Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the Civil Services Examination and one of the toughest competitive exams in India. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for the recruitment of officers for the All India Administrative civil service.

The Indian Administrative Service is the premier administrative civil service of the Government of India. HIerarchy-wise, IAS is the highest administrative post among the 24 services like IPS, IFS etc.

IAS is the permanent bureaucracy in India and forms a part of the executive branch. It is one of the three All India Services, its cadre can be employed by both the Union Government, the State Governments and public-sector undertakings.

Being an IAS Officer

An IAS officer is given administrative command of an entire district as a District Collector. IAS officers also represent Government of India at international level in bilateral and multilateral negotiations.

Eligibility Criteria:

Nationality:

*Candidate must be a citizen of India.

*Candidate must be a citizen of Nepal or a subject of Bhutan

*Candidate must be a Tibetan Refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 to be settled permanently in India

*Candidate must be person of Indian Origin who has migrated from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zaire, or Zambia with an intention of permanently settling in India

Educational Qualification:

*Candidate must hold a Bachelor's Degree from any of the recognized universities

*Candidates who have appeared for the qualifying examination and are awaiting results or those who are yet to appear for the qualifying examination are also eligible for the Preliminary Examination. Such candidates have to produce proof of passing the said examination along with the application for the Main Examination.

*Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government or its equivalent are also eligible to apply

*Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination. However, they must submit a certificate from the concerned University that they have passed the final professional medical examination.

Age Limit:

A candidate should be minimum 21 years and maximum 32 years old as on August 01, 2017. The upper age limit prescribed above is relaxable for the following candidates:

*5 years - Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST)

*3 years - Other Backward Classes (OBC)

*5 years - if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir during the period from the 1st January, 1980 to the 31st December, 1989.

*3 years - Defense Services personnel

*5 years - ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least

*5 years Military Service as on 1st August, 2017 5 years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs

*10 years - Blind, deaf-mute and orthopedically handicapped persons

Educational Qualification:

*Candidate must hold a Bachelor's Degree from any of the recognized universities

*Candidates who have appeared for the qualifying examination and are awaiting results or those who are yet to appear for the qualifying examination are also eligible for the Preliminary Examination. Such candidates have to produce proof of passing the said examination along with the application for the Main Examination.

*Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government or its equivalent are also eligible to apply

*Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination. However, they must submit a certificate from the concerned University that they have passed the final professional medical examination.