Keyword: «doctrinal approach»

The article examines the concept of state service as a legal category in the Russian Federation. The legal definition enshrined in Federal Law No. 210-FZ is analyzed, and its formal legal advantages and disadvantages are identified. Based on the critical analysis of doctrinal approaches, the content boundaries of the concept and the correlation of state service with related categories (“public service”, “administrative service”, “state function”) are explored. The features of state service are distinguished, and multidimensional classifications (by level of authority, form of provision, degree of compulsion, etc.) are proposed. The intersectoral nature of the institute is substantiated, and the evolution of legislative regulation from formal definition to substantive content, including the introduction of proactive service provision, is traced.