PWOnlyIAS
March 20, 2024 03:46
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Learn how to become an IAS officer after graduation with comprehensive steps and strategies, including optional subject selection and preparation tips.
Indian Administrative Officer (IAS) is becoming a popular career choice for many youngsters who are currently in graduation. This is because of the awareness generated about the profession.
The rise in popularity for IAS can also be attributed to pop culture, especially movies and TV shows that have managed to capture imagination across the country.
Youngsters have been positively inspired to consider IAS as a profession. Despite the motivation and encouragement, IAS as a profession is not easy to achieve. In a vastly populous country such as India, an elite profession such as IAS is highly desired and thus the competition is also very high. However, people with the right motivation, guidance and a clear-cut approach can ace the examination and achieve their goal of becoming an IAS officer.
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is a category of bureaucrats who serve the union and the states in various capacities. They are the cream among the bureaucrats and hence are valued immensely for their contribution to administration.
The IAS is the administrative arm of the All-India Services, which also consists of the Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service.
The IAS is a part of the permanent bureaucracy of the nation, ensuring continuity in administration regardless of the political party in power.
An IAS officer serves in various authorities such as constitutional bodies, government agencies, auxiliary bodies, government-run companies, state and central regulatory bodies, statutory bodies and other autonomous bodies. IAS officers can also represent the country at international level in organisations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank, or the United Nations, or its agencies.
IAS officers also head important statutory and constitutional bodies such as Election Commission of India, Comptroller and Auditor General, Reserve Bank of India etc.
The most common way of becoming an IAS officer is by passing the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Such officers are called direct recruits.
There are IAS officers recruited from the state civil services, and, in some cases, selected from non-state civil service.
The success rate of IAS is about 0.02%. This is the reason IAS officers are highly coveted and respected in the society. Once a candidate is selected for IAS, he/she will undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.
IAS officers are required to provide their cadre preferences beforehand so that they serve their respective states/UTs. IAS officers remains in their allocated cadre or are deputed to the Government of India. Change of cadre is allowed only in exceptional circumstances.
Yes. An individual can become an IAS Officer immediately after the graduation if they qualify the UPSC Civil Services Examination and have also attained a minimum age of 21 years. However, if the candidate wishes to become an IAS Officer immediately after graduation, they will have to start their preparation during their graduation phase. Such an achievement requires meticulous planning and sincere dedication. Without such features, it will be difficult to achieve the desired results.
If a candidate has graduated from a subject that is available as an optional for IAS Examination, it is advisable to select the same subject. By selecting that subject, the candidate does not need much time to familiarize with the subject and the majority of the syllabus may also overlap with their graduation subject. However, the candidate must go through the syllabus of optional subject before selecting the same. This will ensure there are no hiccups during their preparation. In case the candidate has graduated in pure science stream, it is advisable to consult experts if they are planning to take science subjects such as Physics, Chemistry or Mathematics.
Optional Subjects often differentiate a successful and unsuccessful candidate. It is advisable to choose an optional subject carefully. Candidates must choose an optional subject based on their interests and not on the recommendations of others. Science Graduates can select an optional subject by analyzing the following table.
| Specialization | Level of Knowledge | Prospective Optional Subject |
| Bachelor of Science | Low/Medium/Advanced | Most of the Optional Subjects of science stream are Postgraduate level. Hence it is advisable to choose a subject from humanities such as Geography, PSIR, Sociology, Public Administration, Anthropology etc. |
| Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) | Low/Medium/ Advanced | Agriculture |
| Engineering | Low | Geography, PSIR, Sociology, Public Administration, Anthropology etc. |
| Medium | Geography, PSIR, Sociology, Public Administration, Anthropology etc. | |
| Advanced | Engineering graduation subject such as Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or science subjects such as Mathematics. | |
| Medicine | Low | Botany, Zoology, Anthropology, or humanities subjects such as Geography, PSIR, Sociology, Public Administration etc. |
| Medium | Botany, Zoology, Anthropology, or humanities subjects such as Geography, PSIR, Sociology, Public Administration etc. | |
| Advanced | Medical Science and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science. | |
| Master of Science | Low/Medium/Advanced | Post-Graduation Subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Agriculture etc. |
| Bachelor of Computer Application | Low/Medium/Advanced | Geography, PSIR, Sociology, Public Administration, Anthropology etc. |
| Master of Computer Application | Low/Medium/Advanced | Geography, PSIR, Sociology, Public Administration, Anthropology etc. |
It is not necessary to wait for graduation before appearing for the examination. Students in their final year of graduation can also prepare and appear for the examination. If a candidate has planned for the IAS examination beforehand, he/she would have already completed studying or coaching. They can appear for the examination in their final year, unless they do not attain the required age limit. In case the candidate has not prepared well for the examination, it is advisable to wait before giving the exam. They can prepare well and appear in the subsequent year.
After graduation, the candidate has to consider various options before preparing for the examination. They can either discontinue their studies and focus on examinations or enroll in a post-graduate course simultaneously. They can also prepare for the exams along with working full time or part-time.
The most appropriate method would be to take a break of 1-2 years to prepare exclusively for the IAS Examination. In case of failure, the candidate can enroll in higher studies or look for a job if they still wish to prepare for the examination.
Coaching institutes perform the basic job of guiding a candidate on the path of preparation. They provide the basic knowledge that form the foundation of preparation. In case the candidate already possesses the basic foundational knowledge and has confidence of excelling in the examination without any coaching, they can prepare on their own. However, if they believe they need specialized guidance, they can join a relevant institute for their preparation, such as PW OnlyIAS. Coaching institutes not only provide foundational knowledge but also offer courses on test series, study materials and optional subjects, which makes the preparation easier. Hence, if the candidate wishes to enhance his/her preparation according to the changing trends, it is advisable to join a suitable institute.
UPSC CSE, which selects IAS Officers, is one of the toughest examinations in the world, not just because of the vast knowledge required for candidates but also because of the sheer competition. If a candidate wants to qualify the examination and become an IAS Officer, he/she will have to start preparing early. It will help in better planning and execution.
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