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The central government has created an all-India cadre known as Indian Cost Accounts Service, at par with class I services of the central government to advise the government on various fiscal matters. A Central Cost Accounts (CCA) pool was set up in 1961 and in 1978. The pool was converted into Indian Cost Accounts Service, which has been organised on the pattern of Participating Officers Scheme.
Out of 146 sanctioned duty posts in the service, 38 are in the office of the Chief Adviser Cost and the remaining posts are in various Ministries/Departments. Recruitment to the service is made through UPSC at class I level i.e., Assistant Director (Cost), and only Professional Cost/Chartered Accountants are recruited to the service.
Chief Adviser (Cost) is the cadre controller and Head of the Indian Cost Accounts Service. Office of Chief Adviser Cost is the Headquarter of the Indian Cost Accounts Service and deals with matters relating to the cadre administration, including training requirements of the officers for continuous upgradation of their knowledge and skills. The officers perform special functions themselves and do not have support of Group II officers like other finance services.

Master in business administration (MBA) is a two years degree course in the field of management. In India MBA degree can be awarded by any recognized university or by a business school affiliated to any university. Post graduate Diploma in management (PGDM) is a two years Diploma course offered by the institutes that are recognised by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and which are autonomous and not affiliated to any university.
It is not mandatory that a PGDM is equal to MBA. PGDM institutes accreditation by Association of Indian Universities (AIU) makes an institute's PGDM course equivalent to an MBA.
There are a large number of similarities between the curriculum of both MBA and PGDM. An MBA institute follows a fixed curriculum as it will be based on the university guidelines, which occasionally may not be aligned to industry requirements. Autonomous institutes do not follow university standards, so it is have the flexibility to align its curriculum according to industry standards and change in the business environment.
Some of the PGDM from IIMs, XLRI, etc. has more value than MBA. However, MBA of FMS, DU, IIFT, etc. have similar value as IIMs. Students are advised to choose Institute based on its ranking not on nomenclature of degree.