ITS Exam

What is ITS Exam?

Indian Trade Service (ITS) is a group A civil service, which was created in 1965. It was created as a specialised cadre to handle India's international trade & commerce. The ITS is controlled by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce.

The Department is functionally organized into the following nine Divisions:

• International Trade Policy Division
• Foreign Trade Territorial Division
• Export Products Division
• Export Industries Division
• Export Services Division
• Economic Division
• Administration & General Service Division
• Finance Division
• Supply Division
  

Eligibility Criteria

1. Nationality:

   Nationality of a candidate must be either of the following:

   • Citizen of India
   • Subject of Nepal
   • Subject of Bhutan
   • A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962 for permanent settlement in India.
   • Migrant from any of the following countries for permanently settling in India:
   • Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam

2. Educational Qualification:

   A candidate must have a degree from any of the recognized universities or possess an equivalent qualification.

   • Candidate should hold a Bachelor’s degree with at least one of the subjects namely, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, and Zoology or a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or Forestry or Engineering of a recognized university or equivalent.
   • Candidates appearing at their degree examination (with prescribed subjects) can also compete. If they qualify on the result of the written part of the examination, they will have to submit the proof of passing the required examination along with their detailed application form to be filled in at that stage.

3. Age Limit :

   • Minimum age 21 years
   • Maximum age 30 years as on 1st of August in the year of examination.

   Relaxable age limit is as follows:

   • For SC/ST candidates: Upto maximum of 5 years 
   • For OBC candidates: Upto maximum of 3 years
   • For candidate from the State of Jammu & Kashmir: Upto maximum of 5 years
   • For Defence Services personnel: Upto maximum of 5 years
   • For Ex-servicemen including Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service and have been released: Upto maximum 5 years
   • For ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of 5 years of Military Service: Upto maximum of 5 years 
   • For Blind, deaf-mute and Orthopaedically handicapped persons: Upto maximum of 10 years

4. Number of attempts:

   The maximum number of attempts restriction is as follows:

   • For General category candidates: 6 attempts
   • For SC/ST candidates: No restriction
   • For OBC candidates: 9 attempts
   • Physically handicapped- 9 attempts for general and OBC, while unlimited for SC/ST
     

Roles and Responsibilities

The following are the responsibilities aka designation that are assigned to ITS officers:

1. Assistant Director General of Foreign Trade
2. Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade
3. Joint Director General of Foreign Trade / Director (Foreign Trade)
4. Additional Director General of Foreign Trade / Development Commissioner (SEZ)