The Indian Administrative Services is one of the three All India Services in the country. Candidates across the country look for an opportunity to join the administrative arm of the Indian bureaucracy. And, this opportunity is provided by the Union Public Service Commission through the civil services exam held annually in India.
Every year lakhs of aspirants apply for the IAS Exam with the desire to become a civil servant and work for the welfare of the country. Apart from that the perks and lifestyle that accompany it also act as a key factor for the massive popularity of this exam.
For beginners or those who are new and still having a dilemma on whether to apply for the post of an IAS officer or not, we bring to the key aspects of the life and work of an Indian Administrative Officer for your reference. Also, this will help as a guiding light and motivation to prepare and crack the civil services exam.
How to Become an IAS Officer?
UPSC conducts an annual examination to appoint civil servants to various government departments and ministries. The exam is conducted in three stages and has a very comprehensive and exhaustive exam pattern and syllabus. Given below is the same in brief:
| Stage of Exam | Subjects | Total Marks |
| Prelims (Objective) | General Studies I | 400 marks |
| General Studies II (CSAT) | ||
| Mains | Paper A – Compulsory Indian language | 2350 marks |
| Paper B – English | ||
| Paper I – Essay | ||
| Paper II – General Studies I | ||
| Paper III – General Studies II | ||
| Paper IV – General Studies III | ||
| Paper V – General Studies IV | ||
| Paper VI – Optional 1 | ||
| Paper VII – Optional 2 | ||
| Personality Test / Interview | – | 275 marks |
As per the official calendar released by the Commission, the notification shall be released on February 2, 2022, followed by prelims on June 5th and mains from September 16, 2022, onwards. Thus, candidates targeting the upcoming recruitment must start off their preparation now.
Role and Responsibility of an IAS Officer
The work of an officer depends upon the post at which he has been appointed. The post of District Officer, variously known as District Magistrate, District Collector or Deputy Commissioner is the most esteemed and distinguishable post held by the members of the service.
Given below are the responsibilities of an IAS officer:
- An IAS Officer as a civil servant is responsible for the law and order and general administration in the area under his work
- Supervision of the implemented policies
- Actively participating in the daily affairs of the government and the area under their control
- He/She can also be sent on missions abroad or assigned to a department directly under the central government
- Consulting with various departments and elected representatives for different functions
IAS Salary, Perks and Allowances
The basic per month salary of an IAS officer starts at Rs.56,100 (TA, DA, and HRA are extra) and can go on to reach Rs. 2,50,000 for a Cabinet Secretary.
This salary includes basic pay, grade pay and other perks and allowances which an IAS Officer can enjoy. Few of which have been discussed briefly below:
- Dearness Allowance
- Medical Benefits
- House Rent Allowance (HRA)
- Travel Benefits
Other benefits and allowances include transport allowance, house help benefits, mobile bills, travel expenses, pension and retirement benefits.
Promotion & Career Growth
Based on the performance and the duties performed by an officer in service, they can be promoted to higher posts over a period of time. There also are internal opportunities, where employees can qualify and get promoted to higher positions.
How to Prepare for the IAS Exam?
The preparation for the civil services exam is a challenging process considering the comprehensive syllabus. Aspirants need a strategic plan to cover the entire syllabus and efficiently prepare the same. Given below are a few tips that can be useful for aspirants preparing for the upcoming IAS Exam:
- Prepare a detailed and systematic study plan that incorporates all the subjects and separate time for revision and solving of mock tests
- Collect the best set of books as recommended by the previous year IAS toppers or the most reliable online portals
- Make proper notes on each topic that will help during revision and in the longer run
- Join a coaching institute if required to get the desired help with different subjects included in the syllabus. Also, this expert guidance can be very helpful in getting your doubts cleared on different topics
- Solve as many mock tests and practise papers as possible as this will boost your confidence and command over the paper. Also, candidates will get a better understanding of the type of questions that can be asked in the final examination
- Another important tip would be referring to the previous year’s question papers. Through this candidates can anticipate the level of examination and the topics that are important from the examination perspective
Also, candidates must always review the IAS Syllabus before starting with the preparation and analysing the subjects and topics under each to excel in the examination.
Since the notification for UPSC 2022 is expected to release in February 2022, candidates must now pull up their socks and achieve their dream of becoming an IAS officer.
