What is IAS? How can I become an IAS?

If you are on ForumIAS, you probably want to become an IAS, or are already as IAS Officer. With 3000+ Officer in the IAS, IPS and other All India Services and Allied Services, you are at the right place.

What is IAS?

IAS stands for the Indian Administrative Service. It is the highest employment under the government of India which takes place through an open competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.

The IAS is the inheritor of the prestigious Indian Civil Services (ICS ) which existed under the British. After independence in 1947, the ICS was renamed to IAS.

The IAS is one of the three All India Services – the other two being – Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service.

How can I become an IAS?

You become an IAS, by securing a top rank, at least under 100 in the Civil Services Examination, which is conducted every year.

What happens when I become an IAS?

When you become an IAS, you first feature in our Annual Hall of Fame, like hundreds of aspirants who use ForumIAS to prepare for Civil Services. We also publish your interview like this.

You get name, fame and power. But more than that, you get to train in the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration ( LBSNAA) at Mussoorie. Post this, you get posted as an Assistant Commissioner Under Training ( ACUT ).

What will be my first posting as an IAS?

You will be posted as an SDM in you first posting. Subsequently, you will be posted as an ADC or DDC and after at least 5 years in service ( lesser in North Eastern States ), you become District Magistrate or the District Collector or the District Magistrate ( DM). That is often said to be the highest prestige and autonomy an IAS officer enjoys. It is often said that a DM in a district is like a CM in a state, or the PM in a country.

What is the highest I can reach as an IAS?

IAS officers reach the rank of Chief Secretary in the States and the Cabinet Secretary in the Union. Post retirement, IAS officers have occupied offices such as the CAG, or even Governor of States. IAS officers have often entered politics and become Chief Ministers ( such as in Chhattisgarh ) and Union Cabinet Ministers such as Yashwant Sinha.