IFS (INDIAN FOREIGN SERVICE) EXAM IN INDIA | infiknoworld

IFS EXAM

What is IFS?

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The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is the administrative diplomatic civil service under Group A and Group B of the Central Civil Services of the executive branch of the Government of India. It is a Central Civil service as Foreign policy is the subject matter and prerogative of Union Government.

Where to apply for IFS?

You have to apply in Civil Services Examination (CSE) which is held by UPSC .After matching the eligibility criteria candidates making it through the selection procedure which is the same as other civil services gets allotment to the Indian Foreign Service as per his/her rank. You can apply for IFS from link below:

https://www.upsc.gov.in/

Eligibility Criteria:

Source-education

        1. Nationality:

The nationality of a candidate must be either of the following:

·         Citizen of India

·        Subject of Nepal 

·        Subject of Bhutan

·        A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, for         permanent settlement in India.

·        Migrant from any of the following countries for permanently settling in India: Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam.

         2.  Educational Qualification:

• Candidate should hold a degree from any of the recognised universities or must have an equivalent qualification. 

          3. Skills Required:

 

• Decision-making ability 

• Good communication skills 

• Excellent knowledge about foreign nations and current affairs 

• Leadership ability 

• Good analytical ability

          4. Age Limit : 

• Minimum age 21 years. 

• Maximum age 30 years as on 1st of August in the year of examination. 

          5. Relaxable age limit is as follows: 

• Upto max. 5 years for SC/ST candidates. 

• Upto max. 3 years for OBC candidates. 

• Upto max. 5 years for candidate from the State of Jammu & Kashmir. 

• Upto max. 5 years for Defence Services personnel. 

• Upto max. 5 years for Ex-servicemen including Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service and have been released. 

• Upto max. 5 years for ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of 5 years of Military Service. 

• Upto max. 10 years for Blind, deaf-mute and Orthopaedically handicapped persons 

            6. Number of attempts: 

The maximum number of attempts is as follows: 

• General Category Candidates: 7 attempts 

• Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) candidates: No restriction 

• Other Backward Class candidates: 9 attempts.

Format of papers to get in IFS:

Source-jatinverma

First round is called the Preliminary Examination in which we will have two papers GS1 and GS2. GS1 will be based on current affairs and will detemine your rank in 1'st Round. GS2 paper will not be counted for your rank nad will be only qualifying in Nature. Both paper in round 1 will be Objective in Nature.

Second Round is called Main Examination in which there will be 9 Papers English compulsory language Optional Paper 1 and Optional Paper 2 again English compulsory language and will again only be qualifying in Nature and all other Papers will determine your Rank. All the papers in Round 2 will be Subjective in Nature.

What after getting a good rank in CSE?

Interview-

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If your score is good at Round 2 then you are called for an Interview. The score of this Interview will be added to your Round 2 and it will determine your Final Rank.

TRAINING PROCESS:

Source-clearias

After clearing the Examination, All the candidates are called at LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ADMINISTRATION. That is Lbsnaa in Mussorie for a Foundation course which is common for all Class A candidates.

After Foundation Course?

Source-ssifs.mea.gov.

After completing the Foundation Course at Lbsnaa Mussorie. Candidates join Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in New Delhi for more intensive training and the host subject Important to Diplomacy including International Relation Theory, Militiary Diplomacy, Trade, Indian's Foreign Policy, History, International Law, Diplomatic Practices, Hospitality, Protocols and Administration.

The Training period at FSI will be around 6 months and during the training officers are sent for Attachments. These Attachments are of 3 types and all of them are for 1 week. These are

Armed Force Attachment:

In Armed Force Attachment the candidates are sent to one of the Armed Forces that is Army, Navy or Air Force

State Attachment:

In State Attachment the candidates are sent to their respective states from where they belong to attach with their State Government.

Mission Attachment:

In Mission Attachment the candidates are sent to The Indian Missions in Neighbouring Countries to understand how an embassy functions in Foreign Land.

What after the completion of Training?

Source-wikimedia

After compelting Training at FSI officers are sent to Ministry of External Affairs and are assigned their Job with the Rank of Assistant Secretary. 

After a brief period of attachment at Ministry of External Affairs at the Rank of Assistant Secretary the officer is Posted to an Indian Diplomatic Mission Abroad where His/Her Compulsory Foreign Language is the Native Language of the Country. There the officer undergoes the Language Training and is expected to develop Profficiency in their Foreign Language and Pass the Language Profficiency Exam conducted by the Ministry of Defence for being allowed to continue in the Service.

After Passing the Profficiency Test:

Source-live.staticflickr.

After passing the Proffiency Test the Trainees are posted as the Second Secretary in the Indian Missions Around the Globe. The first post after completing the training is based on the Foreign Language in which the officer is Trained.

IFS Officer Functions:

• Representing India in embassies, high commissions, consulates and permanent missions to organisations like the United Nations.

• Protecting India’s national interests in the country where he/she is posted.

• Promoting friendly relations with the said country and also with its people including PIOs/NRIs.
• Reporting accurately on the developments in the country of posting, which are likely to influence India.
• Negotiating agreements on issues with the authorities of the country of his/her posting.
• Extending consular facilities to foreigners and Indian nationals abroad.
• In the Ministry of External Affairs, the officer is responsible for all aspects of external affairs such as bilateral political and economic work, policy manning, multilateral organizations, legal matters, protocols, regional groupings, consular affairs, disarmament, Indian diaspora, press and publicity, administration, etc

IFS Salary: Special Foreign Allowance:

The overall IFS salary is around 60,000 per month including all the benefits and allowances. But this salary differs based on the candidates posting, that is if the selected candidate got his/her posting in foreign countries then he/she may receive a salary of 2.40 lakhs under special foreign allowance. Again this Special Foreign Allowance varies from one person to other based on the country they are posted in. This foreign allowance will be increased based on the candidate’s grade and scale.