Civil Services: Career, Opportunities, Criteria & Role

Government employees have enjoyed status, respect, and influence ever since colonial rule, especially those in administrative roles. Even today, we all admire those who can enter the Civil Services, the popular name for administrative machinery.

Civil servants are responsible for putting government and developmental policies into practice, maintaining law and order, and serving as a conduit between the general public and the government. They have a lot of influence and are highly regarded for their work. UPSC civil servant salary is usually satisfying enough, along with that they can get lavish residences, and personal carers to live prosperous lives. The young generation has grown interested in a career in government services due to all of these factors.

Please read this post if you or anyone you know has ever considered a career in the government sector—everything you need to know about this exam and the life that comes after it is provided here.

Table of Content

Civil Services: Career, Opportunities, Criteria & Role

Education Criteria

Eligibility for Civil Service Examination

Career & Role of Civil Services

IFS – Indian Foreign Service

IPS – Indian Police Service

IAS – Indian Administrative Service

IRS – Indian Revenue Service

Conclusion!

Education Criteria 

Civil servants are generalists with rounded personalities and knowledge of the world in which we live. If you want to work in government, you can take this test with a master’s degree in any field and a class 12 diploma from any stream. 

Yet, because the exam’s format is focused on topics like Indian politics, the constitution, geography, world news, history, etc., many hopefuls like studying humanities in both high school and college; still, the only thing that matters is your passion for it and any alternative careers you can develop from that subject and degree. You can choose any degree and any subject of your choice.  

Eligibility for Civil Service Examination

The requirements to sit for the civil service examination are listed below:

  • It would be best to have a graduate bachelor’s degree in any field from a reputable university (or be prepared to sit for final year exams).
  • On the day of the exam, you must be at least 21 years old and no older than 32 years old (with a relaxation of 5 years for SC/ST candidates and those with a Jammu and Kashmir residence, 3 years for OBC candidates and members of the military, and 10 years for those who are blind, deaf and hard of hearing, or have orthopedic disabilities).
  • Candidates from the General Category are permitted six attempts at the test; candidates from the OBC Category are permitted nine attempts; and candidates from the SC/ST Category are permitted an unlimited number of attempts.
  • To apply for the IAS and IPS, you must be an Indian citizen. For other deemed positions, you must be either an Indian citizen, a Nepalese citizen, a Bhutanese citizen, a Tibetan refugee who entered India before January 1, 1962, or a person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, or one of the East African nations of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, or Vietnam.

Career & Role of Civil Services 

IFS – Indian Foreign Service

A career in foreign service aims to become a diplomat and tour the world while representing the country. Even though it might seem too good to be true, Indian Foreign Services provides you with all that and more.

IFS officers serve as ambassadors, high commissioners, third and second secretaries, and other positions in foreign embassies and international bodies like the UN. They also represent our nation overseas. They receive a car, a comfortable place to live, and other housing and necessities. A few of the benefits an IFS Officer receives include the Government of India paying for their children’s (up to 2) college expenses.

IPS – Indian Police Service

The upholders of law and order in our nation are the IPS Officers. They are in charge of aiding in maintaining order in the nation thanks to their extensive training, in-depth knowledge, and state-granted authority. Due to their involvement in the administration, IPS is frequently chosen by civil servants as their next position after IAS.

Job Role: At the start of their careers, IPS officers are frequently assigned the positions of Assistant Superintendent of Police and, eventually, Assistant Commissioner of Police. Later on, they hold jobs like Commissioner of Police and Joint Commissioner. An experienced IPS Officer is always in charge of the intelligence bureau.

IAS – Indian Administrative Service

Because of its prestige, this position is among the most sought-after in Civil Services. Individuals working in these positions are given perks, including a house, staff, and cars, and the government pays for their living expenses.

IAS personnel are in charge of maintaining law and order and carrying out government directives daily.

Job Role: IAS officers begin their careers as Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDM) in a state before moving on to fill roles like District Magistrate and Divisional Commissioner, among others. They are chosen to lead government agencies, lead public service organizations, and serve as the government of India’s secretaries.

IRS – Indian Revenue Service

The largest central governmental service is the Indian Revenue Service. They carry out one of the most crucial duties, namely collecting taxes and other financial resources for the economy’s growth.

Job Role: After being hired, IRS agents are listed as Assistant Commissioners of Income Tax. They work as the Joint Commissioner and Additional Commissioner of Income Tax after a few years of service and advancement. The chief of the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau, an IRS officer, carries out the nation’s economic laws.

Conclusion!

Because of its advantages and benefits, as well as the type of job role it involves, UPSC is one of the most popular career choices after graduation and you get UPSC highest post salary. In India, the duties and obligations of civil servants are fascinating. In this article, we have covered the role and responsibilities of IAS, IPS, and IFS officers. 

FAQs

What are the career options in civil services?

Some of the most renowned civil services include IAS – Indian Administrative Services, IPS – Indian Police Services, IRS – Indian Revenue Services, and IFS – Indian Foreign Services. In total, there are 23 distinct civil services. 

What are the major roles in civil services?

The main services a civil services officer do includes analyzing options of policies, managing providing frontline support to the general people who use the public services, and management of government contracts. Other than these, a civil services officer performs a lot of other services too. 

Leave a Comment