How to Become an IAS Officer: Step by Step Career Guide 2024

IAS Officer job is regarded as one of India's most sought-after jobs. Candidates must know how to become an IAS Officer. First and foremost, candidates must complete their formal education and acquire a degree in Bachelor of Arts or any other field. Next, aspirants must research and prepare for the mandatory UPSC CSE exam to become an IAS Officer. Candidates must clear prelims, mains and the interview round to qualify for training as an IAS Officer. The starting IAS Officer salary in India is INR 56,100.

An IAS Officer holds a position of authority and works for the administrative services of the Indian Government. They ensure that all government policies are implemented and followed in an area. As an IAS Officer, candidates can progress in their careers by attaining the office of Cabinet Secretary of India. 

Who is an IAS Officer?

Before we jump on to how to become an IAS Officer, let us first know who is an IAS Officer. An IAS Officer works for the Indian Administrative Services and deals with various government administrative branches. They ensure government policies are implemented and maintained in a particular district/area. An IAS officer also plays a vital role in the government’s decision-making process.

Therefore, an IAS Officer helps in the framing and execution of government policies, assists in administration, and provides assessment reports on policies to the ministries of the government. 

How to Become an IAS Officer?

Candidates who wish to become an IAS Officer must note that the Indian Administrative Services officer position is considered to be under the "Category A" list of officers for Indian Civil Services. However, becoming an IAS Officer after the 12th is impossible as candidates must graduate in any discipline.

Following are the detailed steps to become an IAS Officer in India:

• Step 1: Complete Formal Education
• Step 2: Check Eligibility Criteria and Apply for UPSC IAS Exam
• Step 3: Prepare & Clear UPSC CSE IAS Exam
• Step 4: Pass the UPSC CSE Interview Round
• Step 5: Finish IAS Officer Training Program

Step 1: Complete Formal Education

To become an IAS Officer, candidates must complete their formal education. Students from any stream can pursue their career in the Indian Administrative Services. Hence, the important points to keep in mind are,

• Clear 10+2 with 60% aggregate marks.
• Appear for entrance exams such as CUET, BHU DU JAT, etc.
• Get a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, Commerce, Science, or Technology.

Also Read: Best UPSC Coaching in India

Step 2: Check Eligibility Criteria and Apply for UPSC IAS Exam

A few requirements must be met to apply for the UPSC CSE exam, which is the qualifying exam to become an IAS Officer. But the most critical criterion is personal eligibility and self-evaluation. 

Educational Qualifications

Below are the basic educational qualifications required to be eligible for the examination.

• To be eligible for the exam, one must have a degree from an Indian University.
• The university can be a Central, State, Deemed University, or an open university under the UGC Act.
• If attained through correspondence or distance education also, one is allowed to appear for the exam.
• MBBS graduates can also appear for the exam, even if they have not completed the internship.
• If you have cleared any of the final levels of any professional course from boards like the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), ICSI, and ICWAI, then you can appear for the UPSC.
• If the candidate has completed the degree in a foreign university recognized by the Association of Indian Universities, then that candidate can appear for the UPSC exam.

Age Limit for IAS

The UPSC has strict age limit requirements of a candidate to become an IAS Officer in India. Below is the IAS officer age limit to appear for the UPSC exam.

• While appearing for the exam, one has to ensure that they are not above the age of 32 if from the general category.
• Candidates above 32 before August 1 in the year of appearing for the exam are not eligible.
• The age will be relaxed up to 35 for the candidate from the OBC category and up to 37 years for candidates who belong to the SC/ST category.

Aspirants who wish to become IAS officers must apply for the UPSC IAS exam by filling out the form online. 

Application Details

To become an IAS Officer in India, candidates must note the following details concerning the UPSC CSE application.

Also Read: UPSC Notification

Step 3: Prepare & Clear UPSC CSE IAS Exam

Candidates must follow the procedure below to crack the Civil Services Exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.

Knowledge of the Exam

To become an IAS officer, candidates must clear the Civil Services Exam, also known as the CSE, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission every year. The examination is conducted in 2 distinct stages, on an elimination basis after each step:

Stage 1: Preliminary Examination

The preliminary examination is popularly known as CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test), consisting of two exams conducted on the same day. Both exams only serve on a qualifying basis; that is, the marks secured in the preliminary examination are not considered for the final IAS score but act as a qualifier for the main examination.

Paper I

Paper I with general studies consists of topics like history of India, economy, social development, Indian and World geography, science & technology, polity and governance, environment & ecology, etc. Further, check the important details concerning Paper I.

• Total marks- 200
• Duration of the exam- 2 hours (+20 minutes for blind students)
• Total number of questions- 100
• Type- Objective

Paper-II

Paper II of CSE prelims consists of questions concerning logical reasoning, analytical ability, English language comprehension, data interpretation, basic numeracy or maths, etc. Candidates can note the important details for Paper II below.

• Total marks- 200
• Duration of the exam- 2 hours (+20 minutes for blind students)
• Total number of questions- 80
• Type- Objective

Both topics will be held on the same day and will be objective types. The candidates will be notified about the CSE Prelims exam date in the month of February every year.

Cut-Off Marks for the Preliminary Examination

Below are the category-wise cut-off requirements for the IAS Officer exam.

Also Read: How to Crack UPSC? Essential Tips and Techniques

Stage 2: Main Examination

The main examination is popularly known as 'Mains.' It consists of a written examination, consisting of 9 papers in total, conducted over 5-7 days. All answers are required to be of descriptive type.

The Mains are of 1750 marks. It is further divided into two types:

Qualifying test that includes 2 papers, which are only qualifying in nature and do not constitute the total merit:

• Paper A- One compulsory Indian language
• Paper B- English

Aspirants must fill out the online DAF form which requires them to submit personal, educational, parental, and employment information. Additionally, candidates must attach the vital documents for final submission of DAF.

Mains Syllabus

The Main Examination is also called the 'Mains'. It is because it accounts for a high percentage of merit in the overall score. It consists of 9 descriptive exams. The syllabus for each paper will be as follows.

Number of Attempts

Every candidate appearing for the Civil Services Examination has a set number of attempts.

Prepare for General Studies

The official syllabus for the CSE does not give a detailed idea of the topics to be studied under each subject. Hence, doing enough general learning to increase your knowledge above the high school level is advisable.

• It is also advisable to develop a strategy to cover essential subjects one at a time and answer these questions in the stipulated time frame.
• Each candidate gets two hours for the preliminary examination, which means you have about 80 seconds to answer each question accurately.
• Two marks will be awarded to each correct answer, and each incorrect answer will result in a negative marking of 1/3rd mark.

Refer to Previous Year's Question Papers

To become an IAS Officer, one must familiarise themselves with question papers from at least five previous years. But, there’s never a repeated question in the UPSC exam, so memorizing the answers to these questions is not requested.

However, one can expect similar questions and have a specific idea of what questions to prepare for. Hard work pays off, but developing an intelligent strategy helps cope with the requirements to crack the examination.

Develop a Subject-wise Preparation Strategy

To become an IAS Officer, Developing a subject-wise preparation strategy increases the chances of being more productive and retaining most of the information regarding topics studied. Also, make sure to pick up the right study material for the exam.

• Again, NCERT books are the top recommendation as they will help on a fundamental level and clear doubts on both the Prelims and Mains stages. Reading NCERT Books gives a lot of knowledge, especially in the field of Science and Mathematics
• Besides all the steps mentioned above, remember that patience, determination, and discipline are key to cracking the UPSC's Civil Services Examination.

Also Read: IAS Preparation

Step 4: Pass the UPSC CSE Interview Round

Candidates qualifying with the minimum score are then invited for a personal interview. The candidate is judged based on assessment skills, mental alertness, judgment, intellect, and integrity. The personal interview round is the final round of the Civil Services Examination. These are the facts that a student must know to become an IAS Officer:

• The maximum marks that can be awarded for the interview stage are 275. Total marks for the Civil Services Examination conducted by the UPSC are 2025.
• The Union Public Service Commission selects an interview of around 2500-3000 candidates approximately every year.
• Many boards are created by the UPSC, which work on an everyday basis, and one member of the UPSC will be heading each of the many boards. Every board set-up will have around 4-5 members who have different portfolios. The board members have to ask questions that will help them select a candidate based on their mental ability.
• Most of the questions asked will be related to national and international current affairs. The board members can ask questions related to the personal profile submitted by them and the application form.
• A UPSC Civil Services Interview Round lasts for about 30 minutes. The purpose of the interview is to check whether the candidate is suitable for a career in civil services by gaining insight into the candidate's personality as opposed to the mugged-up knowledge one could use during the exams.
• In this 'personality test,' the interview panel assesses whether the candidates are politically neutral, honest, and patriotic. A successful candidate is broad-minded, sensitive to needs, and concerned about weaker sections of society.

Ultimately, selections will be made based on the score achieved by the candidates in all three phases. Candidates from the general category must score 960 marks to be declared ‘qualified’.

Also Read: 25 Best IAS Interview Questions and Answers

Step 5: Finish IAS Officer Training Program

After clearing the interview round, candidates will participate in an intensive training program at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. The training will be covered over two years in various phases. Candidates will be fully equipped to join the Indian Administrative Services after completing the 2-year training session to become an IAS Officer.

IAS Officer Training Phases

The IAS Officer training programme consists of 5 stages. Check the phases below.

1. Foundation Course
2. Phase I - Winter Study Tour Bharat Darshan
3. District Training
4. Phase II Training
5. Assistant Secretary Ship

Also Read: UPSC IAS Prelims Paper Analysis

What Does an IAS Officer Do?

After knowing the process to become an IAS Officer, let us understand their role and responsibilities. An IAS officer is considered a backbone structure to the government of India. The following are the duties of an IAS officer.

• One plays an important role in the administration and decision-making of the matters of the nation's population.
• Authority to make decisions within reason regarding the policies and regulations in which their area of work will function; hence, it is considered a powerful and prestigious position.
• Different roles assigned to an IAS officer are Commissioner, Chief Secretary, Public Sector Unit Head, Cabinet Secretary, and Collector. The profession is considered knowledge because apart from getting exposure, one will help millions of lives with the powers vested in them.
• An IAS Officer is the designated person who can allocate tasks regarding different administrative departments and their functions.
• The role of an IAS officer is also inclusive of duties such as framing of policies, being an advisor to the ministers.
• They are responsible for the efficient execution of designated duties in the administrative units.
• Functions like maintaining the law and order situation, supervising revenue administration, and general administration fall under the jurisdiction of IAS officers.
• They also play the roles of a Chief Development Officer or District Development Commissioner, the stipulated role of an Executive Magistrate, which includes overseeing and implementing State level and Central Government policies, supervising the expenditure of Public Funds and more.

Also Read: UPSC Preparation for Prelims and Mains

Skills Required to Become an IAS Officer

The top 5 skills required to become an IAS officer include, 

• Decisiveness: Being in the Government services for administration and policy implementation and monitoring, future IAS officers must manage to take quick, prompt and well-thought-out decisions.
• Pragmatic: IAS Officers must be able to distinguish between right and wrong as they hold positions of authority and have the ability to influence the commoner. Their approach toward problems must follow the utilitarianism principle.
• Ethical: IAS Officers must function ethically and not resort to corrupt practices that can impact the country negatively. They must be accountable for their actions and keep things clear and objective.
• Critical: An IAS officer must be critical when assessing administrative situations. They must use their critical judgment to come up with correct and unbiased solutions. 
• Empathy: Being in the administrative service, they will be responsible for handling queries and misfortunes of the general public. They will take empathetic decisions and develop suitable solutions for a mishap, which requires an IAS officer to be compassionate.

Also Read: IAS Book List

Types of IAS Officers Ranks in India

After knowing about how to become an IAS Officer, students must also know the different types of IAS Officer designations mentioned below. 

1. Trainee Officer 

Candidates who qualify the UPSC CSE interview round have to further train at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration at Mussoorie as future IAS Officers.

2. Sub-District Magistrate

An IAS Officer as Sub-District Magistrates are responsible for overlooking the work of a Tehsildar. They are directly responsible for all communications to the government and its departments.

3. ADM/ Deputy Secretary/ Undersecretary

An ADM works under the jurisdiction of the District Magistrate, and acts as Executive Magistrate. Their scope of work includes acting as Additional Collector, Collector, and Land Acquisition Collector. Additionally, they function as registrar of the Hindu marriage act and the special marriage act, vigilance officer and additional revenue collector. 

4. District Magistrate/ Joint Secretary/ Deputy Secretary

A promotional post for candidates previously working as Undersecretary. They aid in restoring and maintaining law and order of an area.

5. District Magistrate/ Special Secretary cum Director/ Director

The District Magistrate/ Special Secretary cum Director/ Director has the same scope of work as District Magistrate/ Joint Secretary.

6. Divisional Commissioner/ Secretary cum Commissioner/ Joint Secretary

As a Divisional Commissioner/ Secretary cum Commissioner/ Joint Secretary candidates will take care of the revenue and development administration of a division.

7. Divisional Commissioner/ Principal Secretary/ Additional Secretary

A Divisional Commissioner/ Principal Secretary/ Additional Secretary aids in inculcating law and order of 3 to 5 districts in a division.

8. Additional Chief Secretary

The Additional Chief Secretary works above the  Principal Secretary and Additional Secretary. They are responsible for an array of administrative and judicial tasks. 

9. Chief Secretary

As chief secretary candidates work as chief of the administrative department of the state government. They lead all communications at departmental and interdepartmental levels.

10. Cabinet Secretary of India

This is the topmost post in the Indian Administrative Services. They act as executive leaders of the Civil Services Board of India.

Also Read: Negative Marking in UPSC for Prelims and Mains

Salary of an IAS Officer

Once the students know the process to become an IAS Officer, they must also know that the starting IAS officer salary is INR 56100 per month. With experience of 37+ years, candidates can earn up to INR 2,50,000. The below table showcases the pay range of IAS officers in India.

Also Read: IAS Salary

IAS Officer Career Path

The general career path to become an IAS Officer is as follows. However, based on the cadre allotted the career path may change.

1. First candidate trains at district level in the allotted cadre.
2. The first phase of training involves a 7-day foreign attachment with India’s diplomatic missions abroad.
3. Then candidates work as Central Govt. Attachment at a Beginner post for an Assistant General Secretary for a duration of three months.
4. The next posting is as SDM/Joint Magistrate/Sub Collector.
5. Later, they are posted as Municipal Commissioner, DDO/CDO.
6. Then, candidates are posted as DM/Collector.
7. Further IAS officers get posted as state Secretariats at Director/Joint Secretary level.
8. Importantly, candidates must note that they may opt for deputation to the Central Government at any stage in their career.
9. Now, candidates may get posted as Principal/Additional Secretary. in the State Secretariat/Central Secretariat.
10. Followed by, Chief Secretary of a state.
11. In the end, they may be posted as Cabinet Secretary, In-state Bureaucracy, and Chief Secretary of State of India.

Also Read: How to Start UPSC Preparation from Zero Level?

Advantages of Becoming an IAS Officer

Being an IAS Officer can be highly beneficial for candidates in various ways. Below are the pros once the students become an IAS Officer in India.

• Housing Perks: Candidates enjoy a fully serviced housing facility with house help, security, cooks, gardener etc.
• Job Security: IAS officers have a secured job, as it is difficult to replace once they occupy a post.
• Bills:  The government takes care of bills such as water supply, phone bills, gas connections, power etc. 
• Security: IAS officers receive personal security services round the clock, as their job nature also involves some risk. If required, IAS Officers may get STF commandos at their service.
• Pension: IAS Officers receive lifetime pensions from the government. Moreover, they get to enjoy post-retirement benefits. 

Also Read: UPSC Extra Attempt

Disadvantages of Becoming an IAS Officer

Although it is highly prestigious, candidates may face challenges and difficulties during their tenure. Some cons of the IAS Officer job are, 

• Corruption: IAS Officers often have to handle dishonest dealings and fight unscrupulous officials to get work done. 
• Transfers: IAS Officers are posted randomly across countries, as and when needed. Which makes it difficult for them to work from their native town.
• Political Interference: IAS Officers are often harassed by local politicians to execute political tasks. Hence they need to handle such cases with caution. 
• High Work Pressure: Candidates will often have an increased workload within specific timelines.

Also Read: UPSC Jobs List with Salary