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Civil Services as a Career |
Civil services traditionally has been the most coveted career option among one and all. The job empowers an individual to bring around a change in the social framework, permits you to act as a social entrepreneur and at same time allows you to contribute to the growth story of the country. If you dream of a career that brings lots of authority and power, respect and popularity, a career that makes one an icon, an idol, a career that enables you to contribute to society meaningfully, then Civil Services is indeed a very attractive opportunity for you. The Civil Services, comprising careers in the IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS etc. is the acme of many and most young Indians' ambitions. Many devote themselves to achieving this holy grail of careers; many others are intimidated by the very idea of competing with so many other aspirants and give up on their dreams of becoming an IAS officer because they are afraid that they will not be able to beat the competition. Certainly, Civil Services deserves the kind of reputation that it holds among students. Civil Services provides an unparalleled career opportunity – the amount of authority and the magnitude of responsibilities that even a freshly appointed civil servant enjoys are much higher than those held by people who are well-established in other fields. For this reason, today, Civil Services is the most coveted among career options in India. But, it also means that the competition for the limited number of Civil Services posts is sky high.
Civil Services include all state and central government offices and offer jobs not only in better known sectors like the IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Service) and IPS (Indian Police Service) but also select departments of the Indian Railways, Revenue Service, Postal Service, Audits, Customs, etc.
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer
Typically, an IAS officer is involved in :
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Hands on involvement in the formulation of government policy in consultation with the minister in charge of the concerned ministry.
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Supervising the implementation of the policy.
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Day to day running of the concerned ministry.
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Travel is a necessary aspect of a civil servant’s life – both for policy formulation as well as for supervision of implementation.
Once you become an IAS officer, you are assigned to a cadre and your career starts in the state administration as a sub divisional magistrate (SDM). An SDM is responsible for virtually aspects of government services in of city/zone. The areas under an SDM include law and order, general administration, and developmental work.
There is a probationary period in the beginning of one’s career, and after that officers move on to the senior scale and can eventually reach the post of Under Secretary or Chief Secretary
Indian Police Service (IPS) officer
Typically, an IPS officer is involved in :
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Internal security.
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Public safety.
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Law and order.
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The first posting of an IPS officer is as the Deputy Superintendent of Police, and the officer can then rise through the ranks of the State Police to become Commissioner of Police. Alternatively, an IPS officer can also work in national government agencies such as the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and can become the Inspector General of such a specialised force. Senior IPS officers also get placed in Cabinet Secretariat or at senior levels in other protective forces such as the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer
The IFS is among the most coveted posts for those with a flair for communication and diplomacy. An IFS officer is expected to represent India in a variety of fora in India as well as abroad. IFS officers man the embassies of the government of India all over the world. They are involved in bilateral political and economic cooperation, trade and investment promotion, cultural interaction, press and media liaison as well as a whole host of multilateral issues.
Typically, an IFS officer is expected to :
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Represent India in its Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates, and Permanent Missions to multilateral organisations like UN.
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Report accurately on developments in the country of posting that are likely to influence the formulation of India’s policies.
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Negotiate agreements on various issues with the authorities of the receiving state.
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Extend consular facilities to foreigners and Indian nationals abroad In India, the Ministry of External Affairs is where an IFS officer can expect to be posted where he will be responsible for all aspects of external relations of the country.
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The IFS imparts a very rigorous and thorough training to its officers starting with a probationary period with intensive training for 36 months. After this, IFS officers clear a foreign language requirement, spend a brief period at the Ministry of External Affairs, and are posted to an India diplomatic mission abroad.
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