District Collector

In India, a Deputy Collector , often abbreviated to DC, is a state administrative service officer in charge of revenue collection and administration of a sub-division. Since deputy collectors are also empowered as executive magistrates, the post is also referred to as Sub-Divisional Magistrate and the office-bearer works under the direction of a District Collector and assists him/her in day to day working.

The collectorate play a pivotal role in the District administration. Collector in the Cadre of I.A.S. heads the district. He/She acts as the district magistrate for maintaining law and order in his/her jurisdiction. He/She deals mainly with social security schemes, land matters and arms licensing etc. The additional collector/ district revenue officer runs the revenue administration under various enactments in the district. He/She is also designated as an additional district magistrate, mainly dealing with civil supplies, land matters, mines and minerals, village officers etc.

Deputy collectors / deputy district collectors are usually Revenue Divisional Officers (RDO) who report to the Additional District Collector (who is overall in-charge of revenue department for the district). The Additional District Collector in turn reports into the District Collector (also called Deputy Commissioner) who is in-charge of overall management of the district across all departments. Deputy Collectors are hired through State's Service Selection Commission, where as DRO and District Collector are usually Centre Civil Services employees appointed to the state cadre. In some districts, a District Revenue Officer is specially appointed in the cadre of special grade Deputy Collector who reports into Additional Collector (Revenue).