In the light of UPSC result 2019, lets move a step closer to our dreams. It is said that UPSC is called ‘the mother of all examinations’. Out of millions of candidates only a few make it. This year this year 829 candidates got selected , amongst which Pradeep Singh , son of a farmer and former Revenue Officer topped the exam followed by Jatin Kishore and Pratibha Verma. We all are quite familiar with the exam pattern and section process but, what happens after you find your name on the list? Amidst waves of happiness , proud parents and friends there are a few strategic decisions to make .
Getting closer to becoming an Officer
Firstly , there is allocation of cadres at various zones in which the selected person is to make a preference among the five zones. Which are-
- Zone-I (AGMUT, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana)
- Zone-II (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha)
- Zone-III (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh)
- Zone-IV (West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam-Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland)
- Zone-V (Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala)
As soon as the appointment is made candidates are proceed towards their training at LBSNAA. Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration is situated in Mussoorie and is the premier training institute of civil services in India. The director of the academy is an officer on the Secretary level in the Government of India, currently it is directed by Sanjeev Chopra . The academy along with foundation training also conducts Mid Career Training Programmes for the members of IAS and Induction Training Programme for officers promoted to IAS from state civil services. The academy is at 6580 feet above the sea level and the main campus is built on Charleville estate with following expansions. It is spread over an area of 189 acres.
A day in the life of an officer trainee starts at 6 am for morning exercise. Class room session start typically at 9:30. There are 5-6 academic sessions of 55 . Curricular Inputs are given in various subjects of social, economic, political impotence like History, Political Science, Economics, Law, ICT, Public Administration and Management & Behavioral Science. A course usually demands 8-10 hours of activity per day, which totals to about 60 hours of academic and other engagements per week. Evening hours could be varied from time to time for extra-curricular module, sports, riding etc. There no missing out on physical activities and fun. LBSNAA hosts a Happy Valley Sports Complex which has been expanded to meet the growing physical training needs of the times. It has a state-of-the art gymnasium, badminton, squash, lawn tennis courts, cycles, football and hockey ground, to assist officers under training to improve their proficiency in sports and games. A swimming pool is under construction.. The Academy also has a full-fledged horse-riding infrastructure with instructors drawn from the best in the elite Army unit that is the President’s Body Guards. The horse riding establishment has been shifted from March, 2017 to its new location in the Polo Ground. As part of the induction level training curriculum, Officer Trainees are sent on treks in and around Mussoorie and to the Greater Himalayas. They learn to cope with conditions of adversity, bad weather, insufficient accommodation and limited access to food. Visits and stay in backward villages help to understand and appreciate the realities of rural life.
Foundation Training:
This is a 15-week training provided to all probationers making them aware of the basics of the country and the posts they are about to undertake. The candidates are to move into LBSNAA where all IAS, IPS, IFS candidates are to train together on the constitutional, political, legal and socio-economic framework of India. This training imparts all three branches to work in coordination with one another.
Professional training 1:
The foundation training is followed by professional training where the candidates learn the job skills related to the cadre they are allocated. It lasts for 26 weeks. This training is practical and applicative in nature. The procedure remains some what same throughout the sections but IAS training as a few more added steps.
Inter-Services Meet
SANGAM, the Inter-Services Meet, is an entertaining, exhilarating and a stimulating 3-4 day endeavour by the Trainees of varied Civil Services of India to foster inter-service. Various Civil Service Training Academies, located across the nation, send their talented and accomplished representatives to compete in the events forming part of SANGAM. From taxmen to policemen, administrators to foresters, this event allows participants from diverse Services to inter-mingle and sportingly contest their mettle on a common platform.From quiz to sports to cultural performances, SANGAM attempts to showcase talent in different fields. The IAS Officer Trainees host their fellow Civil Service Trainees from other Academies, in their own rooms, to build and renew bonds.
On completion of the Phase-I course, the Officer Trainees proceed on a one year district training to their allotted cadres.
District Training
The on-job training is taken to district level in this stage. The probationers learn the basic administrative skills here. A principal cornerstones of district training has been “learning by seeing”. Subsequently, around 25-30 weeks are allocated for a series of attachments with district-level offices. This is generally prescribed by the State Government under the supervision of the District Collector who plays an important mentoring role during district training. Following the Maxim ‘learning by doing’ IAS Trainees are expected to hold independent charges of subordinate positions as a sequel to their attachments in the district where trainees are given two to three independent charges. They are given assignments which they are required to complete in this stage of training. This lasts for about a year. It is considered to be the most difficult part of the training process.
Professional training 2:
The Phase-II is designed to share the experiences gathered across the country by the Officer Trainees on returning to the Academy. The course content is designed to consolidate the learnings and for assimilating the district experiences gained by the Trainees in one year. It allows for sharing of experiences of good administrative practices, enabling them to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of our administration and governance. The Officer Trainees also go on a week-long Foreign Study Tour (FST) to understand best practices overseas. On return, they write a paper highlighting the administrative practices that they found interesting and those that can be adapted or replicated in the Indian context. The Academy awards a Masters’ Degree in Public Management to IAS Officer Trainees undergoing a two-year long induction training programme at LBSNAA after recruitment through the Union Public Service Commission.
Going to LBSNAA is a dream for many but one great thing about it is that it isn’t impossible. Aspiring to be a LBSNAA is a thought in right direction. Working towards it is equally important. Fill your heart with motivation, dedication and strive for your dreams. It may seem easy to give up but what you achieve at LBSNAA or any crucial stage of your life will make you complete. Its better to try and fail than to not try and regret. Becoming an officer must feel surreal, like how one would feel being able to live his/her dream. As you start working towards your goal you love it, hate it at times but you want it. Such is become a Officer and bring pride to not only you but your family, State and Your Nation. Being in power and responsible, drives you once you become an Officer. At the very core of becoming a civil servant is ‘striving for change’. You can better the lives of millions of people, you can change their course of life and become an inspiration for all. All things combined make you national rank officer and a better you.
