Village Accountant

A Village accountant is part of the Administrative Government. The position is considered to be respectable and comes with a decent pay package. This role is ideal for someone in search of a government job in the village area whose areas of interest include finance and accountancy.

Who is a Village Accountant?

A Village Accountant (VA) is a person holding an administrative government position. These accountants are usually found in rural parts of the Indian subcontinent. The VA is appointed for the Village or a group of Villages and he performs all the duties prescribed under the Land Revenue Act or any other law in force. He has to maintain meticulous records of registers and other financial records as are prescribed by the Government.

Who Oversees the Activities of the Village Accountant?

The Village Accountant is overseen by a Revenue Inspector who supervises and controls the activities of the Village Accountant. When the VA is called for an update by any Superior Revenue Officer of the Taluk or District, he is required to prepare all relevant records connected with the affairs of the Village and present it to the reporting Superior Revenue Officer. The Records may be in the form of notices, mahjars, depositions, or any reports required by the State or the Public.

Where is the HQ of a Village Accountant Located?

The VA plays an important role in the Revenue Administration at the Village level. So, he is expected to reside in a central location of the village and be available to all the villagers. The Headquarters of the VA is decided by the Deputy Commissioners. The VA is expected to reside in these quarters and nowhere else. If the VA is found violating these rules, then he would attract disciplinary action against him.
Read Also – How court fees are calculated in India?

What are the Responsibilities of a Village Accountant?

The VA being under the administrative control of the Tahsildar is responsible for all matters of the Revenue administrative level. His responsibilities include:

• Collecting Revenue
• Making Crop Entries
• Drawing Mahazars
• Issuing Notices
• Carrying out other functions as directed by his superiors

The activities conducted at the Revenue Department have drastically increased over the past few years. Although the collection of revenue remains one of the most important tasks of the village accountant, he/she still plays an important role in aiding the rural population and weaker sections of the village in identifying the benefits of various programs launched by the Government for the improvement of the conditions of the village.

Read Also – Introduction To Court Fees Act 1870 – Section 35

The History and Origin of the Village Accountant

The Patwar System- It was first introduced in the Indian subcontinent, during the short, but an eventful rule of Sher Shah Suri, and was further enhanced by Emperor Akbar. The British colonial era made a few amendments but mostly maintained the same system.

In the year 1814, legislation was passed requiring all villages to maintain an accountant as an official agent of the government.

Kulkarni Watan System- ‘Kulkarni’ was a title used for people who used to maintain the accounts and records of the villages and used to collect taxes. Kulkarni was a Brahmin.

The Talatis- The Kulkarni Watan System was abolished in the year 1918. They were replaced by Talatis. The new system allowed people of all castes an opportunity to be appointed as a Talati. In some cases, the Talatis were from oppressed castes and so the abolishing of the Kulkarni Watan system was seen as a progressive move.

The Patils- A Patil or Patel (in Gujarat) is from outside the village and assists the Talati in collecting revenue.

Read Also – How court fees are calculated in India?

Duties of a Talati in the Past

The duties of the Talati has changed a lot over the decades. Back in 1814, his duties included,

• Preserving village records
• Monitoring daily activities
• Gathering information about individuals, including mukhis and village elites.

In 1882, the Talatis were made in charge of 8-10 villages. The Talati was allowed to live in any one of these villages and was expected to visit each village every month to understand people’s needs and report the same to his superior officers. Further, he was also required to give each landholder an account showing the landholders’ dues.

Over the years the Talatis was also put in charge of handling complaints of the villagers and collecting data related to the census.

Read Also – 4 Things to Know About Creating a Law Firm Budget

Duties of a Talati in Present Day

The duties of a Talati are now performed in other states of India under a different title. The Talati is called a Patwari in Telangana. Originally a landholding clerk, the Talati is now a government-appointed paid official. The Talati is usually in charge of a group of villages called a saza. They are required to reside in that saza unless they get approval from the Collector to reside outside of the saza. In most cases, the Talati belongs to the Brahmin caste and usually looked up to for being a representative of the government.

Eligibility for Being a Village Accountant

Age Limit

• Lower Age Limit: 18 Years
• Upper Age Limit: 35 Years
• The age relaxation is available up to 5 years for SC/ST candidates, and 3 years for OBC, 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B contenders.

Qualifications

• Job aspirants who have passed 12th class/intermediate from a recognized board can fill the application.

Appointment of Village Accountant

Village Accountants are appointed in two ways as mentioned below:

Appointment on Compassionate Grounds– If a person working in the state government department dies while in service, a job may be offered to a family member who has completed his/her PUC (10+2). The VA is appointed by the Deputy Commissioner.

Appointment on the Basis of Merit- The Deputy commissioner being the Appointing Authority for the post of Village Accountant calls for applications for the vacant posts available. The direct recruitment is on the basis of merit in PUC (10+2).

Application Process for the Village Accountant Jobs

Interested and eligible candidates can apply online for the position of Village Accountant. Make sure to keep an eye on the last date of filling the form.

Read the information booklet and notifications thoroughly for all the information related to the vacancy.

The candidates have to go through a Written Test which if they pass will be followed by a personal Interview.

The written test has 5 Subjects namely General English, Aptitude Test, General Knowledge, Reasoning, General Awareness. The exam is Objective Type and will be in the form of Multiple Choice Questions.

Read the terms and conditions before filling the application form. Open the form and fill it with the required data. Make sure that you have the correct email ID and mobile number for communication purposes. Keep all the documents ready like ID proof, exam mark sheets, resume, past job experience letters, etc.

Once you have uploaded the documents, pay the application fee, and submit the application. You can check the status of your online application by giving reference no. and date of birth.

Expected Salary for the Position of Village Accountant

The selected individuals for the position of Village Accountant in the Revenue Department can expect to fall in the pay scale of Rs. 21,400/- to Rs. 42,000/- per month. The figures may vary from state to state.

Conclusion

Lately, there has been a rise in demand for Government jobs among job hunters. The government despite being constrained in hiring is making various vacancies available in multiple sectors of the Indian Government. It’s time to grab this opportunity and apply for the position for Village Accountant if the above appeals to you and falls within your area of expertise.