IAS Exam

What is IAS Exam?

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) was formerly known as Imperial Civil Service (ICS) is the Civil Services Examination and one of the toughest competitive exams in India. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for the recruitment of officers for the All India Administrative Civil Service.

Founded:

• 1858 (as Imperial Civil Service)
• January 26, 1950 (as Indian Administrative Service)

The Indian Administrative Service is the premier administrative civil service of the Government of India. Hierarchy-wise, IAS is the highest administrative post among the 24 services like IPS, IFS etc.

Commonly known as the IAS exam, officially it is called as Civil Services Examination (CSE), which is conducted every year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

IAS is the permanent bureaucracy in India and forms a part of the executive branch. It is one of the three All India Services, its cadre can be employed by both the Union Government, the State Governments and public-sector undertakings.

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) has been termed as one of the prestigious services among the 24 government services like IPS, IFS (Foreign), IFS (Forest), IP & TAFS, IAAS, IRS, IDAS, CMSE, IRTS, IRAS, IRPS, ITS, CAPF-AF to name a few.

All these examinations are conducted by UPSC in the form of Civil Services Examination (CSE) for selecting the appropriate candidates for the jobs. Every year lakhs of candidates appear for this examination, testing their lucks and hard work to get through one of these prestigious posts.

It is important to mention that any officer selected into the IAS can be employed by Union government, State governments and/or public-sector undertakings and gets exposure in numerous job roles like the collector, head of public sector units, commissioner, chief secretary, cabinet secretary to name a few.

When on deputation outside India, the IAS officer can be engaged in inter-governmental organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the United Nations (UN), or its agencies and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to name a few.

It is very important for aspirants to know and understand the requirements of the examination such as the UPSC  IAS syllabus, pattern, eligibility criteria, application procedure and other such significant details before kick-starting the registrations.

UPSC IAS 2018:

The UPSC Civil Services Prelims Result 2018 has been declared on the official website. Aspirants who have qualified for the Main exam will have an exam from September 28, 2018, to September 30, 2018, and October 6, 2018, to October 7, 2018. We have provided the best UPSC Civil Services Main reference books which can buy through online at an affordable cost. Click here to buy. The Commission has released the Main exam results and qualified candidates have to appear for the interview round, which will commence from February 4, 2019. The final merit results will be released soon on the UPSC's official website after the interview round. 

UPSC IAS 2019:

The UPSC has released the tentative dates of civil services exam 2019. According to the UPSC calendar, the UPSC Preliminary Exam 2019 will take place on June 2, 2019. The Civil Services Main exam will be held on September 20, 2019.

IAS Civil Services Date of Notification - February 19, 2019

Online Registration Start Date - February 19, 2019

Online Registration Last Date - March 18, 2019, up to 6:00 PM

The release of Admit Card (Preliminary) - 4th Week of May 2019

Date of Civil Services Preliminary Examination - June 02, 2019

Date of Civil Services Main Examination - September 20, 2019

Being an IAS Officer

An IAS officer is given administrative command of an entire district as a District Collector.  IAS officers also represent Government of India at international level in bilateral and multilateral negotiations.

Given below is the detailed scenario like eligibility criteria, roles & responsibilities, etc. for the upcoming Civil Services Examination 2019:

Eligibility Criteria

1. Nationality:

   • Candidate must be a citizen of India
   • Candidate must be a citizen of Nepal or a subject of Bhutan
   • Candidate must be a Tibetan Refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, to be settled permanently in India
     
   • Candidate must be person of Indian Origin who has migrated from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zaire, or Zambia with an intention of permanently settling in India

2. Educational Qualification:

   Candidate applying for the Civil Services 2019 exam is required to fulfil the following criteria:

   • Candidate must hold a Bachelor's Degree from any of the recognized universities
   • Candidates who have appeared for the qualifying examination and are awaiting results or those who are yet to appear for the qualifying examination are also eligible for the Preliminary Examination. Such candidates have to produce proof of passing the said examination along with the application for the Main Examination
   • Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government or its equivalent are also eligible to apply
   • Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination. However, they must submit a certificate from the concerned University that they have passed the final professional medical examination

3. Age Limit :

   A candidate should be minimum of 21 years and maximum 32 years old as on  August 01, 2019. But he/she must have been born not earlier than August 02, 1987 and not later than August 01, 1998. Necessary action will take to make corresponding changes in respective Rules/Regulations pertaining to various services.
   

   The upper age limit prescribed above is relaxable for the following candidates:

   • 5 Years - Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST)
   • 3 Years - Other Backward Classes (OBC)
   • 3 Years - Defence Services personnel
   • 5 Years - ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service as on August 01, 2019
   • 5 Years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs
   • 10 Years - Blind, deaf-mute, and orthopedically handicapped persons
   • 5 Years -  In the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service as on 1st August, 2019 and whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three months’ notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment

4. Number of attempts:

   Restriction on the maximum number of attempts is effective since 1984:

   • For General Candidates: 7 attempts (Up to 32 Years)
     
   • Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Candidates (SC/ST): No Limits (Up to 37 Years)
     
   • Other Backward Classes (OBC): 9 attempts (Up to 35 Years)
     
   • Physically handicapped- 9 attempts for general and OBC, while unlimited for SC/ST

Roles and Responsibilities

The role of IAS officers is very venerable, demands a great deal of responsibility and reverence. It is also important that an officer is physically and mentally fit and healthy to handle the work pressure without giving in. The following are the roles and responsibilities that an IAS officer is deputed:

• Handling affairs of government that involve framing and implementation of policy in consultation with the concerned Minister

• Implementing policies through supervision and also traveling to the places where the approved policies will be implemented

• Implementing policies comprises disbursement of funds through personal supervision

• Answerable to the Parliament and State Legislatures for any violation of rules while on duty

• Functions and responsibilities differ at different levels of career

• Initially, IAS officers join the state administration at the sub-divisional level, resuming their services as sub-divisional magistrates, and look after law and order, general administration and development work in the area assigned to them

• The post of the District Officer also known as District Magistrate, District Collector or Deputy Commissioner is the highly respected and responsible post the IAS officers enjoy

• At the district level, an IAS officer deals with district affairs, including implementation of developmental programs

• The officers may also be appointed in the State Secretariat or they may serve as Heads of Departments or in Public Sector Undertakings

• They may serve in different positions from the State to the Centre and vice versa. This happens through deputation.

• At the Centre, IAS officers serve at the highest position as the Cabinet Secretaries, Secretaries/Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Directors, Deputy Secretaries and Under Secretaries. They are appointed to these posts based on seniority.

• At the Centre, the IAS officers play a key role in formulation and implementation of policies related to a particular area; for instance, finance, commerce, etc.

• During formulation of a policy and decision making, IAS officers serving at different levels i.e. joint secretary, deputy secretary give their valuable inputs

• The policy takes its final shape through a final decision the minister concerned or the cabinet, depending on the seriousness of the situation