (Dual System)]         [Police Commissionerate System (Unitary System)]
 • SP depends on DM for law & order                 • Police Commissioner himself has Executive Magistrate powers
 • Permission of DM required for lathi charge/144   • Quick decisions; no need of DM's permission
 • Weapon & hotel licenses by DM                    • Licensing powers directly under Police Commissioner

6.4 Relationship between DM (District Magistrate) & SP (Superintendent of Police)#

7. High-Yield Exam Pointers (2023 Historical Facts Where Applicable)

Final Revision Table#

These notes and 80 practice MCQs support RAS, RPSC, REET, SSC, UPSC and other competitive exam preparation.

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