Career of an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer

The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is one of the central services, which 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.

Much of the work in the foreign services involves planning, policy formulation and implementation, and in addition, representation and promotion of the country internationally.

Selection to the IFS is through the civil services exam, as for the IAS, IPS and other central and all-India services. It is conducted by the UPSC through the All India Combined Competitive Examination for the civil services.

The number of candidates selected each year for the IFS is around 8-15 and currently there are about 600-700 foreign service officers posted in the various embassies and missions abroad or with the ministry of external affairs in India.

Candidates are appointed to a particular country or group of countries. They are expected to learn the language of that country and spend most of the career there, interspersing foreign assignments with postings in India, and working in the ministry of external affairs, the Indian Council of Cultural Affairs or the Passport Office.

After selection you would undergo in-depth training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie followed by specialised Foreign Service training at the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi.

After the training you will get an assignment at the external affairs ministry before your first posting to an Indian diplomatic mission abroad.

As with other services, the IFS officers are invested with a lot of power and authority. In addition, all civil servants get a lot of perks and allowances, including housing, conveyance/cars, health care, and educational facilities for their families.

-- Usha Albuquerque

Source: HT Education