IFS (Indian Foreign Service ) : -

History
In 1948 the first group of Indian Foreign Service officers recruited under the combined Civil Services Examination administered by the Union Public Service Commission joined the service. This exam is still used to select new IFS officers to this day. The Civil Services Examination is used for recruitment for many Indian administrative bodies. It has three stages - a preliminary exam, a main exam, and an interview - and is known for being extremely challenging. Entry into the IFS is considered very difficult; most applicants rank it and the Indian Administrative Service as their top choices because of the high prestige, salary, and benefits that come with such positions.

The entire selection process lasts 15 to 20 months. Repeated attempts are allowed up to four times. About 300 to 400 candidates are finally selected each year out of the nearly 400,000, but only a rank in the top 50 guarantees an IAS or IFS selection—an acceptance rate of 0.01 percent.
In recent years, the intake into the Indian Foreign Service has averaged between 8-15 persons annually. The present cadre strength of the service stands at approximately 600 officers manning around 162 Indian missions and posts abroad and the various posts in the Ministry of External Affairs at home.
The Indian Foreign Service deals with the country's external affairs, including diplomacy, trade and cultural relations. It is responsible for the administration and activities of Indian missions abroad, and for the framing and implementation of the Government's foreign policy. Probationers at first work at the External Affairs Ministry, then they are posted to the Indian Mission of a particular country, as third secretaries

Selection Process
Appointment will be made on probation for a period of two years which may be extended. Successful candidates will be required to pursue a course of training in India for approximately eighteen months. Thereafter they will be posted as Third Secretaries or Vice Consuls in Indian Missions abroad. During their period of training the probationers will be required to pass one or ore departmental examinations before they become eligible for confirmation in Service.

b) On the conclusion of his period of probation to the satisfaction of the government and on his passing the prescribed examination, the Probationer is confirmed in his appointment. if however, his work or conduct has in the opinion of the Government been unsatisfactory, Government may either discharge him from the Service or may extend his period of probation for such period, as they may think fit , or may revert him to his substantive post, if any

c) If in the opinion of Government, the work or conduct of an officer on probation is unsatisfactory or shows that he is not likely to prove suitable for the Foreign service, Government may either discharge him forthwith or may revert him to his substantive post.
Officers appointed to the Indian Foreign Service shall be eligible for appointment to the senior scale (Rs. 10,650-325-15,850) and Junior Administrative Grade (Rs. 12,750-375-16,500) on completion of four years and in the 9th year of service respectively.
In addition there are posts in the Selection Grade, Super time Scale and above carrying pay between Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 26,000 to which IFS officers are eligible for promotion.

c) A probationer will receive the following pay during probation. First year – Rs. 8000 p.m

Second year – Rs 8275 p.m
Note
1 - A probationer will be permitted to count the period spent on probation towards leave, pension or increment in the time scale.
Note
2 - Annual increments during probation will be contingent on the probationer passing the prescribed test if any and showing progress to the satisfaction of Government. Increments can also be earned in advance by passing the departmental examination.
Note
3: - The Pay of the Government servant, who held a permanent post other than a tenure post in substantive capacity prior to his appointment as a probationer, will be regulated subject to the provisions of F.R.22-B (i).
f) An officer belonging to the Indian Foreign Service will be liable to serve anywhere in or outside India.
g) During service abroad I.F.S. Officers are granted foreign allowance according to their status to compensate them for the increased cost of living and of servants and also to meet the special responsibilities in regard to entertainment

Training
On acceptance to the Foreign Service, new entrants undergo in-depth training. The entrants undergo a probationary period (and are referred to as probationers). Training begins at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, where members of many elite Indian civil service organizations are trained.
After completing the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, the probationers join the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi for more training as well as attachments with different government bodies and tours both in India and abroad. The entire training programme is for a period of 36 months.

At the conclusion of the training programme the officer is assigned a compulsory foreign language (CFL). After a brief period of desk attachment in the Ministry of External

Affairs, the officer is posted to an Indian diplomatic mission abroad where the CFL is the native language. There the officer undergoes language training and is expected to develop proficiency in his CFL and pass an examination before being allowed to continue in the service.

Career
A Foreign Service Officer begins his career abroad as a Third Secretary and is promoted to Second Secretary as soon as he is confirmed in service. Subsequent promotions are to the levels of First Secretary, Counselor, Minister and Ambassador/High Commissioner/Permanent Representative. Officers can also be posted to Indian Consulates abroad where the hierarchy (going upwards) is Vice-Consul, Consul and Consul General. The hierarchy at the Ministry of External Affairs includes 6 stages: Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Director, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary and Secretary.

Functions
As a career diplomat, the Foreign Service Officer is required to project India’s interests, both at home and abroad on a wide variety of issues. These include bilateral political and economic cooperation, trade and investment promotion, cultural interaction, press and media liaison as well as a whole host of multilateral issues.

The functions of an Indian diplomat may be summarized as:
• Representing India in its Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates, and Permanent Missions to multilateral organisations like UN;
• Protecting India’s national interests in the country of his/her posting;
• Promoting friendly relations with the receiving state as also its people, including NRI.
• Reporting accurately on developments in the country of posting which are likely to influence the formulation of India’s policies;
• Negotiating agreements on various issues with the authorities of the receiving state;
• Extending consular facilities to foreigners and Indian nationals abroad.
• At home, Ministry of External Affairs is responsible for all aspects of external relations. Territorial divisions deal with bilateral political and economic work while functional divisions look after policy planning, multilateral organizations, regional groupings, legal matters, disarmament, protocol, consular, Indian Diaspora, press and publicity, administration and other aspects.
Strength
In recent years, the intake into the Indian Foreign Service has averaged between 8-15 persons annually. The present cadre strength of the service stands at approximately 600 officers manning around 162 Indian missions and posts abroad and the various posts in the Ministry at home.
Job Description:
Indian Foreign Service (IFS) as the name suggests, deals with the external affairs of the country, which includes diplomacy, trade and cultural relations. Like their counterparts in the IAS, IFS Officers are responsible for framing and implementation of policies, which govern our relations with other countries. Probationers at first are attached with a desk, dealing with a particular country, at the External Affairs Ministry. Thereafter they are posted to the Indian Mission of that country, as third secretaries. During their tenure within the country they work in the Ministry or are posted in any of its attached office e.g. the Passport Office.

Educational Qualification:
Graduates in any discipline and selected through the Civil Services Examination, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).