The Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission has 24 services recruiting from the pool of successful candidates. The services are mentioned in the UPSC notification along with the total number of tentative vacancies available. The services are allocated by the UPSC based on the following factors:
- Position of the candidate in the merit list based on Mains and Interview marks.
- Preference indicated by the candidate in the application.
The rules that govern cadre and service allocation are published in the UPSC cadre allocation policy which is updated from time to time.
Once the candidate has been called to join a particular service after making it to the merit list, the following steps are completed:
- The respective service conducts a background verification and document verification.
- The letter of invitation for joining is received by the candidate. This has to be presented at the respective training academies.
- Candidates have to report at the training academy on the date specified in the invitation letter.
Once the training for their respective service is complete, the candidates start their career as probationers who are mentored by more experienced officers. Their performance is evaluated for different departmental parameters. Once the probation is complete, the candidates are confirmed as a full-fledged officer and are given responsibilities commensurate to their position.
The career trajectory after this depends on the service which the candidate has joined. An IAS officer, for example, would take charge of a sub-division, while an IFS officer may get posted to an embassy based on the foreign language they specialised in. Every service publishes its own service manual which aspirants can download and read to get an idea of how life in that service looks like. They also provide important information about pay, perks and career advancement in the service of the nation.
To reach the probation stage, candidates should have cleared multiple stages of the IAS exam. The best way to prepare for this exam is to familiarise oneself with the IAS result. Aspirants should also master current affairs and their optional subject to be reasonably sure of securing a high rank.