Career in Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)

 

The Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) is a Group ‘A’ civil service that one may get recruited into on clearing the UPSC civil services exam. Every year the government appoints 25-30 officers. The IRAS officers are responsible for maintaining and managing the finances and accounts of the Indian Railways. At present, IRAS has a cadre strength of about 800 officers.

Functions:

1.       Maintaining accounts of the Indian Railways.

2.       Giving financial advice to the executive in matters related to railways.

3.       Scrutinising all investment and expenditure proposals of the various departments in railways.

4.       Preparation of the budget.

5.       Carrying out periodical financial reviews.

6.       Engaging in fundraising and funds management.

7.       Maintaining accounts and bookkeeping for railways.

8.       Conducting stock inventory control.

9.       Settling claims and recovering dues.

10.     Management accounting.

11.     IRAS officers are also sent on deputation to various PSUs to hold finance portfolios.

Training of Probationary Officers:

For IRAS officers, overall training goes on for a period of approximately 2 years. The training begins at LBSNAA, Mussoorie; then it continues at National Academy of Indian Railways which is located at Vadodara. Further training goes in at NADT located at Nagpur and NIFM which is located at Faridabad. IRAS probationers also undergo 12-week training at IIM Calcutta. IRAS probationers also undergo training at MDI, Gurgaon.

Career Prospects:

Once the training period is completed the IRAS Cadre officers can expect their career to kick off and grow professionally in the following given below roles.

1.       At Zonal Levels – Chief Account Officers and Financial Advisors.

2.       At Division Level – Divisional Finance Manager

3.       Under Divisional Railway Manager and General Manager – Inducted as Account Officers and Executives.

4.       The highest allocated position for IRAS Cadre is the Financial Commissioner.

Grade & Pay Scales:

This Group “A” civil service is one the most important cog in the smooth functioning of Indian Railways.

Below table gives details on grade and pay scale of IRAS Cadre

Grade	Designation in Ministries	Designation on Railways	Pay Scale
Junior Time Scale	——	Assistant Financial Advisor/ Assistant Divisional Financial Manager/ Assistant Workshop Accounts Officer/ Assistant Financial Advisor (Traffic)/ Assistant Electronic Data Processing Manager	Rs.15,600-39100 + Grade Pay Rs.5400
Senior Time Scale	Deputy Director in GOI	Senior Assistant Financial Advisor/ Divisional Financial Manager/ Workshop Accounts Officer/ Senior Assistant Financial Advisor/ Electronic Data Processing Manager/ Senior System Analyst/ Deputy Director (Railway Board)	Rs.15,600-39,100 + Grade Pay Rs.6600
Junior Administrative Grade	Deputy Secretary in GOI	Deputy Financial Advisor & Chief Accounts Officer/ Senior Electronic Data Processing Manager/ Joint Director (Railway Board)	Rs.15,600-39,100 + Grade Pay Rs.7600
Selection Grade	Director in GOI	Deputy Financial Advisor & Chief Accounts Officer/ Director (Railway Board)	Rs.37,400-67,000 + Grade Pay Rs.8700
Senior Administrative Grade	Joint Secretary to GOI/ Secretary in State Government	Financial Advisor & Chief Accounts Officer/ Executive Director(Railway Board)	Rs.37,400-67,000 + Grade Pay Rs.10,000
Higher Administrative Grade	Additional Secretary in GOI/ Principal Secretary in State Government	Principal Financial Advisor & Chief Accounts Officer/ Advisor (Railway Board)	Rs.37,400-67,000 + Grade Pay Rs.12,000
Higher Administrative Grade +	Special Secretary to GOI/ Chief Secretary	General Manager/ Director General/ Additional Member (Railway Board)	Rs.75,500-80,000
Apex	Secretary	Financial Commissioner	80,000 (fixed)

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Career in Indian Postal Service (IPoS)

 

The Indian Postal Service is one of the Group ‘A’ Civil Services of India. They are responsible for running ‘India Post’, the largest postal network in the world which provides services ranging from traditional postal services to banking and e-commerce services. It also provides non-commercial services such as disbursal of old-age pensions and MGNREGA wages. The IPoS cadre officers are the higher grade officers of the post office hierarchy in India. The cadre controlling authority for this service is the Ministry of Communications, Government of India. This article will provide information on the Indian Postal Service grade, pay scale and career growth.

Functions:

1.       Monitoring and management of divisional postal services

2.       Overall administration of Mail and Post offices in a division

3.       Optimization and expansion planning of the postal network inside a division

4.       Management of technology, finances and materials.

5.       Marketing of India Post services and products such as Banking and Insurance

6.       Handling Public Grievance Redressal System and customer relations

7.       Coordinating with other government agencies such as Police, District Administration etc.

8.       Management of personnel in the division.

IPoS officers enjoy the same perks and facilities as other officers from ‘Group A’ Services of the Indian Government; such as government accommodation, concessional medical facilities etc. They are also eligible for deputation to other services and can proceed on study leaves funded by the government.

IPoS is considered to have the best promotional prospects among the Group ‘A’ Services. UPSC candidates can join the service by indicating their preference for it and securing the requisite rank in the IAS exam.

Training of Probationers:

Indian Postal Service training is conducted in two stages as listed below:

1.       Stage 1: Foundation Course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration(LBSNAA), Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy(SVPNA), National Academy of Direct Taxes based on the recommendations of the Department of Personnel and Training.

2.       Stage 2: Professional training in management and administration of postal services Rafi Ahmed Kidwai National Postal Academy(RAKNPA).

Career Prospects:

Indian Postal Service Cadre Officers (IPoS) don different roles, which are given below.

1.       In Junior roles, IPoS cadre officers may work as Senior Superintendent of Post Offices.

2.       The IPoS cadre officers could also serve as Superintendent of Railway Mail Service.

3.       IPoS cadre officers serve as Director-General of Posts,

4.       IPoS cadre officers could be the head of post offices as Postmaster General.

5.       If they are posted in the field, they would serve in the position of Chief Postmaster and Additional Postmaster General.

6.       IPoS cadre officers could also serve as Chairman of Postal Services Board.

7.       At the senior level, IPoS cadre officers could serve as Secretary to the Government of India.

Grades and Pay Scales:

Recruitment in Indian Postal Service (IPoS) will be conducted through the UPSC 2019 Civil Services Examination. The UPSC candidates selected for the IPoS start their career as SSPO(Senior Superintendent of Post Office) or SSRM (Senior Superintendent of Railway Mail Services). IPoS officers are also selected through promotion from ‘Group B’ officers of India Post. They can rise up to the position of the Director-General of Post Offices.

Below table gives the rank and pay structure of the Indian Postal Service (IPoS)

Rank	Pay Level
Director-General of Post Offices	Rs.225000
Member Postal Services Board	Rs.205400
Chief Postmaster General	Rs.144200
Postmaster General	Rs.131100
Director of Postal Services	Rs. 78800
Assistant Director/Assistant Postmaster General	Rs. 67700
SSPO/SSRM	Rs. 56100

The postal services consist of 22 circles for various states and a Base circle for postal services to the armed forces. Each circle is headed by a Chief Postmaster General. The officers in the Base circle are considered to be on Army postal Service Deputation. Circles are divided into regions headed by a Postmaster General.

 

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Career in Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS)

 

The Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS) is a Group ‘A’ service which was constituted in 1973. This service provides accounting and financial services to the Indian posts and telecommunications departments. This service has been renamed as Indian Communication Finance Service (ICFS).

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Assessing and collecting the License Fee and the Spectrum usage charges from the telecom licensors.
2. Conducting 2G, 3G, 4G spectrum auction.
3. Making of policies in the departments of telecom and posts.
4. Managing finances in the departments of telecom and posts.
5. Conducting internal audits in the departments of telecom and posts.
6. Accounting in the departments of telecom and posts.
7. Managing pensions in the departments of telecom and posts, MTNL and BSNL.

Training:

The training starts at LBSNAA at Mussourie, the same as that for IAS officers.

The below table gives the details of the training undergone by the IP&TAFS probationers.

Module	Institution	Duration
Foundation Course	LBSNAA, Mussourie	16 days
Professional Training Course	National Institute of Finance Management, Faridabad	44 weeks
Department Training	National Institute of Communication Finance, New Delhi	36 weeks

Career Growth:

IP&TAFS cadre officers get a multitude of opportunities, to serve in diverse profiles which are given below.

1. IT officials and Financial Advisors
2. Budget and Accounting managers
3. Spectrum allocation
4. Finance and Asset managers
5. Communications Division – as project controller
6. Internal Auditing officers
7. Revenue Assessment and Collection
8. Rural project management disbursing officers.

Grade and Salary:

Before any candidate decides to take up a career in IP&TAFS, apart from the job profile another motivating factor is the pay scale and the growth the career provides.

The below table gives exhaustive details on the Grade and Payscale associated with the IP&TAFS

Grade	DoT		DoP		Pay Scale
	HQ	Field	HQ	Field
Junior Time Scale	Assistant Chief Accounts Officer	Assistant Chief Accounts Officer	Assistant Chief Accounts Officer	Assistant Chief Accounts Officer	15600-39100 + Grade Pay 5400
Senior Time Scale	Assistant Director-General	Deputy Controller of Communication Accounts	Assistant Director-General	Deputy Director	15600-39100 + Grade Pay 6600
Junior Administrative Grade	Director	Joint Controller of Communication Accounts	Director	Director	15600-39100 + Grade Pay 7600
Senior Administrative Grade	Deputy Director-General/Joint Administrator	Controller of Communication Accounts	Deputy Director-General/General Manager	General Manager	37400-67000 + Grade Pay 10000
Higher Administrative Grade	Senior Deputy Director-General	Principal Controller of Communication Accounts	——	——	67000(annual increment @ 3%)-79000
Higher Administrative Grade+	Advisor (Finance)	——	——	——	75500-80000

IP&TAFS can be posted anywhere in India. The postings are mostly confined to capital cities. They can also be appointed to central and state governments, Central Staffing Scheme, autonomous organisations, PSUs and international organisations like the UN, ADB, World Bank, etc. on deputation.

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Career in Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS)

 

The Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS) is one of the Group ‘A’ services successful candidates can get into once they clear the UPSC civil services exam. It is a unique service in that it is the only cadre in which officers are recruited by all four methods – civil services exam, engineering services exam, interviews and promotions. This article helps one to comprehensively understand the Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS).

Officers of this service engage in the management of the Indian Ordnance Factories. These factories engage in the production of defence equipment and arms/ammunition. In this service, there are two types of positions. One of them is the technical position and the other one is the non-technical position. The recruitment for the non-technical position is through Civil Service Examination whereas for the technical positions the recruitment is through the Engineering Service Examination. The article shares information on IOFS functions, grades, pay scales, career prospects.

Training of Probationary Officers:

After the initial Foundation Course at LBSNAA, the officer trainees are provided training in the areas of management, public administration and technology at the National Academy of Defence Production (NADP), Nagpur. This Induction Training Programme is for 64 weeks. After this, they are sent on a Bharat Darshan wherein they visit defence, space, nuclear, industrial and other technical installations. Then, the officers are imparted on-the-job training at the Ordnance Factories.

Functions:

1. The chief functions of IOFS officers at the ordnance factories include product research and development, production planning and control, quality control, project management, supply management, materials management, labour welfare, personnel management, industrial relations, management, industrial safety maintenance of residential estates, etc.
2. These officers also serve in managerial positions in various PSUs and SEZs.
3. They also serve as secretaries and advisors to Union Cabinet ministers, Prime Minister and the President of India.
4. They can also become scientists for the DRDO.
5. IOFS officers can also be asked to serve the armed forces as Commissioned Officers for a period of four years.

Career Prospects:

1. IOFS cadre officers serve in diverse departments from the production department to the administration department.
2. Option for transfer to any public sector organisation or department.
3. At higher roles, they also serve as advisors to ministers.
4. IOFS Cadre officers also get the opportunity of serving in Indian Embassies.
5. IOFS cadre officers also get opportunities for posting in the Ministry of External Affairs.

Grades and Pay Scales:

Before deciding on joining a Group ‘A’ service, all candidates would be interested to know the prospects of promotion and the pay scales associated with the cadre.

The below table gives information on the grades and respective pay scales of IOFS

Grade	Designation		Pay Scale
	In the field	In HQ
Junior Time Scale	Assistant Works Manager	Assistant Director	15600 – 39100 + Grade Pay 5400
Senior Time Scale	Works Manager	Deputy Director	15600 – 39100 + Grade Pay 6600
Senior Time Scale (Non-Functional)	Deputy General Manager	Joint Director	15600 – 39100 + Grade Pay 7600
Junior Administrative Grade (Functional)	Joint General Manager	Director	37400 – 67000 + Grade Pay 8700
Senior Administrative Grade	Additional General Manager / Principal Director / Regional Director / General Manager / Regional Controller of Safety	Deputy Director-General	37400 – 67000 + Grade Pay 10000
Higher Administrative Grade	Senior General Manager / Senior Principal Director	Senior Deputy Director-General	67000 – 79000
Higher Administrative Grade +		Additional Director General and Member of the Board	75500 – 80000
Apex		Director General Ordnance Factories (DGOF) and Chairman of the Ordnance Factories Board	80000 (fixed)

 

 

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Career in Indian Information Service (IIS)

 

The Indian Information Service (IIS) is one of the Group ‘A’ Civil Services options available for candidates who successfully clear the UPSC Civil Service Examination. This is the media wing of the Government of India. They act as the bridge of communication between the Public and the Government of India. It comes under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The role of IIS is to provide advertisements, press releases and disseminate information on behalf of the Government. The IIS officers have to serve duties at different roles and positions. 

Eligibility:

The eligibility criteria for the Indian Information Service exam is similar to the other allied Central Government Category ‘A’ Services. Once the candidate qualifies the civil services and gets allotment to the Indian information service as per candidate rank, he/she has to go through specified training.

Training:

After the completion of the entrance examination, the candidates will need to undergo training. The IIS officers’ training is in following three stages:

Stage 1: Foundation Course of 3 months at the LBSNAA.

Stage 2: Probationers undergo training at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (New Delhi) for a duration of 9 months.

Stage 3: Probationers will undergo training for a period of 1 year at various media wings of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

As soon as the Indian Information Service Officer finishes the probationary period, she/he is posted in the media wing of the Indian Government. The following are the various employment opportunities in this field: 

1. DD News
2. All India Radio
3. Press Information Bureau
4. Registrar of Newspapers for India
5. Directorate of Field Publicity
6. Publications Division
7. Electronic Media Monitoring Centre
8. New Media Wing of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
9. Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity

Funtions of IIS Officers:

 The following are the key responsibilities: 

1. Administering, monitoring and coordinating the work of the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
2. Controlling, supervising and guiding the news service units including DD News and All India Radio.
3. Organising press advertising and visual publicity campaigns for spreading information to the people about the various policies and activities of the government through diverse media.
4. Monitoring legal issues involved in the verification of titles, registrations and circulation for newspapers in India.
5. Creating, Planning and executing media strategies for the government.
6. IIS Officers can also be posted abroad especially in association with Prasar Bharati.
7. Officers can be posted to other departments/ministries on deputation. They can also act as Personal Secretaries in the Central Government on a co-terminus basis.

Career Prospects:

Job in Indian Information Service is full of challenges and growth. If the aspirant fair really well at it, then their chances of making it big are fair enough as they will be involved in dialogue and action with other top-level bureaucrats and diplomats of India. As soon as the Indian Information Service Officer completes probationary period, he/she is posted in the media wing of the Government of India.

1. In the initial posting as Junior Grade Officer – he/she is posted as Assistant Director.
2. The first promotion will be to the role of Deputy Director.
3. In the Junior Administrative Cadre, the position is Joint Director or as the Deputy Secretary to the Government of India.
4. Attain the Post of Director in Junior Administrative Cadre.

Grade and Salary:

There is a lot of scope for promotion in this cadre as the system is well structured with different grades and pay scale.

Below table gives information on grades and pay scales of Indian Information Service

Grade	Designation	Pay Scale
Junior Time Scale	Assistant Director, ANI, News Reporter/ Correspondent, Field Publicity Officer, Assistant Regional & Research Officer, Assistant Director (Monitoring),	8000-275-13500
Senior Time Scale	Assistant Press Registrar, Deputy Director, Editor, Copy Tester, Research Officer, Campaign Officer, Senior Correspondent-Cum-Editor, Regional Officer, Public Relations Officer, Officer On Special Duty, Talks Officers, Public Relations Officer, Special Correspondent (Abroad), Senior Correspondent	10650-325-15850
Junior Administrative Grade	Joint Director (News), Deputy Press Registrar, Editor-In-Chief, Special Correspondent (Abroad), Director (Media), Joint Director, Chief (Media)	12000-375-16500
Junior Administrative Grade (NFSG)	Director	14300-400-18300
Senior Administrative Grade	Director, Registrar Of Newspapers For India, Special Correspondent (Abroad), Additional Director General (News)	18400-500-22400
Higher Administrative Grade	Director General (News)	22400-525-24500
	Director-General / Principal Information Officer	26000 (Fixed)

 

 

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