This blog will take you to the most asked concern about what is exactly, the life of the IAS officers and in which specific areas they work:
As soon as they enroll at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), candidates who pass the UPSC Civil Services Exam experience life as an IAS officer for the first time. In training, an IAS officer must live a fairly structured lifestyle that begins at six o’clock in the morning. At LBSNAA, the following timetable is often observed:
6 a.m- A 60-minute morning workout that includes outdoor activity like horseback riding.
7 to 9 a.m- Time to spare for the morning pursuits.
9:30 a.m- Academic work, including lectures, extracurricular activities, and sports for around 8-10 hours.
After supper and before heading to bed, officer applicants are free to socialize and get ready for the next day. An essential component of the program is engaging in outdoor activities like treks to surrounding rural regions to learn how to handle hardship and gain an understanding of rural Indian culture. Bharat Darshan, also known as the study tour of India, is another component of the IAS officers’ training.
A trainee’s timetable adjusts once they become IAS officers, depending on the post they are offered. An officer stationed in the field would often start their day at 9 a.m. by reading through a variety of daily reports, managing a variety of district or departmental work regularly, and visiting various locations to check on the execution of developmental activities. They would also likely attend meetings all day long.
All of these events are anticipated to last till the evening and terminate around 9 in the night.
However, an IAS officer may work consistently, much beyond regular working hours, to supervise action and relief teams during emergencies like riots and natural disasters.
Depending on the sort of assignment they get, IAS officers have different functional duties. They are given three different kinds of assignments including the Field, State Secretariat/Public Sector Undertakings, and Central Secretariat.
Now, as we about the areas in which the IAS officers work, the following are as mentioned:
Executive Magistrates
IAS officials acquire a comprehensive understanding of how the district’s magistrature and law and order are upheld very early in their careers by becoming sub-divisional and subsequently district magistrates.
In addition, they are personally accountable for maintaining public health and peace and order in the district.
Role in Development
The implementation of numerous government development programs takes up a significant portion of an IAS officer’s effort from the very beginning. SDMs, Project Officers in Tribal Areas, CEOs of Zilla Parishads, District Development Officers, Collectors, etc. are some examples of the duties that are played in these particular cases.
Leadership and Management in Public Enterprises
Experts in certain subjects or IAS officers are often in charge of public initiatives. Government-run public enterprises are no longer the main emphasis; instead, regulatory organizations like Town Development Authorities (CIDCO, etc.), Transportation, Electricity, Metro Projects, etc. are now taking center stage.
Administrative Planning
This is increasingly being identified as a vital function of IAS officers: Municipal Commissioners.
Being a commissioner in an urban region and coordinating with elected officials is a very troublesome job.
Project Administration
Planning, operational setup, and other execution activities are required for medium- to large-scale projects. IAS has access to them at multiple government levels.
Role in Policy
IAS takes the helm of most government ministries and assumes leadership roles at higher Secretary levels. Clearly defined leadership is required in these circumstances.
Discussions and Diplomacy
In talks with different social stakeholders at every level, IAS officials are crucial. IAS officials engage in talks daily at all levels, from the lowest SDM to the highest Secretary.
Law (Delegated Legislation)
In India, the bureaucracy eventually determines the bulk of the stringent guidelines and other elements after the relevant legislatures (the Center and States) have drafted all of the laws.
Entrepreneurship
There is no doubt that the IAS officers of the twenty-first century are genuine entrepreneurs. They must know how to handle all facets of a brand-new or ongoing project, make sure that resources are available to complete specific tasks, create an organizational vision and see it through to completion, be innovative, handle challenging circumstances deftly, and assemble the greatest team possible to complete a job.
As a result, in addition, there are numerous more tasks that one might play as an IAS official, such as managing disasters and organizing significant occasions and elections, and so on.
