Indian Civil Services
To serve a nation as diverse as India is an exceptional responsibility and an excellent learning opportunity. It encompasses a broad range of services required to ensure that the country’s internal and external policies serve the nation’s interests at best. These responsibilities are handled by the officers from the Indian Civil Services.
The skillset required to manage such diverse expectations is excellent for an individual’s personal growth, apart from the positive reputation associated with it. It is a direct method to make a difference on the ground, affecting the lives of so many people. Thus, the examination for Indian Civil Services sees massive participation from aspirants across the country. The exams for civil services are conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) at the central level, while states have their own public service commissions.
Civil Services Streams
The Union Public Service Commission conducts the examination for selecting candidates who will be working in one of the following streams.
- Indian Administrative Services (IAS).
- Indian Foreign Services (IFS).
- Indian Police Services (IPS).
The aspirants qualifying for IAS rank and fulfilling the assessment criteria receive their training in the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). From there, they proceed to the specific training for their stream in different locations. The aspirants for IAS 2022 need to appear for the UPSC 2022. Only on qualifying with the requisite cut-off marks will they be allowed to opt for IAS as their stream.
The Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
The Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officers are responsible for the direct administration of the districts in the country. As part of their training, the officers study different subjects that help in administration. Some IAS subjects that trainee officers study include policymaking, project management, people management, soft skills, national security, etc.
There are three subdivisions within the IAS portfolio. The IAS posts are dependent on these subdivisions. Let us look at each of these subdivisions and the associated IAS posts.
- District Level Administration
The first hierarchy of responsibilities of an IAS officer is associated with the District Level Administration. The starting IAS post for this subdivision is Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). As one moves up the hierarchy, they can become Additional District Magistrate, District Magistrate, and Divisional Magistrate.
- State Level Administration
The second set of responsibilities that an IAS officer may have is with respect to the State Level Administration. Here, the IAS posts start with that of an Under Secretary. The progressing hierarchy of IAS posts under state-level administration includes the Deputy Secretary, Joint Secretary, Special Secretary-cum-Director, Special Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Principal Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, and finally, Chief Secretary.
- Central Administration (Central Secretariat)
The final hierarchy is that of IAS posts associated with the Central Secretariat. The designations at this level start from Assistant Secretary. The subsequent IAS posts in this hierarchy include Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Director, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary, and Secretary. The highest IAS post in the Central Secretariat and the IAS overall is that of the Cabinet Secretary of India.
Cabinet Secretary of India
The Cabinet Secretary of India is the highest IAS post in the country and works directly with the Prime Minister’s Office. The official is not just the topmost IAS officer but also the de-facto head of the Civil Services Board. The primary job roles of this post include the following.
- Ensuring coordination between the different departments and ministries for policymaking.
- Providing assistance for governmental decision-making procedures by working together with different ministries.
- Secretarial support to the Cabinet and various committees.
If you want to bring about a change in the country or ensure the smooth functioning of the different levels of administration, appear for IAS 2022, get selected, and become a part of the services.
Know more about syllabus, exam date, result and other information about UPSC 2022 at https://www.shiksha.com/exams/upsc-exam
