A.K.T.

COMPETITIVE EXAM CELL

“IAS”

தகுதி எனவ ொன்று நன்றே பகுதியொல்

பொற்பட்டு ஒழுகப் வபேின். - குேள் 111

INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE (IAS)

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is
Indian Administrative Service
the administrative arm of the All India
Services of Government of India. The IAS is one Service overview
of the three All India Services along with
the Indian Police Service and Indian Forest
Service. Members of these three services serve
the Government of India as well as the
individual states. IAS officers are also deployed
to various government establishments such Motto: "Excellence in action"
as constitutional bodies, staff and line agencies,
auxiliary bodies, public sector Founded 1858; 166 years ago
IAS
undertakings, regulatory bodies, statutory
26 January 1950; 74 years ago
bodies and autonomous bodies.
Country India
As with other countries following Staff Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy
the parliamentary system of government, the IAS college of
is a part of the permanent bureaucracy of the Administration, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
nation and is an inseparable part of Cadre Department of Personnel and
the executive of the Government of India. As controlling Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public
such, the bureaucracy remains politically neutral authority Grievances and Pensions
and guarantees administrative continuity to Minister Prime Minister of India and Minister of
the ruling party or coalition. responsible Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions
Upon confirmation of service, an IAS officer
serves a probationary period as a sub-divisional Legal Governmental; Civil Service
magistrate. Completion of this probation is personality
followed by an executive administrative role in Cadre 4,926 members (3,511 officers directly
a district as a district magistrate and strength recruited by the Union Public Service
collector which lasts several years. After this Commission and 1,415 officers
promoted from state civil services)
tenure, an officer may be promoted to head a
whole state administrative division as a divisional Selection Civil Services Examination
commissioner. Association IAS (Central) Association

On attaining the higher scales of the pay Head of the Civil services
matrix, IAS officers may Cabinet Rajiv Gauba, IAS
lead government departments or ministries. In Secretary
these roles, IAS officers represent the country at of India
international level in bilateral and multilateral negotiations. If serving on a deputation, they may be employed
in International organization such as the World Bank the International Monetary Fund, the Asian
Development Bank the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or the United Nations, or its agencies. IAS
officers are also involved in conducting elections in India as mandated by the Election Commission of India.

HISTORY

During the East India Company period, the civil services were classified into three – covenanted,
uncovenanted and special civil services. The covenanted civil service, or the Honourable East India
Company's Civil Service (HEICCS), as it was called, largely comprised civil servants occupying the senior
posts in the government. The uncovenanted civil service was introduced solely to facilitate the entry of Indians
onto the lower rung of the administration. The special service comprised specialised departments, such as the
Indian Forest Service, the Imperial Police and the Indian Political Department, whose ranks were drawn from
either the covenanted civil service or the Indian Army. The Imperial Police included many Indian Army
officers among its members, although after 1893 an annual exam was used to select its officers. In 1858 the
HEICCS was replaced by the Indian Civil Service (ICS), which became the highest civil
service in India between 1858 and 1947. The last appointments to the ICS were made in 1942.

With the passing of the Government of India Act 1919 by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the
Indian civil servicesunder the general oversight of the Secretary of State for India were split into two arms,
the All India Services and the Central Services. The Indian Civil Service was one of the ten All India
Services.

In 1946 at the Premier's Conference, the Central Cabinet decided to form the Indian Administrative
Service, based on the Indian Civil Service and the Indian Police Service, based on the Imperial Police. There
is no alternative to this administrative system.

When India was partitioned following the departure of the British in 1947, the Indian Civil Service was
divided between the new dominions of India and Pakistan. The Indian remnant of the ICS was named the
Indian Administrative Service, while the Pakistani remnant was named the Pakistan Administrative Service.
The modern Indian Administrative Service was created under Article 312(2) in part XIV of the Constitution
of India and the All India Services Act, 1951.

INDIAN FRONTIER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE

A special cadre was created in 1954 to administer NEFA (present day Arunachal Pradesh) and for
later Some North Eastern Region. It was first mooted by then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru. The
services were placed under Ministry of External Affairs. In 1968, IFAS was merged with IAS and has hence
lost its relevance.
RECRUITMENT

There are three modes of recruitment into the Indian Administrative Service. IAS officers may enter the
IAS by passing the Civil Services Examination, which is conducted by the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC). Officers recruited this way are called direct recruits. Some IAS officers are also recruited
from the state civil services, and in rare cases, selected from non-state civil service. The ratio between direct
recruits and promotees is fixed at 2:1. All IAS officers, regardless of the mode of entry, are appointed by
the President of India.

President Murmu with a group of IAS officers (2020 batch) at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi.
Only about 180 candidates out of over 1 million applicants, who apply through CSE, are successful, a success
rate of less than 0.02 per cent.
Unlike candidates appointed to other civil services, a successful IAS candidate is rendered ineligible to

retake CSE. From 1951 to 1978, an IAS/IFS candidate was required to submit two additional papers along with

three optional papers (instead of just the three optional papers like for other civil services) to be eligible for the

Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Foreign Service. The two additional papers were postgraduate

level submissions, compared to the graduate level of the optional papers, and it was this distinction that resulted in

a higher status for the IAS and IFS. The two postgraduate level submissions were later removed, but this has not

changed the perceived higher status of the IAS and IFS. After the selection process, the successful candidates

undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.

STATE CADRES

CADRE ALLOCATION POLICY

The central government announced a new cadre allocation policy for the All India Services in August
2017, claiming it as being a policy to ensure national integration of the bureaucracy and to ensure an All India
character of the services. The existing twenty six cadres were to be divided into five zones by the Department
of Personnel and Training. Under the new policy, a candidate first selects their zones of preference, in
descending order, then indicates a cadre preference from each preferred zone. The candidate indicates their second
cadre preference for every preferred zone subsequently. The preference for the zones and cadres remains in the
same order and no change is permitted. Officers remain in their allocated cadre or are deputed to
the Government of India.
 ZONES UNDER THE CURRENT CADRE ALLOCATION POLICY

Zone Cadres
AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union
Zone-I
Territories), HimachalPradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana
Zone-II Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha

Zone-III Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

Zone-IV West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam-Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland

Zone-V Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala

Previous cadre allocation policies:

Until 2008, there was no formal system that permitted the selection of a state cadre preferred by the
candidate. If the candidate was not placed in a vacancy in their home state, they would be allocated to other
states, which were selected from a roster in alphabetic order, starting from 'a', 'h', 'm' or 't', depending on the
year. For example, if in a particular year the roster begins from 'a', then the first candidate on the roster will go to
the Andhra Pradesh state cadre, the next one to Bihar, and then to Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and so on in
alphabetical order. The next year the roster starts from 'h', for either Haryana or Himachal Pradesh (the two
states alternate roster years). This system, practised since the mid-1980s, ensured that officers from different
states were placed all over India.
The system of permanent state cadres resulted in wide disparities of professional exposure for officers
when comparing those from developed versus less developed states. Changes in state cadres were only
permitted on grounds of marriage to an All India Services officer of another state cadre or under other
exceptional circumstances. The officers were allowed to go to their home state cadre on deputation for a limited
period after which they would be required to return to their allocated cadre.
From 2008, IAS officers were assigned to state cadres at the beginning of their service. There was one
cadre for each Indian state, except for two joint cadres: Assam–Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh–Goa–
Mizoram–Union Territories (AGMUT). The "insider-outsider ratio" (ratio of officers who were posted to
their home states to those from other states) was maintained at 1:2, with one-third of the direct recruits being
'insiders' from the same state. The rest were posted as outsiders according to the state allocation roster in
states other than their home states, as indicated by their preference.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN IAS OFFICER:

THE TYPICAL FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY AN IAS OFFICER ARE:

 To collect revenue and function as court officials in matters of revenue (for the revenue courts), to maintain law
and order, to implement union and state government policies at the grass-roots level when posted to field
positions i.e. as Sub-divisional magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, District magistrate and Divisional
 commissioner and to act as an agent of the government in the field, i.e. to act as an intermediary between the
public and the government.
 To handle the administration and daily proceedings of the government, including the formulation and
implementation of policy in consultation with the minister-in-charge of a specific ministry or department.
 To contribute to policy formulation, and to make a final decision in certain matters, with the agreement of the
minister concerned or the council of ministers (depending upon the weight of the matter), when posted at the
higher level in the Government of India as a joint secretary, additional secretary, special secretary or
secretary equivalent, secretary and Cabinet Secretary and in state governments as secretary, principal
secretary, additional chief secretary or special chief secretary and chief secretary.

CAREER PROGRESSION
At the beginning of their career, IAS officers
receive district training with their home cadres followed
by their first posting. Their initial role is as an assistant
collector cum sub-divisional magistrate and they are placed
in charge of a district sub-division. As assistant collector
cum sub divisional magistrate, they are entrusted with
maintaining law and order, as well as general administration
and development work, of the sub-district. Completion of
probation is followed by an executive role in a district as a district collector cum district magistrate, which lasts
several years. After this tenure as a district magistrate or district collector or deputy commissioner, IAS
officers can be posted to various positions in the state government. These positions include secretary or principal
secretary in different departments, director of a department, divisional commissioner, or chairman of a
government corporation. The specific positions depend on the officer's seniority, experience, and performance.
The highest positions that an IAS officer can attain include chief secretary of a state or cabinet secretary of the
country.
In 2015 it was announced that a new designation of assistant secretary at the Central Secretariat had

been created to enable new IAS officers to be posted to Delhi for a three-month assignment as part of their

training regime. IAS officers were previously only permitted to go on a deputation once assigned to the Central

Secretariat after nine years of service in their home cadre. It was observed that the experience of central

functions was severely lacking among these deputations, resulting in this change in their training. As part of the

new system, IAS assistant secretaries are supposed to work on projects a new policy in their respective areas and

present it to their respective ministries of all projects, 36 are selected to be presented before all secretaries of

the Government of India, consequently, 16 are selected to be before the Cabinet Secretary and a final eight are

selected for presentation before the Prime Minister.

 As an IAS officer progresses in their career, they become eligible for important positions in the central

government. These positions include joint secretary, additional secretary, and secretary in different

ministries and departments. In these roles, IAS officers are involved in making policies, implementing them,

and making important decisions at the national level. They can also be appointed as advisors to the central

government or serve in autonomous bodies, commissions, and international organizations. These opportunities

allow IAS officers to contribute to the development and governance of the country on a larger scale.

On attaining the apex scale, IAS officers may lead government departments or ministries. In these

roles, IAS officers represent the country at the international level in bilateral and multilateral negotiations. If

serving on a deputation, they may be employed in International organization such as the World

Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment

Bank, and the United Nations or its agencies. IAS officers are also involved in the conduct of elections in

India as mandated by the Election Commission of India.

POSITIONS AND DESIGNATIONS HELD BY IAS OFFICER IN THEIR CAREER

Position
Grade/scale Position in
Field Position in state on order of
(level on Pay the Government Pay Scale
posting(s) governments precedence
Matrix) of India
in India
Cabinet
Secretary Cabinet ₹250,000 (US$3,000)
- 11
grade (Pay Secretary (PPP$11,700)
-
level 18)
Apex scale Chief
Secretary 23 ₹225,000 (US$2,700)
(Pay level 17) secretary
Higher
administrativ
e grade Principal Additional ₹182,200 (US$2,200)—
25
(above super secretary secretary ₹224,100 (US$2,700)
time scale)
(Pay level 15) Divisional
Senior commissioner
administrativ
e grade Secretary/ ₹144,200 (US$1,700)—
Joint secretary 26
(above super Commissioner ₹218,200 (US$2,600)
time scale)
(Pay level 14)
Selection Special
₹118,500 (US$1,400)—
grade (Pay Collector secretary/ Director -
₹214,100 (US$2,600)
level 13) cum Director
Junior District
Joint Deputy ₹78,800 (US$940)—
administrativ magistrate -
secretary secretary ₹191,500 (US$2,300)
e grade (Pay
 level 12)

Deputy
Collector
Senior time
cum Deputy Under ₹67,700 (US$810)—
scale (Pay -
Additional secretary Secretary ₹160,000 (US$1,900)
level 11)
District
Magistrate
Assistant
Junior time Collector
Under Assistant ₹56,100 (US$670)—
scale (Pay cum Sub- -
Secretary secretary ₹132,000 (US$1,600)
level 10) Divisional
Magistrate
Notes

1. Purchasing power parities (PPP) dollars for comparison.

2. IAS officers of the designations additional chief secretary and special chief secretary draw same pay as the chief
secretary of the state but not same protocol.
3. IAS officers of the designation special secretary to the Government of India or secretary-equivalent draw the
same pay as a secretary to the Government of India but not same protocol.
4. Subject to empanelment in union government
5. Alternate designations – Regional commissioner, revenue divisional commissioner.
6. Alternate designations and nomenclature can differs from state to state.
7. Alternate designations – District collector, district officer,deputy commissioner.
8. Alternate designations – Chief development officer, district development officer, project director of DRDA,
DUDA, IRDP etc., additional district collector, joint collector, additional deputy commissioner, CEO of zila
parishad.
9. Alternate designations – Deputy collector, sub-divisional officer, sub-collector, joint magistrate, assistant
commissioner.
10. Under training position, three-month assignment.

ASSESSMENT OF SUITABILITY FOR PROMOTION AND POSTING

Upon retirement, high ranking IAS officers have occupied constitutional posts such as the Chief Election
Commissioner of India, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, and the chairperson of the Union
Public Service Commission (UPSC). They have also become members of administrative tribunals, such as
the National Green Tribunal and the Central Administrative Tribunal, as well as chiefs
of regulators including the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of
India, and the Reserve Bank of India. If a serving IAS officer is appointed to a constitutional post such
as Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Chief Election Commissioner of India or chairperson of
UPSC or as head of a statutory authority, such as the National Commission for Women or the Central
Information Commission, he or she is deemed to have retired from service.
 IAS officers can also be deputed to private organisations for a fixed tenure under Rule 6(2)(ii) of the
Indian Administrative Service (Cadre) Rules, 1954.
PUBLIC PERCEPTION
In popular perception, the allure of pursuing a career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) lies in
the associated privileges and benefits, which drive hundreds of thousands of candidates to compete for a limited
number of positions each year. The position of an IAS officer is commonly regarded as a gateway to power,
privilege, and elevated social status. Criticisms of the country's bureaucracy have persisted over time, with
detractors highlighting its cumbersome nature, slow decision-making processes, inefficiency, and occasional
instances of corruption. These deficiencies have become so widely acknowledged that the Indian bureaucracy
often becomes the subject of relentless satirical portrayals in popular culture.

NOTABLE IAS OFFICERS

Naresh Chandra, a retired 1956 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, who served as the Cabinet
Secretary of India, Defence Secretary of India, Home Secretary of India, Water Resource Secretary of
India and Indian Ambassador to the United States. He was awarded India's second-highest civilian honour,
the Padma Vibhushan, for civil service, in 2007.

 Narinder Nath Vohra (N. N. Vohra), a retired 1959 batch IAS officer of Punjab cadre and the 12th Governor of
the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Vohra was the first civilian Governor of Jammu and Kashmir in 18 years
since Jagmohan. Vohra has also served as the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, Home
Secretary of India, Defence Secretary of India and Defence Production Secretary of India. He was awarded
India's second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, for civil service, in 2007.
 T. N. Seshan, a retired 1955 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, notable for enacting significant reforms to
electoral oversight in India. He was the 10th Chief Election Commissioner of India (1990–96), who reformed
elections by subduing electoral malpractice throughout the country and strengthened the image of the Election
Commission of India. He previously served as the 18th Cabinet Secretary of India in 1989, and later as a
member of the Planning Commission. He was presented the Ramon Magsaysay Award for government
service in 1996.
 Vinod Rai, a retired 1972 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, who served as the 11th Comptroller and Auditor
General of India. He is widely considered a symbol of the anti-corruption movement in India. He also served
as the Financial Services Secretary of India. Rai was awarded India's third highest civilian honour,
the Padma Bhushan, for civil service, in 2016.
 Duvvuri Subbarao, a retired 1972 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre. He served as the 22nd Governor
of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). A former Finance Secretary of India, he also served as a member of
the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, and as a senior economist in the World Bank. Subbarao's
selection as RBI governor in 2008 was coincidental with the outbreak of the 2007–2008 financial crisis. His
leadership is generally credited with safeguarding the Indian economy through the financial crisis.
 Yogendra Narain, a retired 1965 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre. He is a former Secretary-General
of Rajya Sabha, who also served as the Defence Secretary of India, Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh as well
as Surface Transport Secretary of India. He was awarded the Dean Paul H. Apple by Award, for
distinguished civil service, in 2017.

Want to become an IAS Officer? Important considerations to keep in mind:

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is a highly prestigious organization within India‟s civil
service, responsible for tasks such as creating and implementing policy, managing governmental funds, and aiding
in other government functions at federal and state levels.

There are lots of great things about becoming an IAS officer. For starters, you’ll be able to improve the
lives of the many people affected by your decisions. In addition, IAS officers are also compensated well and
receive a significant amount of prestige.

However, there are some other considerations that IAS aspirants should be aware of, especially before
they commit to studying for the competitive UPSC Civil Services Examinations.

1. YOU‟LL NEED TO STUDY HARD TO BECOME AN IAS OFFICER

In order to become an IAS officer, you’ll need to undertake a very difficult set of exams – the UPSC‟s
Civil Services Examinations (CSE). These exams are notoriously difficult and require extensive preparation
from those who take them.

THE EXAMINATION PROCESS CONSISTS OF THREE MAIN COMPONENTS:

 Preliminary Examination – The Preliminary Examination consists of two multiple-choice papers, and is taken in
June every year. The first paper tests the candidate’s knowledge of a variety of topics, such as current events,
governance, and climate change. The second paper – the Civil Services Aptitude Test – assesses broader
competencies such as the candidate’s reading comprehension, decision-making, and interpersonal skills.

 Mains Examinations – For candidates who pass the Prelims, the Mains consist of nine written papers on a wide
variety of subjects, two of which are optional subjects to be selected by the candidate. Two of these papers test the
candidate on languages, with one focusing on English, and the other on an Indian language. The Mains are held in
October each year.

 Personality Test – Those that score highly enough on the Mains exams will be selected for the Personality Test,
held the following March, which is an interview that assesses the social characteristics of a candidate and their
ability to communicate clearly.
 The CSE involves a long process, taking nearly a year to complete the 32 hours of total examination.
And, because the standards for success are so high, it can take a lot of studying and revision to stand a good
chance of clearing the exams. In fact, many Indian civil service aspirants report spending upwards of eight hours a
day studying for the exams, over the course of months and often years.

The youngest IAS officer in India’s history, Ansar Shaikh, studied for at least 10-12 hours a day for
two years for the CSE. He entered the IAS at the age of 21, which is substantially lower than the average age of
civil service entry which stands at around 25 years of age. Presumably, his hard work played a significant role in
his success.

The reason behind this average age is that the majority of successful civil service aspirants succeed after
multiple attempts, most often after three or four tries, meaning that for most civil service officers it takes
significantly longer than the two years it took Ansar Shaikh to clear the exams.

Alongside the amount of time spent studying, it’s also important to choose the right optional subjects if
you manage to get through to the Mains. There’s a wide variety of optional subjects you can choose from,
including agriculture, sociology, history, philosophy, and many others.

Some optional subjects have higher success rates than others, so you might want to strategize over which
subject might give you the best chance of success. For example, one website reports that aspirants in 2019 were
twice as likely to succeed in sociology as they were in geography. Management, animal husbandry, agriculture,
medical science, civil engineering, commerce, and economics were other subjects with some of the highest
acceptance rates.
 Because of this, studying adequately for the CSE comes at a significant opportunity cost the time you
spend preparing for these exams could be spent advancing in a different career path where you’re more likely to
succeed, or furthering your education.

It’s also worth noting that IAS aspirants are required to have a bachelor’s degree, which can be in any
subject, from a university recognized by the UPSC. You’ll also need to fall within the permitted age limits
of between 21 and 32 years of age, though this upper age limit is increased to 35 for those from an OBC caste.

2. BECOMING AN IAS OFFICER IS A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PROCESS

In the 2022 UPSC exams, only 2,529 cleared the Mains exam out of more than 11 lakhs of total
applicants, and they filled a total of 1,011 civil service vacancies. That means that for every successful civil
services aspirant, there are over one thousand who don’t get in.

What’s more, just 180 of these vacancies are for IAS officers, so overall only a tiny fraction of people
who apply for the CSE become IAS officers.

The competitiveness of the CSE is also increasing over time. In 2006, there were 3.84 lakhs civil service
aspirants. This increased steadily to approximately three times the number of applicants in the 2022 exams.

3. THERE ARE OTHER ROUTES TO ENTER THE IAS (BUT THEY‟RE RARE)
Though the CSE is the most common route to become an IAS officer, it’s worth talking about two other,
less common ways to enter the IAS:
Lateral entry: Recently, the Indian government has started accepting lateral entries into certain positions
in the IAS. Generally, lateral entry candidates tend to be placed into specialized roles within the IAS, rather than
more general administrative positions.

As such, these lateral entries tend to be offered to people who have developed expertise in specific areas
within the private or public sector. Only 31 lateral entries into the IAS were made in 2021 , so it’s still only a
small minority of IAS officers who enter this way. This shouldn’t be considered a reliable backup option for those
who fail to clear the CSE, but it’s an option to consider for those who go on to develop expertise in a different
career path.

Promotion from state-level civil service: Under Rule 8 of the IAS‟s policies, it is stipulated that the
IAS can recruit particularly promising civil servants working at the state level though no more than one-third of
IAS officers are permitted to enter the IAS this way.

Entering the state-level civil service isn’t easy, either. Entrants must succeed in a separate set of exams,
the State PSC exams which also have very low success rates for instance, less than one percent of
aspirants cleared Maharashtra‟s PSC exams in 2019. So, this could be another route into the IAS for those who
do not succeed in the UPSC exams, but it shouldn’t be considered an easy route to become an IAS officer.
4. IAS OFFICERS CAN HAVE A GREAT POSITIVE IMPACT
Many IAS aspirants want to enter the IAS to make a positive difference for the people they serve and for
India more broadly. This is one of the most exciting parts of a career in the IAS , your ability to help lots of
people.
This is because IAS officers, particularly in more senior positions, can have quite a lot of influence and
authority that can help them improve the functioning of government in multiple ways. One of these ways comes
from the fact that IAS officers often have a say in the allocation of resources, such as where money is spent. IAS
officers can therefore have a positive impact by directing resources toward more effective programs.

Another route to positive impact for IAS officers is to implement better processes and management
practices, making sure that the government’s policies and programs are executed effectively. For example, during
our research we learned of an IAS officer who saved the government over ₹500 crore through reforming the
payment system used for a social program. He advocated for these changes after reading rigorous research the best
practices of conducting similar programs. This is a huge amount of money to be saved, potentially allowing for
governmental budgets to be increased elsewhere.

IAS officers can also have a big impact through crafting and shaping policy in fact, we think one of the
best ways to have an impact is to be a champion for evidence-based policies that can help solve high-priority
problems. By using the best data and evidence available, such as the policy insights produced by cutting-edge
policy research organizations like Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) or Innovations for Poverty
Action (IPA), you’ll be able to make better decisions about how to solve some of the most important problems
facing India, such as widespread poverty and poor health outcomes.

In general, we’d expect that the best opportunities for large-scale positive impact in the IAS will come in
roles at the national level, where your decisions may affect far more people. However, lots of good can also be
achieved at the state level, particularly in the more populous states.

5. YOU MIGHT NOT GET MUCH CHOICE IN WHERE YOU‟RE POSTED

The different roles that an IAS officer might be placed in are wide-ranging and diverse. IAS officers are
placed in almost all areas of government at both state and national levels, including governmental departments,
state bodies, banks, and even in international organizations such as the World Bank or the United Nations.

However, during research we’ve previously conducted on careers in the Indian civil service, we found that
those within India’s civil service often have little control over the departments or regions in which they work.
Though IAS officers can indicate their preferred zones, they don’t have much choice in their specific postings,
which are typically given at the discretion of those ranked above them, such as departmental ministers.
 On top of this, transfers between postings in the IAS are very frequent. This report on the IAS claims that
IAS officers face a 53% chance of being transferred to a new post in any given year, and that the average posting
length lasts just 16 months.

The short tenures in each posting mean it may be hard to develop sufficient expertise within each posting
to be able to deliver meaningful change.

The report also claims that many postings and transfers within the IAS are allocated politically, which
could make it difficult to focus on the areas, problems, or policies you’d like to focus on if you are politically
misaligned with the relevant minister or other high-ranking official.

So, if you want to join the IAS because you’re passionate about working to help solve a specific problem,
or improve a particular area of the country, you might find it difficult to get yourself in a position to do so.

This is unfortunate, because, as we said in the last section, one of the most important things you can do to
increase the amount of good you do is choose the right problem to solve, as some can let you do much more good
than others. If you receive little choice about which problems you get to work on as an IAS officer, this will likely
limit your ability to improve many lives in the country.

Additionally, if you were to ever leave the IAS, the network you’ll have developed will likely consist
primarily of other civil servants and government officials, potentially adding some complications in obtaining a
good role in a different profession or industry (though some IAS officers have found success in political careers).

6. IT‟S A GOOD IDEA TO THINK ABOUT BACKUP CAREER OPTIONS

There are lots of considerations to think about when deciding whether to try and become an IAS officer.
IAS officers can do a lot of good, command much respect, and receive good salaries and benefits.

However, it’s very difficult to enter the Indian civil service, and if you don’t succeed you’ll have spent a
lot of time preparing for UPSC exams that you might have better spent on something else.

Fortunately, there are many other career paths that offer similar advantages to becoming an IAS officer,
such as the ability to have an impact on the lives of many people, or potentially even non-human animals. If you
decide you don’t want to try and become an IAS officer, or if you try but ultimately don’t succeed, it’s a very
good idea to think about whether there are any other career paths you might be interested in.

For example, people with a quantitative skill set who might be a good fit to be a development economist,
or a monitoring and evaluation specialist, both of which use data-driven methods to help improve people’s lives at
a large scale.
IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. UPSC stands for Union Public Service Commission. It was formed on 1st October 1926. It is responsible
for conduction examinations for appointments to the services of the Union. Head Quarters: Dholpur house,
New Delhi.
2. The power of appoint member of the Union Public Service Commission rests with the President.
3. The Chairman and the members of the Union Public Service Commission hold officer for a term of 6 years.
4. Article 315 provides the UPSC and SPSC. The tenure of a UPSC member is 6 years or age of 65 years
(which is earlier).
5. The Indian President appoints the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission.
6. Indian Forest Service was established on 1966.

What is the role of IAS Officer?

The work of IAS officers varies depending on the three types of assignments given. They include field, state
secretariat, or public sector undertakings, and central secretariat assignments. This also includes handling
government affairs, drafting, framing, implementing, and reviewing policies. They are required to consult various
departments and elect representatives.

IAS officers are responsible for supervising the implementation of government schemes and policies. They
are also responsible for responding to natural calamities, riots, and major accidents in their jurisdiction. IAS
officers are responsible for supervising the administrative activities within the division assigned to them. They are
responsible for the maintenance of law and order by coordinating and providing necessary support to restore law
and order and help individuals affected by natural calamities or riots.

IAS officers manage the staff working under them. He or she is responsible for making reports based on the
evaluation of their services. They advise and help elected representatives formulate and draft policies for making
the right decisions.

Types of a IAS Officer

IAS officers have a wide range of roles and responsibilities within the administrative framework
of the Government of India. This versatility among the roles contributes to the overall governance and
development of the country. We have mentioned below some types of IAS officers and their related
careers:

Sub-District Magistrate: A Sub-District Magistrate is responsible for supervising the work of the
Tehsildar and can correspond to the government and other departments on various matters. The SDM
officer performs development activities at the very local level.
Additional District Magistrate: An ADM is provided with the power of the Executive Magistrate. The
Additional District Magistrate enjoys the same powers as that District Magistrate under the rules. He can
act as an Additional Collector, Collector, and Land Acquisition Collector, registrar of the Hindu
Marriage Act and the Special Marriage Act.

District Magistrate/Joint Secretary: A District Magistrate is a promotional post offered to ADM,

Deputy Secretary, or Undersecretary. He or she is responsible for the maintenance of law and order and
serves as the executive head of a district's administration in India.

Divisional Commissioner: A divisional commissioner is responsible for the supervision of revenue and
development administration of the division. the Commissioner shall bring to the notice of the
Corporation any act or resolution of the Corporation which may violate any Government instructions or
the provisions of this Act.

Chief Secretary: A Chief Secretary acts as the administrative head of the state government. He or she is
the central point of interdepartmental coordination at the departmental level.

Cabinet Secretary of India: A cabinet secretary position in the top position in the Indian
Administration Services. He or she acts as the executive head of the Civil Services Board of India.

UPSC Posts – 3 Types of Civil Services

I. All India Civil Services

1. Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
2. Indian Police Service (IPS)
3. Indian Forest Service (IFoS)

II.Group „A‟ Civil Services

1. Indian Foreign Service (IFS)

2. Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS)
3. Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS)
4. Indian Corporate Law Service (ICLS)
5. Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS)
6. Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES)
7. Indian Information Service (IIS)
8. Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS)
9. Indian Communication Finance Services (ICFS)
10. Indian Postal Service (IPoS)
11. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)
12. Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)
13. Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS)
14. Indian Revenue Service (IRS)
15. Indian Trade Service (ITS)
16. Railway Protection Force (RPF)

III. Group „B‟ Civil Services

1. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service
2. DANICS
3. DANIPS
4. Pondicherry Civil Service
5. Pondicherry Police Service.

THANK YOU.