As you walk past the many coaching centres that dot our nation, you can see the hope and dreams brimming in the eyes of IAS aspirants. As it should be. Becoming a civil officer is a matter of prestige and honour. Passing the civil services exam means you cleared the toughest exam in the nation, which makes the achievement even more commendable.
But what are the posts that come within the civil services? Is IAS the only “job” or are there more positions? That’s what this post discovers. We take a look at the top services you may get to be a part of if you pass the UPSC conducted exam.
Also Read: HISTORY OF IAS EXAMINATION
The Obvious Indian Administrative Service
The most commonly known civil service post is the IAS. A premier service within the government of the nation, it was established in 1946. Before that, it was the Indian Imperial Services which ruled. IAS is an all India service where officers are recruited through the same qualifications and offered a uniform pay scale. Known as the steel frame of India, IAS officers are responsible for:
- General administration of jurisdiction under them
- Maintaining law and order
- Collection of revenue and function as a court in matters connected to revenue.
The Remarkable Indian Foreign Service
An IFS officer is responsible for safeguarding and promoting the interests of India at a national and international platform in a plethora of issues and platforms. Some of the areas an Indian diplomat work on are:
- Multilateral issues
- Cultural interaction
- Press and media liaison
- Trade and investment promotion
- Bilateral political and economic cooperation
If you become an IFS officer, you will be representing the country in its:
- Embassies
- Consulates
- High commissions
- Permanent missions to multilateral organisations
- The Powerful Indian Police Service
IPS marks the third and the last of the All India Services within the government. When India gained independence, they replaced the old Indian Imperial Police with IPS. While it is not an actual force of police officers, it is a service. IPS officers are leaders and commanders to the entire staff of state police as well as CAP.
While most of the civil aspirants who walk through the doors of Chinmaya Coaching Centre aim to be part of the above three, three more positions have an equal amount of prestige attached to them.
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The IRS C&CE
A branch of the Revenue Department under the Ministry of Finance, the officer within it administer indirect taxes such as:
- Customs
- Excise
- Narcotics
- Service Tax
- The authority of this office is under the purview of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).
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The IRS IT
All IT officers elected by the UPSC for the Indian Revenue Services are responsible for the collection of direct tax. Chiefly, they are income tax and wealth tax, both of which form a significant chunk of total Indian tax revenue. The authority of this office is under the purview of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
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The IRTS
The Indian Railway Traffic Service come within the Ministry of Railways and are responsible for the seamless and flawless transportation of both passengers and freight. They manage not only the customer interface of the railways but also the pricing and sales of the business.
As a leading IAS coaching in Chennai, we know that civil services are as deep as they are broad. When students first come to Chennai with the hopes of becoming a public officer, they rarely realise the opportunities open to them. If you are one of those hopefuls in Chennai, we recommend you to take a comprehensive look at all the posts within Indian civil services before you make the final career choice.
List of Exams
UPSC or Union Public Service Commission conducts several examinations. They are as follows: Railway protection force or RPF, Central Armed Police Forces Examination or Assistant Commandment Exam, Combined Geologist and Geoscientist exam, IFS or Indian Forest Service exam, Special Class Railway Trainee, National Defense Academy Exam, Civil Services Exam, Combined Defense Services Exam, Combined Medical Services Exam and Engineering Medical Service Exam. To know more about the examinations conducted by UPSC, visit UPSC Website.