The Career of an IAS Officer

IAS is one of the most sought-after services in India. It is a hierarchical administrative service and provides almost assured career progression at both Central level and state level Bureaucracy. The duties of an IAS officer are administrative in nature like law and order, enforcement of laws and general administration of different governmental departments, etc. The experience, an IAS officer gets during his career, both in scale and variety, is unmatched in any other service in the world.

Civil servants get remuneration fixed by the government of India for their services. This includes Fixed salaries according to the officer’s rank and various other emoluments, for instance, government accommodation, official transport with driver and other facilities like medical insurance, Travel allowances, etc. More than the salary, it is the power and Authority associated with Civil Servants that attract many of the bright students to it.

Let us see how the Career Path of IAS Officer progresses.

One year Training:

Candidates for IAS are selected from UPSC civil service examination. Top rankers get the privilege to join the coveted ranks of IAS and are called to Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). It is in the laps of Himalayas (Mussoorie, Uttarakhand), the career path of IAS starts. The Mussoorie training starts with a 3-month foundation course which is common to all the candidates selected in various services through the CSE exam. The training is hard. There are studies and physical exercises too. After 3 months of the foundation, all the Trainees go to their respective service academies except IAS Trainees. They are sent to an all-India educational tour called “Bharat Darshan”. During this tour, the officer trainees see various parts of the country and also how the general administration of various departments including Army, Navy and Air force work.
2-year probation

After successful completion of training at LBSNAA, the probation period of an officer starts. He/she is sent to the respective state cadres to handle the administration. When an IAS officer joins the State, he is placed as a Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and it is the 1st posting of an IAS officer after probation period at the Sub-divisional level of a district. The SDM is the administrative head of a sub-division block.

In some states, an IAS probationer acts as Additional Deputy Commissioner/Additional District Magistrate, or Project Director of District Rural Development Agency, or Chief Executive Officer of Zila-Parishad. Thereafter, comes one’s first promotion from the junior scale.

Junior Time Scale

Newly recruited IAS officer starts at the Junior Time Scale salary i.e. in the scale of 15600 with Grade Pay 5400. So, the starting basic is 21600. There is also DA (Dearness Allowance) above the Basic Pay which is now 107% of the basic. The officer stays in the Junior Time Scale for 4 years.

Senior Time Scale

After 4 years of service life, the IAS officer is promoted to Senior Time Scale with Grade Pay 6600. The officer gets two extra increments during this scale up gradation. He is given various types of posts like that of the Additional District Magistrate (ADM), CEO, Zilla Parishad or Chief Development Officer at this stage. Many officers get posted as Undersecretary in various departments.

Junior Administrative Grade

After 9 years of service, an IAS jumps to JAG and get Rs 7600 as grade pay in the scale of Rs 15,600-Rs 39,100. He also gets two additional increments. After serving 2/3 years as the ADM, the officer is selected as the District Magistrate / Collector of a district. The collector is the pivot of all the administration in a district. As a DM/DC, an IAS looks after various departments like development, law, and order, General Administration of the district. The post has wide visibility, power, and status.

Some of the officers are posted as a Joint Secretary in a department of the state. The Joint Secretary is a very important position to hold. If an officer goes to central deputation then he is given the director post of a department.

Selection Grade

After 12 years of service, IAS officer again gets promoted to the next higher scale of pay, Selection Grade (Rs. 37,400-67,000 with GP 8700). He or She may remain a DM in the district or can become a Special Secretary of a Central or state government department.

Super Time Scale

After 16 years of service, an IAS gets Super Time Scale (Rs. 37,400-67,000 with Grade Pay 10000). He /She will get the post of an Additional Secretary or Secretary of a department of a State Government. He may also become a divisional commissioner in field posting. In the Central Government, an officer of that seniority can get the post of the Joint Secretary of a ministry of the Government of India.

Higher Administrative Grade

With the selection in Higher Administrative Grade or HAG, an officer is entitled to draw a basic in the scale of Rs.67000 to 79000. An officer should have an experience of 25 years to go to this position. In states, an IAS of this grade can become a Principal Secretary of a department. If the officer works in the Government of India, then the rank will be of an Additional Secretary.

Apex Scale

An officer with a minimum experience of 30 years can get the Apex scale i.e. the fixed basic salary of Rs. 80,000. Most of the IAS officers get superannuation by this time. Only a few get to the position to become Secretaries of various departments of the Central Government. The Chief Secretary of a state also gets this scale.

Cabinet Secretary Scale

The Cabinet Secretary is the highest position of a government employee in India. There is only one Cabinet Secretary in the Central Government. He is the head of Civil services in India. He draws a fixed basic pay of Rs. 90,000.
Even after such a long career spanning 30+ years, many times Civil servants are recalled to the Government service as members of various committees or working groups.

We hope this write up was able to give you the glimpse of Career progression of an IAS officer. It is one the most prestigious as well as challenging careers one can choose. If you have the inclination to serve as an IAS officer. Get back to us. We can help you realize your dream career.

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