Year-wise Indian Foreign Service Officers List: The Last AIR Rank to Get into IFS

Every year lakhs of people apply for the UPSC Civil Services Exam. The UPSC conducts the exam for the recruitment of candidates to the posts of IAS, IPS, and IFS. But every year the result reveals that a thousand or less clear it. The question that many aspirants ask is- ‘How can one get IAS IPS IFS and at what ranks?’ ‘What is the last all India rank for IAS, IPS, and IFS that can get them into these prestigious posts of the IAS Exam?’ UPSC allocates departments as per the Civil service rank list of the candidates in that particular year. Here are the year-wise segregated Indian Foreign Service Officers list and the last qualifying to fill the vacancy.

About Indian Foreign Service and its Yearly Vacancy

The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is part of the Central Services of the country. The IFS is a sought-after tag both for the monetary benefits and lifestyle a diplomat enjoys and also for the unique challenges it poses. There are fewer vacancies for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) when compared to other highly popular services like Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Revenue Service (IRS). A candidate needs to get top ranks to be eligible for Foreign Services. You don’t need to know a foreign language to be eligible for the IFS, although you will have to learn one during your training after the selection. According to the MEA website, recent intake into the IFS has averaged between 30-35 persons annually. Currently, there are approximately 850 officers manning around 193 Indian missions and posts abroad and in India. As of 2019, the current IFS officers number at Indian Foreign Service (A): 795. Total diplomatic rank officers are approximately 2,700.

Also Read: Check-out The Indian Foreign Service Training Procedure

Number of Indian Foreign Service Officers List 2019

• General – 12
• EWS – 2
• OBC – 6
• SC – 3
• ST – 1
• Total – 24

Number of Indian Foreign Service Officers List 2018

• General – 15
• OBC – 09
• SC – 05
• ST – 01
• Total – 30

Number of Indian Foreign Service Officers List 2017

• General – 22
• OBC – 11
• SC – 07
• ST – 02
• Total – 42

Yearly Last Qualifying Rank for IFS

The below table lists the last rank (minimum rank) which got awarded the IFS in the previous years.

Year	GEN	OBC	SC	ST
2018	134	450	468	603
2017	152	602	717	616
2016	208	615	740	922
2015	157	624	727	–
2014	114	567	756	926
2013	141	448	621	824

Career Prospects of Indian Foreign Service Officers

The below table gives the promotion chain in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS)

At an Indian Mission Abroad	1. Third Secretary (Language Trainee) 2. Second Secretary 3. First Secretary 4. Counsellor 5.Minister 6.Ambassador
At MEA Headquarters, India	1. Attaché 2. Under Secretary 3. Deputy Secretary 4. Director 5. Joint Secretary 6. Additional Secretary 7. Secretary (The Highest Post under IFS is the Foreign Secretary, who serves from India).

Pay Scale and Salary for IFS Officers

Post Abroad	Post in India	Payscale
Attaché/Third Secretary	Under Secretary	8000-275-13500
Second/First Secretary	Under Secretary	10650-325-15850
First Secretary	Deputy Secretary	12750-375-16500
Director	Counselor Director	15100-400-18300
Minister/DCM Ambassador	Joint Secretary	18400-500-22400
Ambassador/High Commissioner	Additional Secretary	22400-525-24500
Ambassador/High Commissioner	Secretary	26000 (Fixed)

Duties and Responsibility of an IFS Officer

1. Representing India in its Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates, in Foreign countries and Permanent Missions to Multilateral Organizations like UN
2. IFS officers must safeguard India’s concerns and affairs in the country of his deputation.
3. Must develop cordial relations with all the stakeholders in the country of his/her posting.
4. Any developments that take place in the country of deputation, which might probably influence the policies of India, must be reported.
5. Successfully negotiate on various matters of importance with the concerned authorities in the country of posting,
6. Provide consular access to Indian and Foreign nationals.
7. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is totally responsible for all matters concerning India’s foreign relations. There are 2 divisions. One of them is the Territorial division which handles the economic, political, and bilateral matters with the concerned countries. The other division is the functional division which handles a host of issues concerning multilateral organizations, disarmament issues, various regional groupings, legal, press, publicity, policy matters, and many other issues.

Also Read IAS vs IPS vs IFS: Here’re All the Aspects of Different Posts Available after UPSC Exam

Conclusion

An IFS officer is expected to have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, analytical skills, interest and knowledge in International relations, diplomacy, decision-making skills, leadership, ability to adapt to different environments and cultures, and sensitivity to other cultures. The salary and perks are quite attractive.

Apart from the salary, IFS officers would be given a Special Foreign Allowance. This amount varies with the country of posting. For example, when a new officer is assigned to the Indian mission in the USA, he/she can get US $4000 per month. This allowance increases with the grade.

However, getting into the cadre itself is already difficult and on top of that is the extensive training period of at least years where the candidate is taught all about diplomacy and cultures, languages, traditions, etc. The candidate also has to go abroad for further learning. Thus candidates interested in IFS should be increasingly aware of all the stakes when they apply for the cadre.