Question

Which one of the following statements about the British Indian Medical Service (IMS) is not correct ?
1. IMS began in 1764.
2. It recruited health professionals by means of a competitive examination.
3. Indians were never admitted to IMS.
4. The IMS was at first meant to look after the troops

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : Indians were never admitted to IMS.

The correct answer is Indians were never admitted to IMS.

• The Indian Medical Service (IMS) was military medical service in British India, which also had some civilian functions.
• It served during the two World Wars and remained in existence until the independence of India in 1947.
• The first three surgeons to have served were John Banester on the Leicester, Lewis Attmer on the Edward, and Rober on the Francis.
• The first signs of the organization began with the establishment of the Bengal Medical Service on 20 October 1763 with fixed grades, rules for promotion, and service.
• Similar services were established by 1764 in both Madras and Bombay.
• The military service also required combat service and upon promotion, they could choose one branch either as Captain or Surgeon.
• The first Indian natives to join the service was Soorjo Coomar Goodeve Chuckerbutty who entered the service on 24 January 1855 followed by Rajendra Chandra Chandra on 27 January 1858.
• The Medical Services of the Madras, Bengal, and Bombay Presidencies were united after 1857.
• The separate Medical Boards involved that recruited for the Presidencies were abolished on 12 November 1857.
• A single Indian Medical Service that separated from the civil medical service in 1858[19] was placed under a single Director-General.

• Prior to the formation of the IMS in 1764, all medical officers in the employ of the East India Company were unranked.
• There were two grades of medical officer:
  • ​Head surgeon.
  • Surgeon.
• On 24 October 1788, medical officers were reclassified as commissioned officers:
  • ​Surgeon-General/Physician-General/Chief Surgeon.
  • Head Surgeons - ranking with Majors.
  • Surgeons - ranking with Captains.
  • Assistant Surgeons - ranking with Lieutenants.