IFS Officer 2024, Role, Salary, Special Foreign Allowance

PWOnlyIAS May 27, 2024 06:24 5047 0

IFS Officer is one of the top three Civil service officers. Candidates selected for IFS will get an opportunity to represent India on the global stage. Let us find out more about IFS!

IFS Officer 2024, Role, Salary, Special Foreign Allowance

IFS Officer is a civil servant who serves as a diplomat in India as well as overseas. Over a period of time, an IFS officer may get an opportunity to become India’s ambassador to foreign nations.

Individuals aspiring to become IFS officers must qualify civil service exams conducted by the UPSC. Once they clear the exam, they can become an IFS officer, subject to their ranking and preferences.

The IFS officer’s role is different from an IAS or IPS because of their specialisation. Let us find out more about IF officers in this article!

IFS Officer Role

An IFS officer has a different and specialised role in Indian bureaucracy as they are mostly restricted to the Ministry of External Affairs. The details of IFS officer’s roles are provided here.

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  • Serve in Indian Embassies, High Commissions, and Consulates, in Foreign countries and Permanent Missions in organisations such as the UN.
  • Uphold India’s interests on the international stage.
  • Serve as a bridge between India and a foreign nation during tenure as Ambassador or High Commissioner.
  • Monitor global situation and work on different ways to uphold India’s interests. 
  • They provide consular access to foreign nationals as well as Indians in foreign countries.
  • They are responsible for driving India’s foreign policy, react to foreign requests and handle all other matters concerning India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

IFS Officer Selection and Training

  • An IFS officer is selected based on their rankings in UPSC civil service examination. Since it is a coveted service, candidates securing top ranks are eligible for IFS.
  • The selected candidates are provided with diplomatic skills, knowledge, and the qualities that are expected of a diplomat. The training takes place for a period of 3-4 months in LBSNAA.
  • After this phase of training, probationers are sent to the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service to become familiar with various disciplines that a career diplomat needs.
  • During this training phase, IFS probationers will be attached to the armed forces, district and state administrations, and also the corporate sector to gain first-hand experience.
  • Probationers will then be attached to the Ministry of External Affairs for a period of six months to receive on-job experience.
  • After this phase, they will have to enroll in a compulsory foreign language (CFL) course, where they have to learn any one foreign language.
  • The probationers will then be posted as Third Secretary (Language Trainee) in an Indian mission abroad, where they are expected to improve their language skills.
  • IFS probationers will be confirmed as IFS officers only after clearing a proficiency test conducted by the School of Foreign Languages (SFL), Ministry of Defence.
Also Read: Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA)

IFS Officer Salary Structure

IFS officer’s salary structure is dependent on their service and post. Based on their position, here is the salary structure of an IFS officer.

Grade Post in India Post Overseas Pay Level Pay Range (₹)
Junior Scale Officer Under Secretary at headquarters Attache or third secretary 10 ₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500
Senior Scale Officer Under Secretary at headquarters Second or first secretary 11 ₹67,700 to ₹2,08,700
Junior Administrative Grade Officer Deputy secretary at headquarters First secretary 12 ₹78,800 to ₹2,09,200
Grade IV Officer Counselor Director Director 13 ₹1,23,100 to ₹2,15,900
Grade III Officer Joint Secretary at headquarters Minister/DCM Ambassador 14 ₹1,44,200 to ₹2,18,200
Grade II Officer Additional Secretary Ambassador/High Commissioner 15 ₹1,82,200 to ₹2,24,100
Grade I Officer Secretary at headquarters Ambassador/High Commissioner 17 ₹2,25,000

Also Read: IFS Full Form

IFS Officer Special Foreign Allowance

IFS officers receive an additional amount as special foreign allowance while serving in an Indian mission abroad. This amount varies based on the region he/she is posted.

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Country/Region Special Foreign Allowance (₹) Total Salary (₹)
The USA 2,50,000 3,39,496
The UK 2,00,000 2,89,496
Rest of Europe 1,80,000 2,69,496
Complete Africa 1,20,000 2,09,496
The Middle East 1,50,000 2,39,496

IFS Officer Career Roles

An IFS officer’s career varies based on their service in India and overseas. Their career roles based on the location of service is given below.

Indian Mission Overseas Ministry of External Affairs
  • Third Secretary (Language Trainee)
  • Second Secretary
  • First Secretary
  • Counsellor
  • Minister
  • Ambassador
  • Under Secretary
  • Deputy Secretary
  • Director
  • Joint Secretary
  • Additional Secretary
  • Secretary

IFS Officer Career Progression

The IFS officer’s career progresses based on their years of service. Their role based on their service duration is provided here.

Designation Promotion Level Years of Service
Under Secretary Junior Time Scale 1-4
Deputy Secretary Senior Time Scale 5-9
Director Junior Administrative Grade 10-14
Joint Secretary Selection Grade 15-19
Additional Secretary Additional Secretary 20-24
Secretary Secretary 25-29
Ambassador/High Commissioner Ambassador/High Commissioner 30-34
Foreign Secretary Senior Most Secretary 35+

Skills Required for an IFS Officer

The job of an IFS officer requires one to possess certain skills to be efficient and successful. Some of the skills required by an IFS officer are:

  • Communication Skills: The officer is required to have good communication skills to have a significant impact.
  • Knowledge of International Developments: The officer needs to be up to date with the latest developments in international relations.
  • Diplomatic Skills: An officer is required to use his/her diplomatic skills while  negotiating with foreign parties.
  • Leadership: An officer must be capable of leading a team of officers and also inspiring their team to perform better.
  • Cultural Sensitivity: IFS officers may be required to serve in different parts of the world. They must be ready to adapt to the cultures and traditions of the locals.

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IFS Officer FAQs

The salary of an IFS officer ranges from ₹56,100 to ₹2,25,000 based on their grade pay.

A person can become an IFS officer by clearing the UPSC civil services examination.

The highest position for an IFS officer is the Foreign Secretary of Government of India.

IFS officers’ power is different from IAS. They do not have the same administrative powers as IAS officers.

The foreign allowance of an IFS officer varies based on his/her location. It ranges from ₹1,20,000 to ₹2,50,000
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