Have you always wondered what it would be like to be a part of the secretive and revered ‘intelligence services’? Do you get an adrenaline rush thinking about exposing frauds, catching criminals and enemies of the nation by using your deducing skills?
The intelligence service acts as a major draw for many young Indians looking for a way to use their mental capabilities in order to serve their country. Intelligence agents are some of the most important officials of the Indian administration. There are many different intelligence agencies in India with their own specialized functions.
Intelligence Agencies of India
· RAW – Research and Analysis Wing
· IB – Intelligence Bureau
· CBI – Central Bureau of Investigation
· NTRO – National Technical Research Organization
· DRI – Directorate of Revenue Intelligence
· DIA – Defense Intelligence Agency
· The Directorate General of Income Tax
How to Become an Intelligence Officer?
It is a difficult process to get into these services, but the rewards are well worth it. Intelligence officers and agents need to be highly qualified and have years of experience in order to perform tasks of extreme importance involving national security. Some of the most common avenues to enter the Indian Intelligence Services are:
UPSC Exam – The Union Public Service Commission Exam acts as a gateway to enter into the intelligence services of India. Successful UPSC exam candidates can be recruited in the IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IPS (Indian Police Service), and IFS (Indian Foreign Service). If they consistently perform well in these posts, they are often transferred to intelligence agencies like the RAW, IB, CBI, and others. Officers recruited through the State Civil Service can also follow this same trajectory.
Combined Graduate Preliminary Exam (CGPE) by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) – The CGPE is conducted once a year by the SSC for recruitment into the IB. This exam allows officers in other government services to enter into the intelligence service. Only officers above 57 years of age are eligible for recruitment into IB.
Group-A Civil Services Exam – This exam is conducted by the Central Staffing Committee for the recruitment of central government officers into RAW. But the criteria for the selection of RAW agents are very specific. To become a RAW agent, one has to have 20 years of experience in government service. It is also essential for RAW agents to be proficient in at least one foreign language.
Through Allied Agencies – Officers in the Indian army are often placed in the DIA. Officers in the Income Tax department are also often shifted to the Directorate General for Income Tax.
Vacancy Advertisements – Vacancies for some lower-level posts in intelligence agencies are advertised in newspapers with eligibility criteria. Engineers and MBAs are sometimes recruited by intelligence agencies.
Intelligence agencies have a crucial role in maintaining national security. They deal directly with some of the highest seats of the Indian government regarding sensitive national issues. The intelligence agencies of India also play a very important role in protecting the country from terrorist activities.
They are even known to provide valuable guidance to the government during times of national crisis. Joining the Indian Intelligence services is one of the best avenues where competent individuals can devote their skills for the greater good of a large number of countrymen.