To be an IAS officer remains among preferred choices for youth: ASSOCHAM survey

To be a civil servant, more specifically, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, remains among the top most preferred choices for the youth, as is evident from a sharp rise in the number of the applicants for the coveted positions, an ASSOCHAM Paper has noted.

As many as 11,35,943 candidates took the civil services preliminary examination in 2016 as compared to 9,45,908 in the previous year, with number of aspirants increasing by almost two lakhs, as per the data sourced from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The Paper said the IAS remains the top most choice for the aspirants who are enamoured by the clout and powers, much improved salaries- perks and above all, the social status that goes with the civil servants in the drivers' seats of administration. A field survey of over 650 appearing for the civil services examination by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) endorsed this view.

While traditionally, the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) has been the second best choice for the aspirants because of its "cool" and "intellectual" nature of the job, more and more youth are now falling for the Indian Police Service (IPS) if they cannot make it to the IAS.

"Again the power, position and social status are the driving forces, though the job involves security risks especially in some of the troubled regions, requiring a different kind of personal commitment," the paper noted.

It also found that there has been an increase intake in the civil services from some of the economically backward states like Bihar, Odisha. " This may also be possible because more and more boys and girls from the advanced states like Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra are opting for high end private sector jobs either in India or abroad; after completing engineering and MBAs again from global educational institutions", remarked the ASSOCHAM Secretary General Mr D S Rawat.

As per the official data, in 2015, a total of 4,65,882 candidates took the civil services preliminary examination as compared to 4,51,602 in 2014.

However, it has also been noted that some of the students from high end business schools and engineering colleges are also opting for the civil services. "Here, the driving force is the desire to make a difference to the society, more than anything else".

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