An IAS career is considered as one of the most reputable and desirable career paths in India. There are a lot of ups and downs in the life of an IAS officer, it’s not easy at all to become an IAS officer.
An IAS officer is known for its responsibility who may bring huge differences in the life of public and seriously that’s not a joke.
This article is about the life of an IAS officer their roles, responsibilities, career.
Civil Services Exam is a competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)every year across the country. The examination is held to recruit candidates for various Central and All India Civil Service posts in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), etc. Get more info about IAS.
IAS officer Life :
Candidates join Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA)as they successfully qualify the UPSC Civil Services Exam and become an IAS. The life of an IAS officer is very disciplined they need to get up at 6’o clock early morning and get ready for their training session.
The schedule usually followed by LBSNAA is as follows:
- Morning exercise/horse riding training for 60 minutes at 6 am.
- Free time for morning activities from 7 am to 9 am.
- 8-10 hours of academic activity including lectures, sports, and extracurricular activities from 9:30 onwards.
Officer trainees are left free to socialize and prepare for the next day before and after dinner. Outdoor activities like trekking to nearby rural areas helps to learn how to deal with adversity and recognize rural India’s lifestyle are an integral part of the training. IAS officer training also includes Bharat Darshan (India study tour).
Their schedules change as per their allotted post after promoting from trainees graduate to an IAS officer. A day in the field begins from 9 am for an IAS officer. It would include a number of daily reports, surveillance of different daily task of the department or district, a review of the implementation of development work and meetings in different fields. The activities can take place late at night and usually end at approximately 9 pm.
An IAS officer could continue working to coordinate response and relief teams well beyond normal working hours in cases of emergencies, such as natural disasters, disturbances, etc.
Life Role of an IAS Officer
The functional roles of IAS officers depend on the type of task they are given. They are given three types of tasks:
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- Field
- State Secretariat/Public Sector Undertakings
- Central Secretariat
Field assignments are considered to be the toughest roles an IAS officer can be called upon to perform. Civil Services ‘ core functions are as follows:
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- Government affairs are handled, including policy framing, implementation, and review.
- Consultation for the above functions with various departments and elected representatives.
- Management and payment of various allocated public funds for various schemes.
- Supervising the implementation of different government schemes and policies.
- Respond and coordinate relief operations in response to emergencies such as natural disasters, major accidents, and riots.
Below are the discussed specific assignment roles that officials perform:
- Field Assignments: After training an IAS officer’s first job is usually a field job. There are their own complexities in the different levels where they work.
- Functions of the Subdivision: As a subdivisional judge, law and order maintenance, development and administrative management in the sub-division are supervised.
- Functions at District level: As a district officer, collector or deputy commissioner, he is in the district level performing the same functions as an SDM and is also oversight of the SDMs.
For most IAS officers, fieldwork normally ends at the district level. Many of them work in the State Secretariat and take positions in the State Government.
State Secretariat Assignments: Postings from the State Secretariat involve taking advantage of the experience and expertise gained in the field to advise elected representatives to formulate policies and make decisions on government processes.
Enterprises in the Public Sector: Many officers are posted on deputation to PSU cadres and become part of the higher management of various enterprises in the public sector such as power discoms, industrial units, etc.
Central Secretariat Assignments: Secretarial level posts for different ministries at the central government level deal with policy review, formulation, and implementation.
There are also provisions for the transfer of IAS officers to private organizations in the short term, such as the United Nations and other international bodies.
IAS officer power
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- Code of Criminal Procedure (1973): Sections 107,108,109,110,133,144 and 176 lists the powers granted to the magistrates to maintain law and order.
- Tenancy laws define a collector’s income powers
- The National Disaster Management Act lists the powers of Chief Secretaries and Magistrates in directing operations for disaster relief.
- Arms Act, Drug Licenses Act, Essential Commodities Act, etc. list the powers of IAS officers to enforce regulations in various situations.
These are the main laws dealing with IAS powers, although there are nearly 300 laws defining them on a case-by-case basis. These rules are also summarized in the All India Service Manuals, which the Department of Personnel and Training updates from time to time. The service manuals also list the rules governing IAS performance. All civil servants are accountable to the legislatures of state and central government.
IAS officer career
The following is most IAS officers ‘ career path. Depending on the allotted cadre, the career paths diverge after probation.
- Phase I Training at LBSNAA
- Training at the district level in the allotted cadre
- Phase II Training at LBSNAA which includes a week-long foreign attachment with one of India’s diplomatic missions abroad
- Central Government attachment at the nominal position of an Assistant Secretary for three months
- Posting as SDM/Joint Magistrate/Sub Collector
- Posting as Municipal Commissioner, DDO/CDO
- Posting as DM/Collector
- Posting at State Secretariats at Director/Joint Secretary level.
- Deputation to the Central Government can be opted for during any stage of service after serving for a few years.
- Principal/Additional Secretary in the State Secretariat/Central Secretariat
- Chief Secretary of a state
- Cabinet Secretary
The Indian Cabinet Secretary’s position is the highest position an IAS officer can aspire to. Chief State Secretary is the highest one can go in the state bureaucracy.
IAS officer salary
Basic pay of Rs 56100 has been set by the 7th Central Pay Commission for newly inducted IAS officers. With the Union Cabinet Secretary receiving the highest pay at Rs. 250000, there are a total of 18 pay levels for IAS. In addition, IAS officers usually receive the following benefits while on duty:
- Subsidized accommodation for the government. Postings at the district level get the best houses in India among any government service.
- Depending on the requirement, household assistance such as cooks, gardeners, etc.
- Security cover depending on the requirement.
- Most district and state-level posts provide government transportation. Central deputations have fewer vehicle facilities extended to IAS and only officers above a certain rank are getting government vehicles.
- We will reimburse the mobile, internet and telephone charges.
- During the course of duty, free stay in government residences and bungalows.
- IAS officers also have the right to a monthly pension based on their rank and service duration after their retirement.
For a driven individual, the life of an IAS officer is both challenging and satisfying. It is the perfect opportunity for young people to participate directly in their country’s administration and development.
TN Seshan was one of the IAS toppers in 1955, the man who cleaned up India’s elections. He implemented a variety of reforms in India’s electoral process as the Chief Election Commissioner, which earned him the ire of many politicians but also endeavoured him to the people of this country. E Sreedharan, India’s ‘ Metro Man, ‘ is another civil servant who brought about a major transformation in the country. The timely execution of the Delhi Metro project was carried out by Sreedharan, a Padma Vibhushan award winner. He was known for boldly side-lining political pressure and bypassing political interventions for speedy project execution.
Even today in our country there are remote hamlets where the most basic needs are lacking and the lives of people are miserable. Imagine being responsible for bringing into the lives of people in such places drinking water, transport facilities, health facilities, educational institutions, sanitation, nutrition, and dignity.
You too can become an IAS officer and do your bit to bring about a positive change in the lives of people. Although it is generally believed that the IAS examination is really tough and that only a few brilliant people can make it clear, the fact is that anyone who puts into diligent labour can crack the IAS examination. The only requirement is to fully understand and study the exam’s demands, and this is where guidance from experienced people is important. Using the assistance of field experts will increase the chances of a candidate cracking the IAS exam in the first attempt itself.
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