I.A.S. Planner Part 1

I.A.S. Planner

Part -1

What is I.A.S. ?

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the premier service in India and was formally constituted in 1947. It offers an attractive and challenging career. Earlier, it was known as Indian Imperial Service (1893-1946). The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) begins from the sub-divisional level in the state as a Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM), District Magistrate (DM) or District Collector or Deputy Commissioner in the district; Deputy or Joint or Special Secretary, Principal and Chief Secretary in the state; Under or Deputy, Joint, Additional Secretary and Cabinet Secretary at the top of the hierarchy at the Centre. These posts are filled according to seniority. IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS and 20 others are branches of the Indian Civil Service (ICS).

To opt for IAS as a career, it is necessary to know about IAS/ICS in detail - Why IAS as a career? For whom it is possible? And how the Mission IAS can be fulfilled?

Overview

Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the premier service of Government of India, was constituted in 1946. Prior to that Indian Imperial Service (1893-1946) was in force. As on 1.1.2013, sanctioned strength of IAS was 6217 comprising of 4313 posts to be filled by direct recruits and 1904 posts to be filled by promotion/ appointment of State Civil Services officers, Non-state Civil Service officers. The Civil Services have been a hallmark of governance in India. The Constitution provides that without depriving the States of their ‘right to form their own Civil Services, there shall be an All India Service recruited on an All India basis with common qualifications, with uniform scale of pay  and the members of which alone could be appointed to these strategic posts throughout the Union. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, one of the eminent leaders of the freedom struggle is referred to the ICS as the steel frame of the country. The Civil Services, therefore, represents the essential spirit of our nation-unity in diversity.

Recruitment

At present there are three modes of recruitment to IAS viz (i) Through Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC every year; (ii) Through promotion of State Civil Service officers to IAS; and (iii) Through selection of non-state Civil Service officers. Roughly 2/3rd (66%) posts are meant for Direct Recruitment and 1/3rd (33%) posts are meant for promotion quota.

Training

• Both Direct Recruit as well as promote IAS officers are imparted probationary training at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie (U.K.)
• After completion of successful probation they are conformed.
• There is a provision for mandatory ‘Mid Career Training’ for IAS officers spread across the entire service span.

Allocation of Cadre

• Direct recruit IAS officers are allocated to State Cadres/ Joint State Cadres on the basis of their rank, preference and availability of vacancy in their category at their turn in terms of provisions of Cadre Allocation Policy of 2008 as amended from time to time.
• Cadre Allocation Policy along with amendments is available on DOPT’s website for which link is (http://persmin.gov.in/AIS1/Docs/NewCadre/AllocPolicy.pdf).
• Officers recruited through other modes mentioned above remain on their State Cadre.

Functions of IAS Officer

IAS officer is responsible for maintenance of law and order, revenue administration and general administration in the area under him. His functions broadly include:

1.     Collection of revenue and function as Courts in revenue matters;

2.     Maintenance of law and order;

3.     Function as Executive Magistrate;

4.     Function as Chief Development Officer (CDO) and District Development Commissioner (DDC);

5.     Supervision of implementation of policies of State Government and Central Government;

6.     Travelling to places to oversee implementation of policies;

7.     Supervision of expenditure of public funds as per norms of financial propriety;

8.     In the process of policy formulation and decision making, IAS officers at various levels like Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary, etc. make their contributions and give shape to policies;

9.     To handle the daily affairs of the Government, including framing and implementation of policy in consultation with the Minister-in-Charge of the concerned Ministry;

Designations held by IAS officers during field posting

1.     SDO/SDM/Joint Collector/ Chief Development Officer (CDO)

2.     District Magistrate/ District Collector / Deputy Commissioner

3.     Divisional Commissioner

4.     Member Board of Revenue

5.     Chairman Board of Revenue

Appointments to other Organizational Bodies

• IAS officers can be appointed in autonomous organizations/sub ordinate organizations / PSUs/ UN Organizations/ International organizations like World Bank, Asian Development Bank, in various capacities.
• They also serve as Personal Secretaries to Ministers in Central Government.
• There is provision for deputation of IAS officers to private organizations also for a fixed tenure.

Procedures Governing Promotion

• In the career span of an IAS officer he is eligible for raise in salary and promotions.
• The promotions take place after evaluating the performance on the basis of Performance Appraisal Reports, Vigilance Clearance and Scrutiny of over all record of the officers concerned by following laid down procedures.
• The scrutiny for promotion is done by a Committee of Senior Civil Servants constituted for the purpose.
• Promotions are dependent on the time period spent by an officer in a particular grade.
• Specified number of years of service is a pre-requisite to be eligible for promotion.
• These time-bound promotions have been envisaged to attract and retain the best talent in the country.

Assessment of Suitability for Promotion & Posting

• For posting, promotion and manning of posts held in the Centre and State Government and in order to judge their suitability for various assignments, on annual basis, performance of each and every officer is captured through an instrument of Performance Appraisal known as Performance Appraisal Report, i.e. PAR.

• This report is initiated by the officer himself, listing out the various achievements and completion of activities with reference to targets assigned to him and mutually agreed upon.
• This report is written and commented by the next immediate officer and further reviewed by the officer higher in hierarchy than the Reporting Officer.
• For All India Services, there is one more authority which accepts the PAR, reported and reviewed by the Reporting Officer and Reviewing Officer.

Regulations Governing IAS

IAS officers are regulated through different All India Services Rules such as AIS (Conduct) Rules, 1968; AIS (PAR) Rules, 2007; AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958; AIS (Cadre) Rules, 1954; AIS (Pay) Rules, 2007; etc. which are made under the powers conferred by the All India Services Act, 1951.

I.A.S. Selection Mantra

👉Analyse the previous trends of number and nature of questions asked

BASIC Planning

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Make Table of Study & Time Management/ Plan (yearly, Monthly and Daily) Chapter and Topic-wise.

​ • ​ Strategy of preparation should be well researched and practical

​ • ​ Master the basics of different discipline subjects topics

​ • ​ Start from weak areas

​ • ​ Make list of Important topics for preference

​ • ​ Prepare your own notes and mind-maps.

​ • ​ Study in groups and discuss topics with like-minded and serious aspirants.

​ • ​ Apply intelligent meditation in preparation based on previous questions nature.

​ • ​ Take tips from IAS toppers

​ • ​ Facts and data should be analysed to remember and recall.

 • ​ Keep track of important topics, events, issues, persons, places frequently in newspaper

​ • ​ Solve previous years questions papers.

​ • ​ Take mock-tests regularly.

​ • ​ Apply elimination (scientific) method in attempting unsure answer of a question in Prelim Exam.

​ • ​ Be alert till th e last minute.

Effective Notes

​ It should be concise, effective, readable in a short time in form of diagrams, charts, tables and mind-maps .

News Paper Reading

​ The Hindu and The Indian Express.

​ • ​ Cover news topics of : Front page, Editorial page, Business and Economy page, Int'l page (i.e. news of multi-lateral and Int'l agencies and institutions with analytical approach.

Revision is the key to success

* ​ Revision is the most important aspect of preparation for any exam, whether it is academic or competitive. But it plays a greater role in selection when an IAS aspirant follows it, because of complexity of syllabus and subjects for IAS exam.

​          ​ Like study strategy, there is no fixed revision format that will suit each and every aspirant. Aspirants should think over which format can be best and suit them in revision. They can go through others revision techniques before making their own. But revision strategy should be prepared in such a way that help the aspirants to achieve their study goals in the best possible way.

​          ​ We have given some guide lines below that will help the aspirants in making best suited revision strategy for IAS exam preparation.

1. ​ Three Tier Revision Strategy

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The most suited and successful revision strategy for any exam, particularly Civil Services Exam preparation is ​ Three Tier Strategy . This format is based on three labels, i.e. day wise, week-wise and month-wise.

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Daily revision is divided into two stages, morning and late-night. In the morning, aspirants should revise quickly all the subjects, chapters and topics they have studied previous day, thereafter, they start studying new subject/chapter or topic for the day. Before going to sleep in the late night after study, they must revise all the points they have studied the whole day.

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 Weekly Revision: It is second stage of revision which covers all the topics, chapters and subjects an aspirant has studied in a week, i.e. from Monday to Saturday. It is mostly fixed on Sunday.

​ Monthly Revision: Like wise weekly revision, monthly revision is the third stage of revision of the same topics and chapters which an aspirant have already revised weekly and daily in a month. This model of revision strategy will help the aspirants not to forget what ever they studied in a month.

​           The next revision can be after three and six months to freshen up your memory of three and six months studies. It will help the aspirants in building their confidence in preparation and cracking the exam.

2. ​ Listing of Topics for Revision

​ Aspirants study many topics from different subjects and chapter s in a day, week and month. But all the topics are not equally relevant and important from exam point of view. So they must list those topics which are important for revision according to their relevance, complexity and marks allocated for the exam. It will help aspirants to keep a check and complete their revision tasks within the time limit.

3. ​ Priorities Subject and Topic

​ Aspirants list many more topics and chapters for revision. But, due to lack of time for weekly and monthly revision, they are unable to revise all the listed topics. So, they should priorities topics for revision according to their importance in the examination and revise as  per order.

4. ​ Application of Technology in Revision

​ Important points of a topic or chapter should be noted down on Memo-pad of a mobile phones or tablets to revise during going to coaching and coming back.

5. ​ Practice Tests

​ After completing a chapter or topic during preparation aspirants should test their learning through Practice Test based on that particular topic or chapter. These practice tests are designed on the same examination pattern as followed by UPSC to prepare the CSE paper. These practice tests will help in evaluating the aspirants preparation. These tests are a mode of revision for the topic or chapter.

6. ​ Solve the Topic’s Quizzes

​ When you finish the topic during preparation, solve the quizzes or questions prepared on that particular topic so that you can assess your preparation and list the topic for revision accordingly.

Internet : An Avenue for Aspirants : To lean tips strategies, Toppers' interview and guidelines, Video lectures (some as free of cost), join online courses and test series.

HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED

Cracking Civil Services Exam is not a short term game like ‘One Day ’ cricket match. It is a long term game plan of preparation which needs passion to keep you motivated through out your preparation. Few of qualifiers crack finally in first or second term of appearance. Majority of  aspirants take many terms, even some one qualify in seventh term. So, motivation is the only tonic that keeps an aspirant stay ready for longer duration of preparation to win the war of MISSION IAS.

What is Motivation?

The term ‘motivation ’ means the reason and the  feelling of wanting to do something, specially that involves hard work and effort for longer duration in achieving the goal set before. So, in the case of Civil Services preparation which needs two to four years on an average for majority of aspirants, motivation plays a key role to keep them stay in their ba ttle field. The reward of clearing CSE and being an IAS officer can be an ultimate motivational reason for the aspirants, but it rarely inspires the kind of commitment and hardwork that is necessary to take on the daily challenges faced during the preparation phase. Like other motivational reasons, this “ being an IAS ” reason also has its limited life to stay in tackling the daily challenges and one or two failures in cracking the IAS result. Therefore, aspirants must look at other factors and motivational reasons that can help them focus and stay on motivated till they get the ticket from UPSC to join training at Mussoorie. These factors and motivational reasons are classified below in chart form:

Keep off De-motivators

1. Eliminate your distractions.

2. Don't lie to yourself.

3. Stay away from strong stimulants,  eg. alcoholic drink.

4. Overcome your weaknesses

5. Don't set multi-task at a time.

6. Don't let the past dictate your future.

7. Don't hang around negative people, i.e. de-motivator.

8. Let things go which de-motivate you.

9. Refuse to be a victim, i.e. kept down by life hurdles and failures.

10. Don't involve in complain or conflict/ enmity with others.

11. Stop worrying about what is beyond your control.

12. Don't repeat your mistake.

Keep on Motivators

1. (a) Discover the ultimate purpose of being IAS officer.

    (b) Make sure that your goal is under your reach.

2. See the invisible , i.e- remind yourself of your goal 24/7 time.

3. Split the final goal into sub-goal, i.e. goal of day, week, month and year.

4. Set reward for each goal.

5. Target first the goal of the day to achive the goal of week, month & the year.

6. Reward yourself on achieving goal in order.

7. Make check points for day, week and months to check your preparation progress.

8. Give break in study to energise yourself.

9. Break your long and complex task into manageable pieces.

10. Surprise yourself by outdoor lunch, game with friend, home-cooking, etc.

11. Be practical & make actionable strategy.

12. Discover your strength.

13. Keep calm and be pressure free.

14. Learn from your mistake.

15. Make a plan to target your goal. Because "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail".

16. Build a team that target the same goal.

17. Build a support team of winners to guide, support & motivate you at the need of hour.

18. Don't care what others think about you and keep your momentum to  reach to destination.

19. See the hurdles otherwise (i.e. opportunities) to  learn something. As Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I have just found 9,999 ways that won't work."

20. Remind yourself of having something wonderful, unique talents & God-gifts to contribute to the mankind.

21. Write motivational quotes in note-books, posters on the walls, etc.

22. Make yourself a “PHOENIX” to make your success from your failure.

23. Keep a motivational role-model.

24. Celebrate other's success to be motivated for yours.

25. Listen to motivational music’s & songs.

26. Do Breathing Exercise like yoga.

27. Love others and let others love you.

Watch Motivational Videos: It may be films, lectures about training there.

​ • ​ Interview with toppers.

​ • ​ Real-life case studies of successful aspirants eminent people.