IFS: -
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; and
• 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).
