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Looking beyond the IAS
THE Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is not the only service that gives you power, influence and authority. Even if you get selected to any of the other services, you have a successful and rewarding career in store for you. As the civil services are a compendium of services, the aspirants should have good knowledge of the various services, their role play, functions, responsibilities and benefits. Knowing more about these services could clinch the issue in favour of one of them. Some aspirants might decide that some of the allied services are more suitable to their nature and temperament than, say, the IAS. Future in IFS Next to the IAS, the Indian Foreign Service is a prestigious service. Entrants to the IFS undergo a multi-faceted and comprehensive training programme. It is intended to give them a thorough grounding in diplomatic knowledge, qualities and skills. It also aims at inculcating in the diplomatic recruits a strong sense of history, knowledge of diplomacy and international relations and a grasp of social, economic and political principles. After a foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, the IFS probationers join the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi for a focussed training to learn the ropes of a career diplomat. After the training, the officer joins one of the desks in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The officer is assigned his/her compulsory foreign language (CFL). He/she must develop proficiency in the CFL and pass the requisite examination before confirmation in the service. The first posting of an IFS officer abroad is Third Secretary. After confirmation, he is promoted to the rank of Second Secretary. He is subsequently promoted as First Secretary, Counsellor, Minister and Ambassador/High Commissioner/ Permanent Representative. Officers are also posted to Indian Consulates abroad as Vice-Consul, Consul and Consul-General. The hierarchy in the MEA is: Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Director, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary, Secretary and Foreign Secretary. The post of Foreign Secretary is equivalent to that of Cabinet Secretary of the Government of India. Career as a cop The Indian Police Service is yet another important service. IPS recruits undergo a very tough training course at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. They are trained on how to play a leadership role in the police administration of a subdivision, district, range and state headquarters. During the training, they study the internal and external environment in which the police force functions; analyse problems encountered on ground through experience sharing; evolve strategies and individual action plans to tackle them; and identify knowledge and skills needed for implementation of an action plan. On successful completion of training, they are assigned to various states and Union Territories. The first posting of an IPS officer is that of Assistant Superintendent of Police or Sub-divisional Police Officer. He goes on to become Additional Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police, Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Additional IGP, IGP and finally, the DGP. The IPS officers also go on deputation to the Centre from time to time and hold responsible positions in the Special Protection Group (SPG), and paramilitary forces. Allied services The Indian Railways Traffic Service (IRTS) is another attractive service. The officers have two responsibilities — Commercial (freight booking, transportation and passenger services) and Operations (movement of trains including inspection and supervision of work at stations and control offices). The probation is for three years at LBSNAA, zonal training centres and the Officers’ Training College at Vadodara. An IRTS officer starts his career as Assistant Commercial Manager (ACM) or Assistant Operations Manager (AOM) in a division. He goes on to become Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM), Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Chief Commercial (or Operations) Manager, Additional General Manager and General Manager of a zonal railway, Member (Traffic), Railway Board, and finally, Chairman, Railway Board. Another high profile civil service is the Indian Audit and Accounts Service. The IAAS officers work under the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG). Their work profile includes audit of transactions of the Centre, states and UTs and also of all the ministries and departments of the Central government. They also go on deputation at various levels, including Secretaries to the Government of India. An IAAS officer, after training at Mussoorie, Shimla and New Delhi, starts his career as Assistant Accountant-General in a state or UT. He goes on to become the CAG. He has to ensure that proper accounts are maintained. Other duties include financial control, internal audit, interpretation of the government’s financial regulations and rendering of financial advice. He also gets postings abroad. The Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers deal with tax assessment in cases where it is more than the prescribed figure. An Assistant Commissioner deals with income and losses between Rs 2 lakh and 5 lakh. A Deputy Commissioner handles cases above Rs 5 lakh. A Commissioner comes in the senior administrative grade and his/her posting could be either in a metropolitan city or in a state capital. The officers of the Indian Customs and Central Excise Service deal with the fiscal administration of the Government of India. The probationers are trained in Chennai and New Delhi. Customs officers are supposed to check and levy duty on taxable goods being imported into the country. Initially, they are posted in coastal towns and later at the international airports. Starting from Assistant Collector, they could rise to become Principal Collectors. The Central Excise service follows a similar pattern. (Concluded)
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