the northcote–trevelyan report in 1854 had characterised the british civil service as riddled with cronyism and hampered by the inefficiencies of patronage. the report had recommended access to the higher ranks of the service by open competition and public examination. ryan became the inaugural first civil service commissioner in 1855 with the task of implementing the reforms, and immediately faced the establishment backlash. however, ryan was both intelligent and tactful and managed to supervise the trialling, evaluation and gradual introduction of universal tests by 1870. the commission also supervised exams for admission to the indian civil service and the british army.