Today in this article we’ll talk about one of the most prestigious jobs in India – IAS. The full form for IAS is Indian Administrative Services. It is the premier government job for which top candidates are selected after conducting one of the hardest exams in the world. The job of the IAS is to administer a territory, policy making and policy implementation. Throughout their career IAS officers take on multiple tasks and jobs. He or she is the link between the government and citizens and also the highest level of bureaucracy in India. The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is a permanent bureaucracy in India that is part of the executive and is one of the three All India Services established by the Indian Parliament through the All India Services Act of 1951. So let’s have a look at it
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UPSC Full Form: Overview, Functions, Exams, Recruitment and Career Opportunities
What is the full form of IAS?
The full form of IAS is Indian Administrative Services. It is the administrative branch of the All India Services of the Government of India.
How to Become IAS Officer:-
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts IAS examination every year also called Civil Services Examination to select and recruit eligible candidates for the role of IAS officer. The IAS selection process consists of the following three stages.
Stage 1 – Preliminary Exam (IAS Prelims) : This is a MCQ based exam where two papers are GS and CSAT. Candidates who cleared the cutoff are called for the mains examination. The marks of Prelims are not calculated in the final cutoff of the exam.
Stage 2 – Mains Exam (IAS Mains) : Candidates who qualify the prelims exam are called for the Main written exam. It is usually conducted in September and 9 subjective papers are conducted testing the knowledge of the candidate on all different subjects thoroughly. Candidates who Clear the Mains are called for Interview and the marks of Mains exam are included in the final cutoff.
Step 3 – UPSC Personality Test ( IAS Interview ) : This is the final step in the selection process, qualified candidates are called at UPSC headquarters in Delhi and are interviewed by the panel of retired IAS officers and various esteemed people from the society. The marks from interview and mains forms the final cutoff for the IAS examination.
Any candidate, if qualified for civil services, can apply for the exam using the official website of UPSC. UPSC IAS application form is released every year between January and February.
IAS Eligibility Criteria:-
The most important information for a candidate to know before any examination is whether they are eligible for the examination or not. Therefore for the convenience of UPSC aspirants, a summary of IAS Eligibility Criteria Including UPSC educational qualification, IAS maximum age limit, number of attempts, relaxation etc. is given in the table below. To be eligible for UPSC IAS exam, candidates must fulfil the following IAS Eligibility Criteria:
| Eligibility Criteria for UPSC IAS Exam | |
| Educational qualification | ● Bachelor’s degree from any recognized university
● Final year students are eligible to appear for UPSC preliminary exam. However, there are some restrictions: ○ All such candidates who have qualified for the UPSC IAS Main Exam should ensure to confirm that they have qualified the said exam along with the application for IAS Main Exam. |
| Age Range | ● Unreserved Category and EWS: Candidate age should not be minimum 21 years and more than 32 years.
● OBC: The age of the candidate should not be at least 21 years and not more than 35 years, however, there is a provision for age relaxation of 3 years for this category. ● ST/SC: The age of the candidate should be at least 21 years and not more than 37 years, however, there is a provision for age relaxation of 5 years for this category. |
| Nationality | ● Must be an Indian citizen, or a subject of Bhutan or Tibet or Nepal, and must be a refugee who entered India before January 1, 1962. |
| Number Of Attempts | ● General: 6
● EWS: 6 ● OBC: 9 ● SC/ST: Candidates of this category have unlimited attempts. (However, they are allowed to appear for the examination until they reach the maximum age limit). |
Functions of IAS Officers:-
Cadre officers or members of the All India Civil Services work for both the Central Government and the States. IAS officers can also be appointed to various government institutions, such as autonomous bodies, subsidiary bodies, statutory bodies, staff and line agencies, regulatory bodies and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs),both at the national and state levels. However, the duties and responsibilities of IAS officers are determined by laws, rules procedures and the type of assignments they receive through government departments. They are given three types of tasks , Field Work, Central Secretariat or State Secretariat or Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). Field assignment is considered to be the most challenging role that can be assigned to an IAS officer. The primary functions of IAS officers are as follows:
- Managing government affairs, such as formulating, implementing, and reviewing policies.
- To supervise the execution of various government schemes and policies.
- To monitor the utilisation of public funds by proper financial expenditure rules.
- Revenue collection and court functions in revenue matters.
- Maintaining law and order.
- To function as Chief Development Officer (CDO)/District Development Commissioner.
- Within his jurisdiction, an IAS officer is responsible for responding to natural disasters, riots and major accidents.
Other Assignments for IAS officers
- Secretarial posts in the Central Government are concerned with policy review, formulation and implementation for various ministries.
- IAS officers in state secretariats use their experience and expertise to advise elected representatives on policy formulation and government process decisions.
- Many IAS officers are deputed to the PSU cadre and are involved in the top management of various PSUs, such as power plants and industrial facilities.
IAS Officer Monthly Salary
As per the 7th Central Pay Commission, the basic pay for IAS officers is Rs 56,100. Moreover, the salary of Cabinet Secretary, which is the highest post an IAS officer can hold, is currently Rs 2.5 lakh per month. Other benefits or allowances received by IAS officers include the following:
- Government housing with subsidised facilities.
- Government transport services.
- Cooks, gardeners and other domestic help are provided.
- There is no charge for staying in government hotels or bungalows while on duty.
- Reimbursement of mobile phone, telephone and internet service charges.
- Security and other personnel may be required depending on the situation.
- IAS officers also get lifetime pension and other retirement benefits.
- After retirement, IAS officers can be appointed to commissions or tribunals.
- Additionally, IAS officers get many other benefits, such as dearness allowance and travelling allowance.
To get a better idea about the IAS salary structure of an IAS officer take a look at the table given below:
| IAS Officer Salary Structure 2023 | |||||
| Salary Level | Basic Pay (INR) | Number of years of service required | Post | ||
| 10 | 56,100 | 1-4 | Sub Divisional Magistrate | Under Secretary | Assistant Secretary |
| 11 | 67,700 | 5-8 | Additional District Magistrate | Deputy Secretary | Under Secretary |
| 12 | 78,800 | 9-12 | District Magistrate | Joint Secretary | Deputy Secretary |
| 13 | 1,18,500 | 13-16 | Divisional Commissioner | Special Secretary cum Director | Director |
| 14 | 1,44,200 | 16-24 | Divisional Commissioner | Commissioner with Special Secretary | Joint Secretary |
| 15 | 1,82,200 | 25-30 | No Equivalent Rank | Principal Secretary | Additional Secretary |
| 16 | 2,05,400 | 30-33 | No Equivalent Rank | Additional Chief Secretary | No Equivalent Rank |
| 17 | 2,25,000 | 34-36 | No Equivalent Rank | Chief Secretary | Secretary |
| 18 | 2,50,000 | over 37 years | No Equivalent Rank | No Equivalent Rank | Cabinet Secretary of India |
IAS UPSC CSE Prelims Exam Pattern
Below is the complete pattern of the prelims exam of the IAS.
| Exam Pattern for IAS UPSC CSE Prelims 2023 | |
| Two Compulsory Papers | ● General Studies Paper 1 (Merit)
● CSAT (Qualification) |
| Total Questions | ● GS Paper 1: 100 Questions
● CSAT: 80 questions |
| Total Marks | ● GS Paper-I: 200 marks
● CSAT: 200 marks ● Total Marks: 400 |
| Negative Marking | ● 1/3rd of the total marks determined will be deducted |
| Time | ● Two hours for each of the following papers:
○ gs paper 1 ○ csat |
UPSC CSE Mains Exam Pattern
After clearing prelims exam candidates are called for IAS mains exam where they have to give 9 subjective papers. Below is the complete pattern of UPSC mains exam.
| UPSC Mains Exam Pattern | |||
| Paper Type | Name Of Paper | Syllabus Overview | Score |
| Qualifying Paper: Paper A | The candidate must choose one Indian language from among the languages mentioned in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution . | ● Understanding
● Abstract writing ● Use ● vocabulary ● short essay |
300 |
| Qualifying Paper: Paper B | English | ● Short Essay (100 Marks)
● Comprehension of the given passage (60 marks) ● Accurate Writing (60 Marks) ● Grammar and Language Use (40 marks) ● Translation: English to Compulsory Language (20 marks) ● English as Compulsory Language (20 marks) |
300 |
| Paper 1 | Essay | Candidates can write as per their convenience | 250 |
| Paper 2 | General Studies 1 | ● Art And Culture
● History ● Geography ● Society |
250 |
| Paper 3 | General Studies 2 | ● Government
● Constitution ● Arrangement of the governance ● Social Justice ● International Relation |
250 |
| Paper 4 | General Studies 3 | ● Science and Technology ● Economics ● Environmental Biodiversity ● Intrinsic Safety ● Disaster management |
250 |
| Paper 5 | General Studies 4 | ● Ethics
● Integrity ● Skill |
250 |
| Paper 6 | Optional Subject-Paper 1 | The detailed IAS exam syllabus is mentioned in the official notification. | 250 |
| Paper 7 | Optional Subject-Paper 2 | – | 250 |
| Total | – | – | 1750 |
So this was all about one of the best jobs in India. Lakhs of Candidates appear every year in UPSC exam to become IAS officer but only 100 out of them are able to do so. Which is why IAS is one of the most sought after jobs in India.