- Home
- IAS Officer
Who is a IAS Officer?
It is the dream of millions of young aspirants to become an IAS officer. It is considered to be one of the most prestigious careers in India. A career as an IAS officer comes with various challenges and responsibilities. He or she has the major responsibility of the maintenance of law and order and provides support to the people during crisis management.
One has to clear the Union Public Service Commission Main, Prelims examinations and Interview rounds to be selected for the role of an IAS officer. Further, after selection, candidates undergo training at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. Students from Science, commerce, arts, and humanities background are eligible to become IAS officers. Here, we will discuss what is IAS officer, how to become an IAS Officer in India, how to become IAS officer after 10th and IAS officer salary is in India.
.jpg)
IAS Officer in a Nutshell
If you want to opt for an administrative career in civil services then opt for a career as an IAS officer. An IAS officer has the prime responsibility of maintaining law and order. He or she is provided with various powers. An IAS officer acts as Collector, District Collector, and Additional Collector under various sections of the IPCC.
Quick Facts for IAS Officer
-
Average Salary in India
₹93650
-
Suitable for
Male, Female, Others
A career as an IAS officer is suitable for everyone regardless of gender. Whether a person is male, female, or belongs to any other gender, he or she can opt for a career as an IAS officer.
-
Any special needs
Yes
A career as an IAS officer is suitable for individuals with certain disabilities. D Balagendram is a visually impaired IAS officer.
Table of Contents for IAS Officer
What is the role of IAS Officer?
The work of an IAS officer varies depending on his or her type of assignment he or she is given. An IAS officer is provided with three types of assignments. It includes field, state secretariat, or public sector undertakings, and central secretariat assignments. The role of the IAS includes handling of affairs of the government which involves drafting, framing, implementing, and reviewing policies. An IAS officer is required to consult various departments and elect representatives.
An IAS officer is responsible for supervising the implementation of government schemes and policies. An IAS officer is responsible for responding to natural calamities, riots, and major accidents in their jurisdiction. He or she is responsible for coordinating relief activities.
Administrative work
The role of IAS officer is an administrative post in civil services. He or she is responsible for supervising the administrative activities within the division assigned to them.
Maintaining law and order
An IAS officer is responsible for the maintenance of law and order. He or she is responsible for coordinating and providing necessary support to restore law and order and help individuals affected by natural calamities or riots.
Management
An IAS officer is responsible for managing the staff working under him. He or she is responsible to make reports based on the evaluation of their services.
Documentation
An IAS officer work often stays involved in reviewing various reports. He or she is also responsible for providing advice and helping elected representatives to formulate and draft policies for making the right decisions.
Types of a IAS Officer
Here are some of the types of an IAS Officer or careers related to it.
Trainee Officer at LBSNAA: The selected candidates for the role of IAS officer have to undergo training at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration at Mussoorie.
Sub-District Magistrate: A Sub-District Magistrate is responsible for supervising the work of the Tehsildar. He or she can directly correspond to the government and other departments on various matters.
ADM/ Deputy Secretary/ Undersecretary: A SDM gets promoted to the post of ADM (Additional District Magistrate), Deputy Secretary, or Undersecretary. An ADM is provided with the power of the Executive Magistrate. He can act as Additional Collector, Collector, and Land Acquisition Collector. He or she can also act as registrar of the Hindu marriage act and the special marriage act. AN ADM can also act as a vigilance officer and additional revenue collector.
District Magistrate/ Joint Secretary/ Deputy Secretary: A District Magistrate is a promotional post offered to ADM, Deputy Secretary, or Undersecretary. He or she is responsible for the maintenance of law and order.
District Magistrate/ Special Secretary cum Director/ Director: It is a promotional post that comes with the similar responsibilities of District Magistrate- Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary.
Divisional Commissioner/ Secretary cum Commissioner/ Joint Secretary: A divisional commissioner is responsible for the supervision of revenue and development administration of the division.
Divisional Commissioner/ Principal Secretary/ Additional Secretary: A Divisional Commissioner is responsible for the maintenance of law and order under a division. A division includes 3 to 5 districts.
Additional Chief Secretary: Additional Chief Secretary is an administrative ranking above Principal Secretary and Additional Secretary.
Chief Secretary: A Chief Secretary acts as the administrative head of the state government. He or she is the central point of interdepartmental coordination at the departmental level.
Cabinet Secretary of India: A cabinet secretary position in the top position in the Indian Administration Services. He or she acts as the executive official head of the civil services board of India.
What is the workplace/work environment of IAS Officer like?
After completing the training of an IAS officer, the schedule changes as per the respective allotted posts of the individuals. The working schedule for an IAS officer starts at 9:00 am. His or her work responsibilities involve reviewing various reports, visiting different areas to review the implementation of various developmental activities, and attending meetings. The work activities of IAS officers usually get stretched to 9:00 pm. On several extreme events such as natural disasters or riots, an IAS officer is required to make effective coordination with concerned departments and relief teams. He or she is required to work extended hours.
Does IAS Officer require travelling?
Likely
An IAS officer requires to travel for various purposes. He or she also acts as a vigilance officer. To interfere in various matters and evict the unauthorized land occupants he or she requires to travel.
Employment Shifts
Full Time
An IAS officer works full-time. His or her working hours generally start from 9:00 am and stretch till 9:00 pm. It also gets extended to several emergency events such as disaster management and crisis management. An IAS officer works from morning to late midnight.
Employment Nature
Permanent
An IAS officer is employed on a permanent basis. But, it is written in no rule book that he or she cannot be expelled. There is a procedure for doing so if required.
Work Place
On-Field, Office
An IAS officer's work responsibilities vary with the workplace. He or she works in an office environment and also on-field.
Presence in Geographical Area
Rural, Semi-urban, Urban
IAS officers are posted to various locations. It includes various districts that fall under the rural, urban and semi-urban regions.
Time Pressure
Likely
Yes, an IAS officer career involves frequent time pressure to fulfil his or her everyday duties.
Overtime Details
IAS officer job working hours often get stretched on various occasions that require strict actions to maintain law and order and coordinate with the general public.
Weekly Hours of Work
Min 70 Hours
The working hours often get stretched on various occasions.
How to become a IAS Officer?
Steps to become a IAS Officer
If you have the heart to serve the nation mostly during times of crisis by maintaining its law and order, and implementing and administering government policies and programs then a career as an IAS Officer is the best option for you. If you are someone looking for how to become an IAS Officer in India then we have mentioned below how to become an IAS officer step by step.
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an IAS Officer?
Decision-making skills: An IAS officer is a part of the government machinery. He or she must be able to adapt to the changes in the system, operator, and structure. An IAS officer is quick in analyzing the available possibilities and potential outcomes to take decisions accordingly.
Utilitarianism skills: It is an ability based on ethical theory to determine right and wrong depending on the consequences of policy or action. An IAS officer must be able to follow the principle of utilitarianism in taking decisions that lead to the best for the country and its citizens.
Compassion: An IAS officer should be compassionate to eliminate the suffering of people with misfortune. He or she is required to implement the laws to provide support to the people of the underprivileged sections without violating existing laws and rules.
Judgment skills: An IAS officer is also responsible for doing justice to the people by making fair decisions concerning the overall situation. It is his or her sole responsibility to act fairly and rightly.
Integrity: In Public Administration, transparency comes with the definition of holding public officials accountable and eliminating corruption. An IAS officer must possess transparency to observe the actions and decide accordingly.
Popular Online Competition Courses and Certifications
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming IAS Officer?
Internship Availability
Career Path Progression for IAS Officer
Junior IAS Officer: A Junior IAS Officer is a professional who is responsible for is to create and implementing the policies and providing advice to the ministers on the issues. A Junior IAS Officer also manages the funds to carry out the activities and supervises the policies of the government and ensures they have been used properly.
Senior IAS Officer: A Senior IAS Officer is an experienced professional who is responsible for maintaining law and order and oversees the developmental and Sub-Division administrative activities. A Senior IAS Officer works in a state secretariat and handles the affairs of the government.
IAS Officer Jobs and Salaries
Junior IAS Officer
- Average Salary 56100
Job Description
The Junior IAS Officer job description includes managing various expenditures, making crucial judgements and developing policies. A Junior IAS Officer also oversees the policy implementation and maintains citizen's order and law.
Salary Description
The entry-level IAS Officer salary in India is Rs 56,100, during the training it is around Rs 33000 to 35000 as per deductions.
Senior IAS Officer
- Average Salary 131200
Job Description
The Senior IAS Officer job description includes framing and implementing the policies and also reviewing them. A Senior IAS Officer manages and responds to the emergency situations like natural disasters.
Salary Description
The IAS Officer salary in India after 8 years of service is Rs 1,31,200 per month or Rs 15.75 lakh per year.
What is the job outlook for IAS Officer?
We would suggest all the IAS aspirants have plan B also. One can only make six attempts to clear the UPSC examination. Candidates belonging to the general category can make all the attempts at the age of 21 to 30 years. It is a dream for millions in India to become an IAS officer as it is the most reputed position in Indian Civil Services.
A plan B career ensures employability as one has to succeed in six attempts as no one is provided with a chance for the 7th attempt of the UPSC examination. The competition for UPSC is tougher as lakhs of candidates appear each year in the UPSC examination. From those, only a few hundred are selected.
Student Also Liked:
Frequently Asked Questions for IAS Officer
Que. What is the minimum IAS officer qualification requirement?
Ans.Successful completion of an undergraduate degree programme in any specialisation is the minimum requirement of IAS officer qualifications.
Que. What is the average UPSC examination rank cut-off for IAS?
Ans.For the general category, the last rank on the UPSC examination for the IAS role is 92. For the OBC category, it is 457 rank. The last cut-off rank for the SC category ranges from 492. For ST, it is 528.
Que. What are the perks of an IAS officer job?
Ans.The perks of an IAS officer job include residence, service quarter, transportation, security, trips , study leave and numerous unofficial benefits.
Que. How many attempts can one make in the UPSC examination?
Ans.One can make only 6 attempts to clear the UPSC examination including the interview round.
Que. What is the full-form of IAS?
Ans.IAS stands for Indian Administrative Services.
Que. I am in 10th mam I want to become an IAS Officer but I don't know which subject I should choose I am interested in bio but I don't wanna spend much time on other subjects what should I do
Ans.You might also be interested in
Questions related to IAS Officer
what I have to do after 12 for becoming an IAS officer
Hello aspirant,
I hope all is well with you. Nothing less than a degree qualifies you to take the UPSC civil services test or the IAS exam. Therefore, it is irrelevant if you choose PCB or PCM in your 12th year or seek a degree in the arts, sciences, business, engineering, or medical. The only thing required is graduation.
So I would suggest you do your graduation first and also prepare for UPSC exam along with your graduation.
Thank you
Hope this information helps you.
I want to become a IAS officer iam 11th now which books i have to prefer? is it correct time time to start preparation guide me
Hi
Actually, it's too early to start your preparation for UPSC now that you are in class 11 th only. Your focus right now should getting good score in 10+2 and then getting admission in a good college for your graduation.
I would suggest you to start your preparation for UPSC after 12th along with your graduation following the below tips:-
-----------------------------------) To start your preparation first of all understand the examination pattern and go well through syllabus :-
>>>> Examination pattern :- UPSC examination has 3 stages listed below :-
-
prelims exam
-
Mains exam.
-
Interview
PRELIMS EXAMINATION PATTERN:-
******* Number of papers |
GS 1: Based on :-
|
GS 2: Based on :-
|
|
******* Language of paper |
English |
Hindi |
|
******* Duration of exam |
4 hours i. e 2 hours for each paper |
******* Number of questions |
|
******* Maximum marks |
400 (200 each) |
******* Qualifying marks |
33% for Paper 2
††† Prelims is just qualifying in nature, considered for final merit list. |
MAINS EXAMINATION PATTERN
******* Number of papers |
9 |
******* Language of question paper |
English |
Hindi |
|
For language paper you can choose any one of the 22 languages mentioned 8 th schedule of Indian constitution |
|
******* Duration of exam |
3 hours each |
******* Subjects |
††† Paper A & B are just qualifying in nature i. e not considered for final merit list |
******* Number of questions |
Part A and B: 300 each General studies and optional paper: 250 each |
******* Maximum marks |
1750 |
-
To know exam pattern in detail visit :- https://competition.careers360.com/articles/upsc
-
>>>> syllabus :- You can get complete syllabus at:- https://competition.careers360.com/articles/upsc-ias-syllabus
---------------------------------) Top books which you can follow for UPSC examination preparation are listed below subject wise:-
HISTORY
*NCERT XI (Ancient & Medieval)
*NCERT XII (Modern Indian History)
*Facets of Indian Culture Spectrum
*From Plassey to Partition - A History of Modern India
Indian Art & Culture
*Indian Art & Culture - Nitin Singhania
Polity
*NCERT IX-XII
*Indian Polity M Laxmikanth
Geography
*NCERT VI X (Old Syllabus)
*NCERT XI, XII (New Syllabus)
*Certificate Physical Geography G C Leong
World Atlas
Economics
NCERT XI
*The Indian Economy Sanjiv Verma
*Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh
*Economic Development & Policies in India Jain & Ohri
Environment
*Class XII Biology (last 5 chapters)
*Environment by Shankar IAS Academy
International Relations
*NCERT XII (Contemporary World Politics)
*Current Affairs ( read newspaper )
To get the complete list of books go through
https://competition.careers360.com/articles/books-for-upsc-ias
-----------------------------------) Discipline is the key to crack UPSC, so you need to make a routine/ time table and follow it .
----------------------------------)Read newspaper like the Hindu or Indian Express and magazines like Yojana, Kurukshetra, Economic and Political Weekly to keep yourself updated with the current events and issues.
----------------------------------) take short breaks in between your studies, studying continuously can be brain tiring and it becomes difficult to focus and study with concentration, so take breaks to relax and refresh your brain otherwise you won't be able to retain whatever you read.
-----------------------------------)Choose your optional subject wisely , choose the subject you have interest in.
----------------------------------)Make short notes for each subject, these will be your life saviour and will help you in your revisions a lot as syllabus is wide
----------------------------------)Set daily goals like I have to cover these many topics today, weekly goals like I have to cover these chapters this week and practice their questions too, by the end of this week and similarly set monthly goals to cover the syllabus and meet them without any fail.
----------------------------------)Revise :- there's no point of preparing for the exam if you couldn't recall anything in the UPSC Examination so you should stress on revision as well.
----------------------------------) Your mains examination is in written, so you need to work your speed and also work on improving how to present the knowledge you have on paper, so answer writing practicing should be your priority
----------------------------------)Solve previous year question papers and mock test papers ;- You should solve these , it will give you idea of types of questions asked and their difficulty level and will help you a lot.
----------------------------------)Also work on your communication skills and personality development as it plays an important role in your interview round.
For more tips go through
https://competition.careers360.com/articles/how-prepare-for-upsc-ias
Still, If you want to start your preparation from 11th itself then what you can do is cover the class 6 to 12th ncert books of social science to build a good foundation for UPSC preparation and start your full fledged preparation for upsc from graduation following above mentioned tips.
Thankyou
After NDA can I complete my master of surgeon degree and after that can I become a ias officer and what its process ?
Yes, you can definitely complete your masters of surgeon degree after NDA. To become an IAS officer you will have to clear your UPSC exams. You should fall under age 32 category to be eligible to give UPSC exams and in some cases the upper age limit could be 35 or 37.
Is commerce students eligible to become an IAS officer?
Hello,
Candidate who has a Bachelor's degree (BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BBA, BCA, B.Tech etc.) with at least one of the subjects namely Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Forestry or in Engineering from recognised university is eligible to give UPSC IAS exam. Candidates between the age group of 21 to 32 years with a graduation degree are eligible to apply for the UPSC IAS exam. Union Public Service Commission will release the UPSC IAS 2023 eligibility criteria in its official IAS 2023 notification.
Please help me to knw how can i become an IAS officer?
Hi
You can become an IAS Officer by clearing the civil services examination conducted by UPSC every year.
There are 3 rounds in the exam
- Prelims
- Mains
- Personality test
Once you passes the intermediate level or class 12th, decide your area of interest in terms of optional subject. Go through the List of Optional Subjects for UPSC, and pursue your graduation in that subject.To appear for the exam, the candidate must have a Bachelor's degree from a recognized university. Also candidates who are in their final year and waiting for the final results are also eligible.
Select your reason of reporting