HowIndiaEarns

Government jobPay Level 10Group AGazetted

IAS Officer (Indian Administrative Service)

आईएएस अधिकारी (भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा)

All India Service via the UPSC Civil Services Exam — runs district administration and later heads departments and ministries.

Indian Administrative Service · Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (cadre controlling authority) · central government

In-hand pay at joining, per month

₹92,000–₹1,02,000

Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.

Exam
UPSC CSE
Qualification
Graduate
Age limit
21–32 years
Transfers
Within the state
Work hours
Long and unpredictable in field postings; you are effectively on call all the time
Probation
2 years, including training at LBSNAA, Mussoorie, and district training in the cadre state

Estimated in-hand / month

₹97,054

Gross ₹1,06,740 · CTC ≈ ₹14.3 lakh/yr

Level 10

Where are you posted?

Joining

IAS Officer (Indian Administrative Service) · rates as of January 2026 (DA 60%). Excludes CGHS, GPF/insurance deductions and special allowances. Estimate only.

New to pay slips? Read how in-hand salary is worked out.

What you will actually do

  • Heading a sub-division and later a district as Collector and District Magistrate
  • Overseeing land revenue, law and order, elections and disaster response
  • Implementing and monitoring government schemes across departments
  • Running a department, corporation or directorate in the state secretariat
  • Drafting policy and advising ministers in state and central governments
  • Coordinating between departments, elected representatives and the public

A typical day

A District Collector's day has no fixed shape. Mornings may start with a public hearing where dozens of people bring land, pension and ration complaints. Then come review meetings with departments, a video conference with the state capital, a site visit to a hospital or road, and files in the evening. A flood, riot, VIP visit or election takes over everything for weeks. In secretariat postings the work is files, meetings and policy drafts, with more regular hours.

Stress5/5
CalmIntense
Public dealing5/5
LittleConstant
Field work3/5
DeskOutdoors

Promotion path

Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.

  1. IAS Officer (Indian Administrative Service) (joining)

    Pay Level 10

    ₹92,000–₹1,02,000 in-hand

  2. Senior Time Scale (ADM / Deputy Secretary)

    After 4 years · Level 11 · via dpc

    ₹1,02,000–₹1,19,000 in-hand

  3. Junior Administrative Grade (Collector / Joint Secretary in state)

    After 9 years · Level 12 · via dpc

    ₹1,16,000–₹1,34,000 in-hand

  4. Selection Grade

    After 13 years · Level 13 · via dpc

    ₹1,66,000–₹1,87,000 in-hand

  5. Super Time Scale (Commissioner / Secretary in state)

    After 16 years · Level 14 · via dpc

    ₹1,88,000–₹2,12,000 in-hand

  6. Apex Scale (Chief Secretary / Secretary to Government of India)

    After about 30 years, for those empanelled · Level 17 · via dpc

    ₹2,69,000–₹3,04,000 in-hand

Promotion timelines vary by cadre and vacancies. If not promoted, MACP gives a pay upgrade after 10, 20 and 30 years.

How to get in

UPSC CSEOnce a year

Union Public Service Commission

  1. 1.Preliminary examination (two objective papers)
  2. 2.Main examination (nine descriptive papers)
  3. 3.Personality test (interview)

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Final-year students can apply for the preliminary exam. Age 21–32. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years. General candidates get 6 attempts, OBC 9, and SC/ST have no attempt limit within the age limit.

The good

  • Widest range of responsibility of any service, from districts to policy
  • Time-bound promotions in the early years
  • Real ability to fix problems for large numbers of people

The hard parts

  • Political pressure and sudden transfers
  • Very long hours and little privacy in field postings
  • Years of preparation with a selection rate far below 1%

Postings

You are allotted a state cadre based on rank, preference and vacancies, and most of your career is spent in that state: sub-division, district, then the state secretariat. Officers can go on central deputation to ministries in Delhi. Transfers are frequent, sometimes after less than a year.

Government housing, usually with official transport in field postingsNPS with a 14% government contributionStudy leave and funded mid-career trainingCentral or state medical coverLeave Travel Concession (LTC)

Questions people ask

What is the in-hand salary of IAS Officer (Indian Administrative Service)?+

IAS Officer (Indian Administrative Service) is a Pay Level 10 post with a starting basic pay of ₹56,100. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹92,000–₹1,02,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.

What is the qualification and age limit for IAS Officer (Indian Administrative Service)?+

Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Final-year students can apply for the preliminary exam. Age: 21–32 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years. General candidates get 6 attempts, OBC 9, and SC/ST have no attempt limit within the age limit.

Which exam do I need to clear for IAS Officer (Indian Administrative Service)?+

UPSC CSE (Union Public Service Commission).

Can I get my home state as cadre?+

Possibly, but it is not assured. It depends on your rank, category and whether there is an insider vacancy that year.

Is the salary calculator accurate for IAS?+

It shows pay at the entry level in a given city. Officers in field posts usually get government housing instead of HRA.

Compare with similar posts

IAS Officer vs IPS OfficerIAS Officer vs Indian Foreign ServiceIAS Officer vs Deputy Collector

IPS Officer (Indian Police Service)

आईपीएस अधिकारी (भारतीय पुलिस सेवा)

Pay Level 10

All India Service via the UPSC Civil Services Exam — leads district police and later state and central police organisations.

₹92,000–₹1,02,000 in-handUPSC CSE

Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer

भारतीय विदेश सेवा अधिकारी

Pay Level 10

Group A service via the UPSC Civil Services Exam — representing India abroad and working on foreign policy in Delhi.

₹92,000–₹1,02,000 in-handUPSC CSE

Deputy Collector (Maharashtra)

उप जिलाधिकारी (महाराष्ट्र)

S-20: 56,100–1,77,500

Top Group A post of MPSC Rajyaseva — heads a revenue sub-division as SDO and can be promoted into the IAS later.

Basic ₹56,100–₹1,77,500MPSC Rajyaseva

Books to prepare for UPSC CSE

  • Indian Polity

    M. Laxmikanth (McGraw Hill)

    The one polity book almost every serious aspirant uses. Dense; plan on several readings.

    See on Amazon

  • A Brief History of Modern India

    Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum)

    Concise modern history in a factual, revision-friendly format.

    See on Amazon

  • India's Struggle for Independence

    Bipan Chandra

    The narrative behind the freedom movement. Longer than Spectrum; read it for understanding and for Mains.

    See on Amazon

All 8 books for UPSC Civil Services, Forest Service, CAPF and EPFO

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Sources

This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.