HOW TO BECOME IAS OFFICER | ABOUT

What is IAS Exam?

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) was formerly known as the Imperial Civil Service (ICS) is the Civil Services Examination and one of the toughest competitive exams in India. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for the recruitment of officers for the All India Administrative Civil Service.

Founded: 

1. 1858 (as Imperial Civil Service) 
2. January 26, 1950 (as Indian Administrative Service) 

The Indian Administrative Service is the premier administrative civil service of the Government of India. Hierarchy-wise, IAS is the highest administrative post among the 24 services like IPS, IFS etc.

Popularly known as the IAS exam, officially it is called as Civil Services Examination (CSE), which is conducted every year by the central recruiting agency, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). 

IAS is the permanent bureaucracy in India and forms a part of the executive branch. It is one of the three All India Services, its cadre can be employed by both the Union Government, the State Governments and public-sector undertakings. 

IAS Eligibility Overview

IAS Age Limit	21 to 32 years
Age relaxation	As per category (mentioned below)
Educational qualification for IAS	Graduation
Nationality	Indian citizens only

IAS Eligibility – UPSC Age Limit

category	UPSC Age Limit- Upper Relaxation	Number of Attempts
General	32	6
OBC	35	9
SC/ST	37	Unlimited (Up to age limit)
Defence Services Personnel	35	9
Persons with Benchmark Disability EWS (Economically weaker section)	35	9

IAS Eligibility- Educational Qualification

The various academic requirements as per the IAS Eligibility Criteria are given below:

• Minimum qualification for UPSC exam: The candidate must hold a degree from Government recognized Universities or possess an equivalent qualification.
• Candidates who are in their final year or awaiting results are also eligible to appear for UPSC preliminary Examination. All such candidates who are eligible to appear for IAS exams must produce proof of having passed the said examination along with the application for the main IAS examination.
• Candidates having professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees.
• Medical students who have passed the final year of MBBS, but are yet to complete their internship also have eligibility for IAS. Although, along with the Main Examination application, a certificate of course completion (including internship) from the concerned authority of the University/Institution has to be submitted.

IAS Eligibility- Nationality

For IAS and IPS:

• Candidate must be a citizen of India

All other Services:

• Candidate must be either:-
  1. A citizen of India, or
  2. A subject of Nepal, or
  3. A subject of Bhutan, or
  4. A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
  5. A person of Indian origin (PIO) who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
• The candidates belonging to categories (2), (3), (4) and (5) should furnish a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. Such candidates may take the exam before getting the said certificate of eligibility, but he/she would get the offer of appointment only after the certificate has been issued by the Government of India.
• Point to Note: A person belonging to categories (2), (3) and (4) are not eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) has been termed as one of the prestigious services among the 24 government services like :-

1. IPS:-(Indian Police Service.)
2. IFS:- (Indian Foreign Service.)
3. IFS:- (Indian Forest Service), 
4. IP & TAFS:-(Indian Post & TC Accounts and Finance Service)
5. IAAS:- (Indian Audit and Accounts Service )
6. IRS:- (Indian Revenue Service )
7. IDAS:- (The Indian Defence Accounts Service )
8. CMSE:- (Combined Medical Services Examination)
9. IRTS:- (Indian Railway Traffic Service )
10. IRAS:- (The Indian Railway Accounts Service)
11. IRPS:- (The Indian Railway Personnel Service )
12. ITS:- (Indian Trade Service)
13. CAPF:- (Central Armed Police Forces)

   Work of IPS:-(Indian Police Service.)

IPS officers in India work as senior police officers. IPS officers maintain public peace and order, prevent crime, investigate, collect intelligence, provide security to VIPs, and tackle terrorism and a range of other crimes.

Eligibility Criteria 

1. Physical Criteria 

The physical criteria for eligibility of the IPS officer is as           follows:
 Minimum Height - Men - 165cm  / Women - 150cm 

Relaxable minimum height is 160cm (men) and 145cm (women) for candidates belonging to ST and races such as Gorkhas, Gallerias, Assamese, Kumaonis, Nagaland Tribals, etc.

 Minimum Chest Girth - Men/Women: 84cm 79cm 

 Myopia (including cylinder) should not exceed minus 4.00D 

 Hyperopia (including cylinder) should not exceed plus            4.00D 

• The presence of Squint is a disqualification 
• Spectacles are permitted 
• Distant vision for better eye(Corrected Vision) should be 6/6 or 6/9
• Distant vision for the worse eye(Uncorrected Vision) should be 6/12 or 6/9 
• Near vision should be J1 and J2 respectively
• High grade color vision is required and Binocular vision is needed 

Nationality

Nationality of a candidate must be either of the following: 

• Citizen of India 
• Subject of Nepal 
• Subject of Bhutan 
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962 for permanent settlement in India. 
• Migrant from any of the following countries for permanently settling in India: 

Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam 

Educational Qualification: 

A candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree from any of the universities recognised by the UGC or possess an equivalent qualification. 

Age Limit : 

Candidate should fulfill the age limits mentioned below: 

• Minimum age 21 years 
• Maximum age 32 years as on 1st of August in the year of examination. 

Relaxable age limit is as follows: 

• Up to max. 5 years for SC/ST candidates. 
• Up to max. 3 years for OBC candidates. 
• Up to max. 5 years for a candidate from the State of Jammu & Kashmir
• Up to max. 5 years for Defence Services personnel 
• Up to max. 5 years for Ex-servicemen including Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service and have been released. 
• Up to max. 5 years for ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of 5 years of Military Service. Up to max. 10 years for Blind, deaf-mute and Orthopaedically handicapped persons 

Number of attempts: 

Restriction on the maximum number of attempts is effective since 1984: 

• For General Candidates: 6 attempts (Up to 32 Years) 
• 
  
• Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Candidates (SC/ST): No Limits (Up to 37 Years) 
• 
  
• Other Backward Classes (OBC): 9 attempts (Up to 35 Years)
• 
  
•  Physically handicapped- 9 attempts for general and OBC, while unlimited for SC/ST 

   IFS:- (Indian Foreign Service.)

The Indian Foreign Service (IFS), as the name suggests, deals with the external affairs of the country, which includes diplomacy, trade, and cultural relations. IFS officers are responsible for framing and implementation of policies which govern India’s relations with other countries. An IFS  officer’s main duties can be summarised as representing India in its embassies, high commissions, consulates, and permanent missions to multilateral organisations like the United Nations; protecting India’s national interests in the country he/she is posted, promoting friendly relations with the receiving state and its people, including non-resident Indians or persons of Indian origin; accurately reporting developments in that country which are likely to influence the formulation of India’s policies; negotiating agreements on various issues with the authorities of the receiving state; and extending consular facilities to foreigners and Indians abroad.

     IFS:- (Indian Forest Service)

The main mandate of an officer of the Indian Forest Services is the implementation of the National Forest Policy which aims to ensure environmental stability and maintenance of ecological balance. By this, we mean that the officer of respective states and cadres ensure the safety and rising environmental concerns of that particular area. The job responsibilities of IFS officers include the conservation of both plants and animals of a given region.

IFS officers, when posted in the field, work for conservation, protection, and development of forests and wildlife, along with an aim to enhance livelihood opportunities of forest-dependent communities of rural and tribal areas.

Just like all other parts of the world, our nation is home to certain specific breeds of plants and animals that are uniquely found here only. Thereby, the work of an IFS officer is to ensure that these plants and animals can stay, grow, and remain in the habitat that nature has secured for them. Any sort of a problem that occurs in the way of their habitation is the work and responsibility of the Indian Forest Service officers.

IFS officers often have to deal with both natural and manmade calamities that endanger the lives and habitats of wildlife.

IP & TAFS:-(Indian Post & TC Accounts and Finance Service)

The work in these offices mainly comprises maintaining General Provident Fund accounts of the staff employed in a particular postal circle, settlement of pension cases, checking of money order deliveries and NSC's, budgeting and financial control and rendering financial advice to the concerned Head of the Circle.

IAAS:- (Indian Audit and Accounts Service )

The officers of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service serve in an audit managerial capacity, in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department. IA&AS is responsible for auditing the accounts of the Union and State governments and public sector organizations, and for maintaining the accounts of State governments.

IRS:- (Indian Revenue Service )

Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers act as the guardians of the Economic borders. They are appointed to law enforcement and intelligence organisations like the Central Bureau of Investigation, Research and Analysis Wing, Intelligence Bureau etc.

IDAS:- (The Indian Defence Accounts Service )

The main function is to provide financial advice, payment, and internal auditing and accounting functions for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ordnance Factories, Canteen Stores Department, Border Road Organisation and other allied organisations.

CMSE:- (Combined Medical Services Examination)

The Combined Medical Services Examination or the CMS Examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment as Medical Officer in various organizations such as the Indian Ordnance Factories, Indian Railways, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council functioning under the Government of India. The Notification for the examination is usually released in the month of April and examination is conducted in July. Successful candidates are admitted after an interview conducted by the UPSC for those having qualified the written examination.

IRTS:- (Indian Railway Traffic Service )

An IRTS officer coordinates the production and sale of transportation output and manages the customer interface of railways. There are two main streams of Traffic Department, Operations and Commercial, where these officers are posted.

IRAS:- (The Indian Railway Accounts Service)

The IRAS officers are responsible for maintaining and managing the finances and accounts of the Indian Railways. At present, IRAS has a cadre strength of about 800 officers. 

To know more about the UPSC Civil Service Examination, visit the link IAS exam.

IRPS:- (The Indian Railway Personnel Service )

The Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) is a Prestigious Class - 1 / Group A cadre of Civil Servants of the Government of India. The officers of this service are responsible for managing the Human Resources of the Indian Railways and welfare of railway employees and their families.

ITS:- (Indian Trade Service)

While posted in the field offices, ITS officers look after the international trade promotion activities, various incentive schemes under the foreign trade policy, issue of Import Export Code, export import licenses and work with other central Govt, state Govt departments and export promotion bodies.

CAPF:- (Central Armed Police Forces)

Apart from the primary role, all CAPFs are involved in assisting Police in Law & Order situations and also Army in Counter-Terrorist Operations. BSF & CRPF have assisted the army during external aggression in the past. CAPFs work along with both Army & Police in different roles assigned to them.

  
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