The Indian Administrative service is a premium service in the non-military aspect of government sector. The service was originated in the year 1947 and is meant to place people straight at the top of any government organization. The job of an IAS carries a lot of responsibilities. There are three levels at which an IAS officer operates – central, district and divisional.  The job definition of an IAS officer at the central level is framing and implementation of policies. At a district level the job of an IAS encompasses all district affairs with focus on development. The responsibility of an IAS officer at the divisional level is maintenance of law and order, general administration and development work.

The Indian Administrative Service follows a cadre system, by which the officer are allotted to a state cadre. The service of the officer is owned by the parent state to which they belong to. But they may be deputed elsewhere. The cadre system is allotted on a basis of lottery and toppers of each state may get a chance to get their home states if they have opted for such a preference.

The member of the IAS holds various administrative posts like District Collector, Heads of Departments, Head of Public Enterprises at state level or can be posted on deputation to the central government to the various posts.

The combined civil services examination is the basis for recruitment into the Indian Administrative Services. The civil services examinations are conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in two stages – Preliminary and Mains. The Preliminary Examination is held in the month of May and is meant to select candidates for the Main Examination. The Main examination is held in the month of  October/November.

• Applicant must hold a degree of any of the Universities (any division) incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other Educational Institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.
• Applicant who has appeared or intends to appear at an examination passing of which would render him eligible for the civil services examination, may also apply for admission to the examination.
• Applicant must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 28 years on the 1st August of the year in which examination is being held.
• The upper age limit may be relaxed for applicants belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes and such other categories based on notification of the Government in this regard.
• Applicant has not taken four chances at the examination