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Updated on 24th January, 2024 , 10 min read
Indian Foreign Service officers are responsible for managing trade relations, economic diplomacy, defense diplomacy, foreign policy, consular services, public diplomacy, and cultural diplomacy. The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, is in charge of the Indian Foreign Service. It is a core service in "Group A" of India's civil services. Along with the IAS and IPS, the IFS is one of the three arms of All India Services. The IFS members represent the country on a global scale. Furthermore, it is the second most common career after IAS. In addition, UPSC announces 17-18 openings in this department each year.
The following table shows the details about the Indian Foreign Service officer-
Particulars | Details |
IFS Full Form | Indian Foreign Service |
IFS Formed | 9th October 1946 (76 years ago) |
IFS Headquaters | South Block, New Delhi |
IFS Training Ground | Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, New Delhi |
IFS Controlling Authority | Ministry of External Affairs |
IFS Exam | UPSC conducts the Civil Services Exam to recruit candidates for the IFS. |
Mode of IFS Exam | Offline or pen paper |
IFS Age Criteria | The lower age restriction is 21, while the higher age limit is 32. (age relaxation is applied for certain categories) |
IFS Education Qualification | Bachelor's degree from a government-recognized university is necessary. |
IFS's Job profile | represents India on an international level and handles the country's external affairs. |
IFS Salary | Around Rs. 60,000 |
IFS stands for Indian Foreign Service. It is regarded as one of the top three all-India services. IFS is the administrative and diplomatic section of the Government of India's Group A and Group B Central Services. Every year, many people desire to become IFS officers since this position provides several possibilities and a unique way to serve the county. Furthermore, one of the key draws of this position is the considerable monetary compensation.
The IFS introduces new challenges and offers considerable monetary incentives, attracting a large number of individuals. The opportunity for IFS officials to travel to numerous countries and experience diverse cultures and cuisines is only the tip of the iceberg.
An IFS officer's responsibilities includes the following-
The following are the nationality criteria for ifs officers-
Candidates for IFS officers should have a graduate degree or a degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited university.
The following table gives details about the age criteria for candidates-
Category | Minimum Age Limit | Maximum Age Limit | Number of Attempts |
General | 21 | 32 | 6 |
OBC | 21 | 35 | 9 |
IFS Age Limit for SC/ST | 21 | 37 | No limit (until the upper age limit is reached). |
EWS | 21 | 32 | 9 |
There are 6 tries in the general and EWS (Economically Weaker Section) categories. However, there is no age limit for SC/ST until the age of 37. However, there are a total of 9 tries for other backward classes (OBC).
The IFS exam is divided into three stages-
Note: Assamese, Bodo, Bengali, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, and English are available as optional subjects.
The following table shows the syllabus for the ifs officer exam-
General Studies Paper 1 |
Current events of national and international importance. History of India and the Indian National Movement. Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World. Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Rights Issues, etc. Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, etc. General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity, and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization. General Science |
General Studies Paper 2 |
Comprehension Interpersonal skills, including communication skills, Logical reasoning, and analytical ability. Decision-making and problem-solving. General mental ability. Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc -Class X level). |
The following table shows the syllabus for the ifs officer exam-
Paper | Subject | Nature of Paper | Syllabus | Marks | Duration |
Paper A |
Compulsory Indian Language |
Qualifying |
Understanding of supplied texts Short Essays on Precise Writing, Usage, and Vocabulary Translation from English into Indian and vice versa. |
300 |
3 hours |
Paper B | English | - | 300 | ||
Paper I | Essay |
Merit Ranking | - | 250 | |
Paper II | General Studies I | Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society | 250 | ||
Paper III | General Studies II | Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations | 250 | ||
Paper IV | General Studies III | Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management | 250 | ||
Paper V | General Studies IV | Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude | 250 | ||
Paper VI | Optional I | Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 | ||
Paper VII | Optional II | Optional Subject – Paper 2 | 250 |
The below is the following list of optional subjects-
All of the below-mentioned facilities are available to IFS officers after they have completed their training and are posted in another country-
An IFS officer's monthly remuneration is around Rs 60,000. Furthermore, they are supplied with other privileges such as transportation, lodging, medical expenses, and much more. A government employee also receives a pension and several retirement perks. The salary package of the officer may also be increased, depending on the country of assignment. Furthermore, the highest post an IFS official may hold is that of an ambassador or foreign secretary. An IFS officer is stationed in several overseas nations and serves the country. Furthermore, it includes a variety of additional advantages and bonuses in addition to family benefits.
They receive allowances based on the country's level of security and posting, making their income quite appealing. They must also keep up with the standard of living in other international nations. It is determined by the nation of posting and the level of risk at which the IFS officers are stationed.
The following table gives details about ranks and basic pay as of the 7th pay commission-
Grade | Rank | Basic Pay (INR) |
Junior Rank Scale | Under Secretary | 8000 |
Junior Rank Scale | Under Secretary | 8000 |
Senior Rank Scale | Under Secretary | 10700 |
Junior Administrative Scale | Deputy Secretary | 12750 |
Selection Grade | Counsellor Director | 15100 |
Senior Administrative Scale | Joint Secretary | 18400 |
High Commissioner/Ambassador | Foreign Secretary | 26000 |
The following is the detailed information on the salary structure of IFS Full Form-
Candidates recruited for the Indian Foreign Service will be trained at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussourie. The training will last 3-4 months. Following that, aspirants must attend the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi for intensive instruction. Lectures and attachments with various branches of the government are part of the training here. Following completion of the aforementioned training, the IFS officer will get 6 months of on-the-job training. They will then be assigned to a Compulsory Foreign Language.
When compared to other services like the IAS, IPS, and IRS, the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) has fewer openings. To become an IFS officer, candidates must achieve the highest rank. They do not need to know a foreign language to be eligible for the IFS; nevertheless, after passing the exam and being selected for the IFS, candidates will be required to study one foreign language during their training. According to the website of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), annual admission into the IFS has averaged between 30-35 applicants in recent years.
IFS officials are chosen through the UPSC civil services exam (CSE), which is held each year. The UPSC exam comprises three rounds of examination/testing to select candidates for Group A and Group B Central Services. These are the preliminary examinations, the main examinations, and the interview. Furthermore, chosen individuals get instruction at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). Promotion from Group B services is the second form of recruiting in IFS. The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) recruits the applicant for this position. In other words, the official chosen through this procedure may be appointed as the Ministry's Joint Secretary.
The following are the required skills for an IFS officer-
Read more about the-
The following table gives the pros and cons of becoming an ifs officer-
Pros | Cons |
The IFS officer represents the country overseas and works tirelessly to attain the national goal. | IFS officers are not permitted to take their families with them on foreign deployments. |
IFS officers travel all over the world for business and have the opportunity to sit with celebrities and other prominent figures. As a result, IFS officers have the chance to learn about the world and its various elements. |
Work might be particularly stressful if they are sent to high-conflict locations. |
IFS officers also have diplomatic immunity. | An IFS officer spends about half of his or her life in a foreign nation. IFS personnel are unable to spend quality time with their families, and by the time they return to India, they have already spent the majority of their lives away from home. Many IFS officers' families relocate with them, but not all do due to restrictions such as schooling, socializing, and so on. |
The following are some of the notable ifs officers-
The following table gives the differentiation between IAS and IFS officers-
IAS Officers | IFS Officers |
The IAS officers and their employees enjoy the opulent mansions as well as house guards, bodyguards, and fuel endowments, among others. Various services are also available to their relatives. | The IFS receives government transportation, protection, home support, hospital expenses, and so forth. They will also have the chance to study overseas, with the government covering the fees. |
IAS officers deal with people's issues. | In addition, the IFS officer is required to go to various foreign nations in the interest of the country. |
IAS official takes on the role of Collector/DM. | The IFS official takes on the role of Consul General or Ambassador. |
An IAS officer reaches the interesting and rewarding phase of their career within 5 to 8 years of service. | An IFS officer, on the other hand, enters an exciting phase of their career after 12 to 18 years of service. |
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By - Nikita Parmar 2023-08-25 09:48:44 , 11 min readAns. Candidates who have graduated from a recognized university or are in their last year and awaiting results are eligible to apply for IFS. The candidate’s minimum age is 21 years old, while the maximum age is 32 years old.
Ans. IFS officer" is an abbreviation for "Indian Foreign Service Officer." UPSC conducts the IFS Exam, which is used to select IFS officials.
Ans. The service profiles of IAS and IFS differ, although both are critical to the operation of the government. Due to the restricted number of jobs in the Indian Foreign Service, the bulk of UPSC aspirants prefer the IAS over the IFS.
Ans. The full version of the IFS abbreviation is Indian Foreign Service. Although IFS is the most desired position after IAS, the cadre of IFS officers is one of the lowest in the country.
Ans. Along with IAS and IPS trainees, IFS training begins at LBSNAA in Mussoorie. They are then transferred to the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, which is part of the Ministry of External Affairs.
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