7/19/2016

TirthPatel'sanswertoOnwhatbasisarethepostingsintheIndianForeignServicedone?

TirthPatel'sanswertoOnwhatbasisarethepostingsinthe
IndianForeignServicedone?
12.6kViewsTirthhas30+answersinUnionPublicServiceCommission(India)
IndianForeignService(IFS)isunlikeanyotherCivilServicesuchastheIndianAdministrativeService(IAS)or
theIndianPoliceService(IPS).AnIndianForeignServiceofficerspendsmostofhis/hertimeabroad(two
thirdofhis/hercareer)andonlyonethirdofcareerinIndiaattheheadquartersoftheMinistryofExternal
Affairs(MEA)inNewDelhi.
AfterjoiningtheIndianForeignService,forwhichonehastobegenerallyatthetopoftherankingorderin
CivilServicesExamination(CSE)conductedbytheUnionPublicServiceCommission(UPSC)ofIndia,oneis
senttotheLalBahadurShastriNationalAcademyofAdministration(LBSNAA)inMussoriefortrainingfora
periodofthreemonthswherehe/sheisknownasForeignServiceProbationer/OfficerTrainee.
Aftercompletingthreemonthsoftraining,comprisingtraininginmultipledisciplinesincludingaforeign
language,horseridingandtrekkingintheHimalayas,aForeignServiceProbationer/Officertraineemovesto
theForeignServiceInstitutelocatedinNewDelhiforfurthertraining.
AttheForeignServiceInstituteinNewDelhi,whichislocatedonBabaGangnathMargnearJawaharlal
University(JNU)campus,aForeignServiceProbationerundergoestrainingforayearinmodulesof
InternationalRelations,IndianForeignServicePay,LeaveandCompensatoryAllowances(IFSPLCA)Rules
andForeignTrade.OnealsotravelstotheneighbouringSouthAsiancountriesortheUnitedNationsto
understandthefunctioningofanIndianmission.AnofficertraineeundergoesattachmentswiththeArmy,Navy
andtheAirForce,withthedistrictandthestateadministrationaswellasthecorporatesector.
AftertheendofthetrainingattheForeignServiceInstitute,aForeignServiceProbationerisattachedwitha
DivisionoftheMinistryofExternalAffairsforaperiodofsixmonthsforonthejobtraining.Afteritscompletion,
anIFSprobationerisallocatedaCompulsoryForeignLanguage(CFL)suchasArabic,Chinese,French,
German,Russian,SpanishoranyotherlanguageaspertherequirementsoftheMinistry.Afterwardsoneis
postedatanIndianmissionasaThirdSecretary(LanguageTrainee)wheretheprobationerlearnsthe
allocatedforeignlanguage.

Aftersuccessfulcompletionofallocatedcompulsoryforeignlanguage,aproficiencytestisadministeredtothe
LanguageTraineebytheSchoolofForeignLanguages(SFL),MinistryofDefence,India.Onlyafter
successfullypassingtheproficiencytestinagivenforeignlanguage,aForeignServiceProbationeris
confirmedintheIndianForeignService.Usuallyittakesalmost3yearstobeconfirmedintheServicefromthe
dateofjoiningtheIndianForeignServiceasaProbationer.
AfterbeingconfirmedintheIndianForeignService,anIndianForeignServiceOfficerispostedfor3yearsas
aSecondSecretaryinoneofthewings(Political,EconomicorCommerce,Consular,Administrativeor
Cultural)oftheEmbassyorasaConsulatanIndianConsulate.Duringthisperiodtheofficerlearnspolitical,
economic,commercial,cultural,consularoradministrativeworksfromhisseniorcolleaguesattheEmbassyor
theConsulate.
LetmeclarifythedifferencebetweenanEmbassyandConsulateatthisstage.AnEmbassyislocatedinthe
capitalcityofacountrywhereasaConsulateislocatedinsomeotherimportantcityofthatcountry.A
consulatefunctionsunderthesupervisionofanEmbassy.

AnIFSofficercantakehis/herparentsabroadbuttheGovernmentprovidesformedicalfacilitiesofonly
dependentparents(whohavenobodyelsetolookafterthemandhaveabysmallylowincome).
https://www.quora.com/OnwhatbasisarethepostingsintheIndianForeignServicedone/answer/TirthPatel48

1/3

7/19/2016

TirthPatel'sanswertoOnwhatbasisarethepostingsintheIndianForeignServicedone?

ASecondSecretaryatanIndianmissiongetsadecentaccommodationof110sqmetersbuthastopurchase
his/herowncar.He/Shegetsforeignallowance(whichincreaseswithpromotion)andmedicalfacilitiesbesides
governmentprovidedaccommodation.Governmentprovidesforeducationfeesforthechildren(upto2
childrenonly,abovefiveyearsofage)upto12thstandard.GovernmentalsoprovidesRepresentationalGrant
(RG)todiplomatstoentertaintheimportantpeopleofthecountrywhereoneisposted.
AnaveragedayofaSecondSecretarystartsat8a.mreadinglocalnewspapers,drivingtooffice,readinge
mails/faxmessages,makingphonecalls,writingnotes,replyingletters,briefingseniorofficers,followingup
withtheMinistryofExternalAffairsHeadquartersinNewDelhi,attendingmeetingsandoccasionallyattending
areceptionhostedontheoccasionofnationaldayorwelcome/farewellofadiplomatbyanotherEmbassy,
drivingbackhome,spending23hourswiththefamilyandwatching/readingnewsofthedaybeforegoingto
thebed.

Aftercompleting3yearsatanIndianEmbassyorConsulate,anIFSofficeristransferredtoanotherEmbassy
orConsulateortotheMEAheadquartersinNewDelhi.InNewDelhitheofficerjoinsasUnderSecretaryand
looksafteraparticulardeskataDivisionoftheMinistryforthenext3years.TheaveragedayofanUnder
SecretaryissameasanaveragedayofaSecondSecretarymentionedaboveexcepthe/shehastolookafter
severalIndianEmbassiesandConsulates,hastorespondtotheirqueries,followupwiththemandspeakto
severalpeopleduringanaverageworkingday.Generallyhe/shehastoworkextrahoursbeyondtheoffice
hours(i.e.9a.m.to5:30p.m.fivedaysaweek)andovertheweekendstocleartheextraworkload.Atthe
HeadquartersonegetsadecentaccommodationprovidedbytheGovernmentinpremiumlocationsinNew
Delhi(Chanakyapuri,K.G.Marg,GoleMarketetc.)buthastoarrangeforone'sowntransport(transport
allowanceisgivenbytheGovt.)

Aftercompletionof9yearsintheservicefromthedateofjoiningtheIndianForeignService(including
probationperiod),anIFSofficergetsautomaticallypromotedtotherankofDeputySecretary.Afterspending
approximatelythreeyearsinNewDelhi,anIFSofficerispostedabroadforthenextthreeyearsatoneofthe
163IndianMissions/PostsabroadwhicharecategorizedintoA*,A,B,CandC*categoriesdependingonthe
hardshipandstandardofliving.ForexampleLondon,NewYork,CanberraaretheplacesratedasA*,Paris,
Romeetc.arecategorizedasA,Moscow,Cairoetc.arecategorizedasB,whileplaceslikeIslamabad,
Kathmandu,KhartoumarecategorizedasC*.
AnIFSofficerhastochoosethreeplacesofhischoiceoutofthenumberofvacantpostswhicharecirculated
bytheMinistryfromtimetotime(usuallyatanintervalofsixmonths).Ifoneisluckythenonegetsoneofthe
threeplacesofone'schoice.ForeignpostingsaredecidedbytheForeignServiceBoardwhichisheadedby
theForeignSecretary.

Aftercompletingone'stenureinagivenMission/Post,theofficerisagainpostedforthreeyearstoanother
IndianMission/Postlocatedinanothercountry.Govt.paysforthetransportofhis/herbaggage,carandother
belongingsfromonecountrytoanotherbyair,landorsea.
ThepromotionchainintheIndianForeignServiceisasfollows
WhileabroadatanIndianMission/Post
ThirdSecretary(LanguageTrainee)>SecondSecretary:>FirstSecretary>Counsellor(After13yrsof
service)>Minister(After17yrsofservice)>Ambassador
https://www.quora.com/OnwhatbasisarethepostingsintheIndianForeignServicedone/answer/TirthPatel48

2/3

7/19/2016

TirthPatel'sanswertoOnwhatbasisarethepostingsintheIndianForeignServicedone?

WhileinIndiaatMEAHeadquarters

AttacheUnderSecretary>DeputySecretary(9yrsofService)>Director(13yrsofService)>JointSecretary
(17yrsofService)>AdditionalSecretary>Secretary

Onaverageittakes9yearsofservicetogettotherankofDeputySecretary,13yearsofservicetobecomea
Directorand17yearsofservicetogettotherankofJointSecretary.PromotionsuptotheDirector/Counsellor
rankareautomaticandtimeboundwhilepromotiontothenextleveli.e.JointSecretaryisbasedonthe
ConfidentialAnnualPerformanceAppraisalReports(CAPAR)ofthelasttenyears.GenerallyaJointSecretary
becomesanAmbassadorabroad(inrecenttimesDirectorrankofficershavealsobeengivenAmbassadorial
assignments)andtheHeadofaDivisionattheMEAHeadquartersinNewDelhi.
CAPARsarewrittenbythereportingofficerandreviewedbyahigherrankingofficerthanthereportingofficer.
AnofficerhasarighttoappealtotheMinistryifhe/shedoesnotagreewiththereportgivenbythereportingor
reviewingofficer.
AForeignServiceofficercanserveasaRegionalPassportOfficer(RPO)orcangoondeputationstothe
MinistryofDefence,PrimeMinister'sOffice,MinistryofCommerce,DepartmentofSpaceortheUnited
Nations,WorldBanketc.

Disclaimer:IhadcopiedthisfromsomewebsitealongtimeagoinmyPC,socan'tquotethesourcenow,sorry
:)

https://www.quora.com/OnwhatbasisarethepostingsintheIndianForeignServicedone/answer/TirthPatel48

3/3