Career in Civil Services

The Indian civil services is considered as one of the premier services which paves way for a career that brings lots of authority, power, respect by enabling one to contribute to society meaningfully. Civil Service offers lot of opportunities for on the job learning as every day brings iwith it new challenges, new perspective to look at an issue, innovative solution and so on and so forth. Civil servants are close to the public all the time. So, when you deliver results, one is showered with public appreciation and critical appreciation. Civil Services include state and central government offices and gives opportunity not only to be part administrative and bureaucratic circles like IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Service)and IPS (Indian Police Service) but also to serve in departments of the Revenue Service,Indian Railways, Postal Service,Customs, Audits, etc.

List of Civil Services

The services covered by the Civil Services Entrance Exam come in three groups:

All India Services

• Indian Administrative Service
• Indian Forest Service
• Indian Police Service

Group A Services

• Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service
• Indian Audit and Accounts Service
• Indian Customs and Central Excise Service
• Indian Defence Accounts Service
• Indian Revenue Service
• Indian Ordnance Factories Service (Assistant Works Manager, non-technical)
• Indian Postal Service
• Indian Civil Accounts Service
• Indian Railway Traffic Service
• Indian Railway Accounts Service
• Indian Railway Personnel Service
• Posts of Assistant Security Officer in Railway Protection Force (RPF)
• Indian Defence Estates Service
• Indian Information Service (Junior Grade)
• Indian Corporate Law Service

Group – B Services

• Railway Board Secretariat Service (Section Officer’s Grade)
• Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (Section Officer’s Grade)
• Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service and Police Service
• Pondicherry Civil Services

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer

Being an IAS officer one participates in

• The formulation of government policy in consultation and leadership of the minister in charge of the concerned ministry.
• Supervising the implementation and execution of the policy.
• Smooth functioning of the concerned ministry.

Field job is a necessary aspect of a civil servant’s life – both for policy formation as well as for the supervision of its implementation. After becoming an IAS officer, one is assigned to a cadre and one’s career starts in the state administration as a Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM). As an SDM one is responsible for virtual aspects of governance in one’s region. An SDM supervise general administration ,law and order and developmental work.With experience an officers move on to the senior scale and can eventually reach the post of Chief Secretary

Indian Police Service (IPS) officer

Being an IAS officer one is responsible for

• Internal security
• Public safety
• Law and order

After becoming an IPS officer, one is assigned to a cadre and one’s career starts in the state administration as the Deputy Superintendent of Police, and the officer can then rise through the ranks of the State Police to become Commissioner of Police. An IPS officer can also work in Central agencies such as the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and can lead thes agencies as the Inspector General of such a specialised force.

Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer

Being an IFS officer one is asked by the Ministry of External Affairs under Government of India to

• Represent India in its Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates and multilateral organisations like UN as a part of India’s diplomatic mission.
• Promote friendly relations with the host state and its people, including Non-Resident Indians and Indian Origin Community.
• Report accurately on developments in the host nation that are likely to influence Indian intrests.
• Negotiate agreements on various issues with the authorities of the host nations for prolonged diplomatic cooperations.
• Council foreigners and Indian nationals abroad

An IFS officer can expect to be posted as per the discretion of Ministry of External Affairs, where he will be responsible for all aspects of external relations of the country.An, IFS officers has to clear a foreign language requirement, after then one has to spend a brief period at the Ministry of External Affairs,to be posted later to an India diplomatic mission abroad.

Civil Services Entrance Exam

The Civil Services Exam (CSE) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) every year, to recruit officers into the various branches of the civil services . The Civil Services Exam is divided into two sections.

• Civil Services Aptitude Test – CSAT is a compulsory part of Civil Services Examination, that act as a screening test to Civil Services Main examination Conducted annually by Union Public Service Commission of India. It is also known as Civil Services Preliminary Examination.
• Main examination – This is the main test designed to test aspirants’ academic talent and also their ability to present their knowledge in a clear and coherent manner.

Add Comments and Suggestions or Ask Questions about Career in Civil Services

Neha May 19, 2015
I’m CS (company Secretary) and hav 5 years experience.
Is there any govt job for me in CS field