IAS Full Form
IAS Full Form: IAS full form is Indian Administrative Service. All you need to know about the ias full form , officer details and interesting facts for IAS exam.
Table of Contents
What is the full form of IAS?
The full form of IAS is Indian Administrative Service. It is one of the most prestigious and competitive exams in India. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the IAS exam annually to select and recruit eligible candidates for various posts in the Government of India.
What is the IAS Exam?
The prestigious IAS Exam was initially established in 1858 as the Imperial Civil Service. It was renamed the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1950. The IAS is the highest-ranking position among Indian administrative posts, both in terms of power and prestige.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the IAS exam annually. Candidates who qualify may be appointed by the Union or State governments or assigned to district-level positions.
The IAS is part of the executive branch of the Government of India and is considered a permanent bureaucracy. Each year, lakhs of candidates from various backgrounds and categories attempt the exam.
Become our partner & earn with us
IAS Eligibility Criteria
The essential prerequisites that one has to fulfill in order to qualify for the IAS exam are as follows:
- Candidate’s Nationality- The candidate has to be an Indian national in order to try and attempt the Indian Civil Service Exam.
- Age Limit – The minimum age limit to sit for the exam is 21 years while the maximum age limit is determined to be 32.
- Educational Qualification – The candidate must be a graduate from a university registered under or recognised by the Government. However, candidates who are awaiting their graduation results may also apply for the examination.
- Number of Attempts – There is a distinct number of attempts that are assigned to the following categories.
- General – 6 attempts
- OBC – 9 attempts
- SC/ST – No fixed limit
- Any number of attempts can be made by the SC/ST candidates until the candidate reaches the maximum age limit for the examination, i.e, 37 years
- Economically Weaker Section – 6 attempts
Age Relaxation for IAS
The upper age relaxation that is assigned to each category can be listed as follows –
| SC/ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| Defense Service Personnel | 3 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 5 years |
| Deaf/Mute/Blind/Orthopedically Handicapped | 10 years |
Tips to crack IAS 2025
Here’s a list of tips to ease the tension of aspirants and help them increase the possibilities of cracking the IAS 2025
Formulating a strict schedule
Time management is a major ‘make it or break it’ factor when it comes to the UPSC CSE – GS papers. But with a steady focus and rigorous schedule, Learners can work hard every day to prepare effectively and increase their chances of success.
Evaluating and understanding the examination pattern
The UPSC portal mentions the complete examination pattern. Go through it, familiarise yourself with the syllabus, question patterns, and structure your preparation plan accordingly.
Structuring your study plan efficiently
Given how vast the IAS syllabus is, the preparation process may differ for everyone. Some may entail follow-ups with specific study material; others may need particular notes to understand better.
Practise tests
Solving previous years’ question papers and undertaking mock tests is significantly helpful. This will help you familiarise yourself with the UPSC CSE-GS exam patterns and analyse the areas that require improvement.
IAS Salary and Benefits
According to the 7th pay commission recommendations, the pay grades for the civil servants have been abolished and Consolidated Pay levels have come into existence now. Check the IAS Salary details here-
| Basic Pay (Rs.) | Pay Level (Years of Service) | Posts |
| 56,100 | 10 (1-4 years) | Assistant Secretary in Central Secretariat |
| Undersecretary in State Secretariat | ||
| Sub-divisional Magistrate in District Administration | ||
| 67,700 | 11 (5-8 years) | Deputy Secretary in State Secretariat |
| Additional District Magistrate in District Administration | ||
| Under-Secretary in Central Secretariat | ||
| 78,800 | 12 (9-12 year) | Deputy Secretary in Central Secretariat |
| District Magistrate in District Administration | ||
| Joint Secretary in State Secretariat | ||
| 1,18,500 | 13 (13-16 years) | Special Secretary-cum-Director in State Secretariat |
| District Magistrate in District Administration | ||
| Director in Central Secretariat | ||
| 1,44,200 | 14 (16-24 years) | Joint Secretary in Central Secretariat |
| Divisional Commissioner in District Administration | ||
| Secretary-cum-Commissioner in State Secretariat | ||
| 1,82,200 | 15 (25-30 years) | Principal Secretary in State Secretariat |
| Divisional Commissioner in District Administration | ||
| Additional Secretary in Central Secretariat | ||
| 2,05,400 | 16 (30-33 years) | Additional Chief Secretary in State Secretariat |
| 2,25,000 | 17 (34-36 years) | Secretary in Central Secretariat |
| Chief Secretary in State Secretariat | ||
| 2,50,000 | 18 (37+ years) | Cabinet Secretary of India |
Commitment and Duties of an IAS Officer
The prestigious post of an IAS officer comprises numerous roles and responsibilities. A person having utmost sincerity, patience and numerous distinct capabilities is chosen to offer his allegiance to this prestigious post. The roles and duties that an IAS officer has to assume can be listed as follows –
- The roles and responsibilities that are assigned to an IAS officer vary through different stages of their career.
- An IAS officer is assigned to handle different governmental affairs ranging from district to state level.
- An officer has to perform his/her duties in accordance with the order of the Government of India.
- May be assigned to frame and furthermore implement a certain policy according to the order of the Government.
- Travelling to places where the respective policy is assigned to be implemented.
- Establishing policies to disburse required funds for concerned affairs.
- If an officer during his career is assigned to fulfill his duties at the state or sub-divisional level, he/she has to assume duties pertaining to law and order.
- Has to fulfill developmental duties at the district level.
- May serve as a State Secretariat or as Heads of governmental departments.
- At the Central level, an officer plays a major role in formulating and furthermore in implementing valuable policies.
Interesting Facts about IAS
- Satyendranath Tagore was the first IAS officer in India.
- Anna Rajam Malhotra was the first woman IAS officer of India. A woman who qualified for the Civil Service Exam in 1951.
- Kiran Bedi qualified as Indian Police Service (IPS) officer in 1972. She is the first Indian woman in India to become an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.
- IAS officers are posted at various locations like Rural, Urban, & Semi- Urban areas
- The youngest IAS officer of India is Ansar Ahmad Shaikh who was born on 1st June 1995
FAQ's - Your Quick Reference Guide
The full form of IAS is Indian Administrative Service.
To be eligible for the IAS Exam, a candidate must hold a graduate degree, be in the final year of their graduation course, or be awaiting their graduation results.
The maximum number of attempts that can be made by a general category student is 6.
The maximum attempts that a candidate belonging from the OBC category can be made is 9.
There is no fixed attempt limit assigned to the SC/ST category to sit for the IAS Exam. The candidate can make as many attempts as desired till he/she teaches the maximum age limit for the examination.
The maximum attempt that can be made by candidates belonging to EWS category is 6.
The number of attempts that can be made by a person (candidate) with benchmark disability is 9.
The highest post that an IAS officer can assume in his career is the post of Cabinet Secretary of India.
The minimum age limit to sit for an IAS Exam is 21
Yes, the candidate has to belong from Indian nationality.
The general age limit to sit for the IAS Examination is 32 years. There are however certain age relaxations pertaining to different categories that can be traced in the article above.