urExam Blog

Vocations that you can choose if you fail the IAS dream

UrExam User -

Haven’t we all fantasized about the prestigious IAS post at some point in our lives?

The IAS exam is listed as one of the toughest recruitment tests in the world. Nearly 3 to 4 lakh candidates appear every year, out of which only the top 700-800 make it through the final selection. It might also be the case that the candidate would not get the service of their preference. Even after having such high stakes of success, as the earth moves around the sun and embarks on one revolution, new aspirants join the race to crack the coveted examination.

Having a backup plan just in case success in your exam doesn't work out is always great. IAS aspirants can take up many other career opportunities and exams after completing the preparatory phase for the coveted exam.

STAFF SELECTION COMMISSION

This exam is highly popular. The SSC is a government-run agency in charge of recruiting staff for different departments in the government bodies. SSC conducts the competitive exam based recruitment process for non-technical and various ministries/departments of the government of India. The agency conducts a combined graduate level examination to recruit candidates for different field and desk jobs offered by the central government.

  • SSC CGL Desk: Auditors, accountants and upper-division clerks
  • SSC CGL field: Tax inspectors, Examiners, Preventive Officers, CIA/NIA inspectors, narcotics inspectors/sub

The posts offered by your exam are for junior to mid-level positions in administrative functions of different government departments and ministries.

STATE-LEVEL PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION JOBS

Candidates who aspire to join the governmental machinery to make a difference can also look at state-level public commission jobs. The state PSC proves to be an excellent alternative for candidates in terms of low competition in your exam. This makes it an ideal choice for candidates looking to build a respectable career in the government sector following IAS.

BANKING

Those no longer interested in joining the mainstream government bureaucracy are best suited for banking jobs. Public sector banks regularly announce clerical and probationary officer level vacancies, and for that, there is open recruitment done through competitive exams. Your exam paper for bank jobs are concentrated in the finance, economics, accountancy and general awareness section, logical reasoning, numerical ability, and reasoning. Banking jobs are thus a good choice, especially with your exam preparation for UPSC coming to use as well.

TEACHING

If one possesses the necessary educational qualifications to take up TET/NET and have excellent grades in graduation, this can be taken as a formal profession in schools or colleges. There is another option of teaching in IAS coaching institutes for candidates with an aptitude for teaching and helping other aspirants realize their dreams of becoming an IAS officer. During the IAS preparation phase, your exam preparation would give an added advantage to guiding others towards success. It is very financially rewarding for candidates.

OTHER CENTRAL GOVERNMENT RECRUITMENT EXAMS

The central government conducts other recruitment examinations to hire candidates for mid-level positions within the Indian bureaucracy. Forest Service, Indian engineering service, assistant central intelligence officer, and central armed police forces remain top choices preferred by aspirants as backup career options. It is an alternative career choice, where your exam preparation for IAS and the knowledge base shall help one crack it quite easily. It has a comparatively low competition ratio and higher chances of success, making it a great career option after your exam for IAS.

There are some specialized recruitment processes conducted for specific government jobs later on. So, if there are plans to do post-graduation, it can be done easily as having a PG is automatically recognized for government jobs. Graduates appear for the UPSC examination. This is the minimum qualification to appear for the same; it is advised to go for higher studies when you cannot clear your exam for UPSC. Studying further can help to shape the future correctly. One can go for MBA, M.tech or any other post-graduation course to re-route the career into a new path.

CAT

To enroll for an MBA course, one should prepare for a CAT or Common Aptitude Test examination. Your exam for CAT paves an easy way to 20 IIMs and over 1,200 B-schools in India. Your exam paper comprises of MCQs & non-MCQs from Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Ability. The difficulty level of the exam is moderate to high. Over two lakh candidates appear in the CAT exam every year. It is not the same as GATE, and everything depends on one's achieved percentile. There is no minimum qualification, and with that, one can join whichever school based on preference.

GATE

To attempt the graduate aptitude test entrance, also known as GATE. It is a test to understand a student's knowledge and test their knowledge in Engineering and Sciences. Every year lakhs of graduates pass out from universities and engineering colleges. GATE in the current scenario is used to measure and test the calibre of engineering students. A misconception among students is that GATE is only for those who want to go for M.tech/ME, leading to a teaching career. But, this score can also be used by public sector undertakings in government-owned companies such as Indian Oil, GAIL, HP, etc., to recruit graduate engineers in entry-level positions to get fellowship programs from CSIR and scholarships.

  • It can also help in the specialization of a masters degree and cultivate the student's interest in a specific area which might lead to either research or a PhD
  • Domain-specific companies help in recruiting through campus pool drives through leading institutes.
  • Higher pays offered for postgraduate students in comparison to a graduate scholarship of Rs 12,500 is paid during the master's course
  • If you qualify in your exam, you are then eligible for the award of JRF in CSIR labs and CSIR sponsored projects

MENTORING ASPIRANTS OR TO RUN NGOs

This can also re-route one's journey towards a better future. If one is willing to serve the country, there are many other ways to achieve that and contribute towards a better society. An initiative to start an NGO or work with different organizations as a motivational speaker for UPSC aspirants can be a worthy option. Adding to that, whatever you have learnt during your exam preparation, it can be taught to the aspirants in different coaching centres.

Take-away

IAS is a worthy post but not the ultimate option. The rigidity can often hinder one's true calling. This article is not to de-motivate or divert you towards other options but to assure that you've got it. It may be not the way you thought, but you've.