How to get a Government Job in India? Top 10 Government Jobs in India

Best Tips for Students to get a Highest Paying Government Job in India

Indian government jobs are highly sought after by aspiring students across the country, for their attractive salaries, high job security, extensive social benefits and numerous other perks. Securing a government job is a competitive endeavour, and there are several key steps that students can take in order to start their journey towards their preferred career, in service of the government. The process can begin as early as high school!

Top 10 Indian Government Jobs

1. Indian Administrative Services (IAS): IAS officers are involved in formulating and implementing government policy.
2. Indian Police Services (IPS): Police officers are tasked with maintaining civil order, and upholding the safety of citizens.
3. Indian Foreign Services (IFS): IFS officers are involved in diplomacy, representing India in international settings.
4. Indian Revenue Service (IRS): IRS officers oversee taxation at a variety of different levels.
5. Indian Engineering Services (IES): IES officers are tasked with engineering projects on the behalf of the government.
6. Indian Forest Service (IFS): IFS officers are responsible for the management, conservation, and sustainable development of forests, wildlife, and related natural resources.
7. Banking Sector (Bank Probationary Officer): POs work in a variety of different positions within public sector banks
8. Defence Services: Members of the Army, Navy and Air Force are responsible for upholding the nation’s security
9. Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs): PSUs exist across a multitude of industries, including oil, power, steel, telecommunications, and finance, with the goal of stimulating economic growth.
10. Railway Services (Indian Railways): Railway officers operate across different roles and responsibilities to ensure the smooth functioning of the Indian Railways.

The Path to an Government Job

There are several things to keep in mind, for prospectives looking towards securing careers in the public sector. For high school students trying to get a head start on how to get government jobs in India, here are a few foundational tips.

👉Building a Good Academic Foundation

Striving to perform as best they can in high school is an essential precursor to every student's higher education and career trajectory—and this is no different with prospective government servants! Always looking for ways to maximise their performance and score well in tests and examinations, will give them an edge over other prospectives, and boost their chances of landing the government job of their choice.

👉General Knowledge and Current Affairs

For students, developing and maintaining a strong base of general knowledge and current affairs is another crucial step towards successfully securing an Indian government job. The recruitment process for most government positions include an examination, such as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Staff Selection Commission (SSC) examinations—and most of these exams place emphasis on general knowledge and current affairs.

👉Completing a Relevant Bachelor’s Degree

Most government positions require aspiring candidates to have completed a bachelor’s degree from a recognised college or university, in order to be eligible to appear for public service examinations. Although a candidate’s choice of degree is not restricted in most cases, it would be prudent for students to choose a degree that would complement their desired job. 

For instance, securing a job in the Indian Police Services simply requires candidates to have finished any bachelor’s degree, though a degree in criminal justice or public administration would be particularly useful. On the other hand, an aspiring IES officer necessarily has to hold a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) to be eligible.

👉Researching Requirements

Students in high school should consider familiarising themselves with the exam patterns and processes corresponding to their preferred government jobs. This involves researching about the specific requirements for their particular job, finding the syllabus content corresponding to the relevant exams, keeping track of timelines and exam dates, and keeping themselves up to date on any news regarding the recruitment process.

👉Exam Preparation

When the time comes to begin preparing for examinations, students should consider implementing study timetables and plans into their daily routines, to ensure that they are thorough with the syllabus content. Depending on their individual working style, they may either study independently or consider joining coaching institutes to receive expert guidance and keep their studies on track.

👉Mock Examinations

Another good practice for aspiring students, with standardised competitive exams like UPSC and SSC, is to take mock exams for themselves. The exam papers from previous years can be found on several sites online, and students can use these to test their syllabus knowledge under the relevant exam conditions.

👉Communication Skills

Consciously working towards developing efficient communication skills is another supplementary part of preparing to apply for government jobs. Being able to communicate effectively is always useful for interviews, which are a big part of the recruitment process for government servants, and will continue to be useful over the course of their careers,

Indian government jobs are an attractive career path for a whole host of economic and social reasons. If your child is an aspirant, taking these steps to help them be well-prepared for the recruitment process, as well as their particular role, is crucial to their success.