Understanding IES/ISS Examinations

Ranjan K Baruah *

Many of us dream to join Government services and live happily in life. We are aware of the tough exams like the Civil Services examination which is being conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). There are many other competitive examinations conducted by UPSC in India.

A combined competitive examination for recruitment to Junior Time Scale of the Indian Economic Services (IES) and Indian Statistical Services (ISS) will be held by the UPSC commencing from 23rd June, 2023 in accordance with the Rules published by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation in the Gazette of India dated the 19th April, 2023.

The examination will be held at different centers across India including Shillong and Dispur (Guwahati).

The Services to which recruitment is to be made on the results of this examination and the approximate number of vacancies in Junior Time Scale of the Services includes 18 vacancies in IES and 33 vacancies in ISS.

A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on 1st August, 2023 i.e he/she must have been born not earlier than 2nd August, 1993 and not later than 1st August, 2002. There is age relaxation for the candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe and also for Other Backward Classes.

Aspirants for the Indian Economic Service must have obtained a Post-Graduate Degree in Economics/Applied Economics/Business Economics/Econometrics from a University incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other Educational Institutes established by an Act Parliament or declared to be deemed as University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 or a Foreign University approved by the Central Government from time to time.

Aspirants for the Indian Statistical Service must have obtained a Bachelor's Degree with Statistics/Mathematical Statistics/Applied Statistics as one of the subjects or a Master's degree in Statistics/Mathematical Statistics/Applied Statistics from a University incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other Educational Institutes established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 or a Foreign University approved by the Central Government from time to time.

The examination includes a written examination carrying a maximum of 1000 marks in the subjects as shown below Subjects for IES include General English , General Studies , General Economics-I , General Economics-II , General Economics and Indian Economics.

On the other hand, subjects in ISS include General English, General Studies, Statistics-I , Statistics-II, Statistics-III and Statistics-IV .

Papers are objective as well as descriptive and the medium of the question paper is English and answers must be written in English only. The papers on General English and General Studies, common to both Indian Economic Service and Indian Statistical Service will be of subjective type.

The standard of papers in General English and General Studies will be as may be expected of a graduate of an Indian University. The standard of papers in the other subjects will be that of the Master’s degree examination of an Indian University in the relevant disciplines. Candidates will be required to write an essay in English.

Other questions will be designed to test their understanding of English and workman-like use of words. Passages will usually be set for summary or précis.

General knowledge including knowledge of current events, the paper will also include questions on Indian Polity including the political system and the Constitution of India, History of India and Geography of a nature which a candidate should be able to answer without special study.

There is an exam fee of INR 200 which is not to be paid by female candidates or candidates belonging to SC/ST Communities. The Online Applications can be filled up till 6 PM of 9th May after which the link would be disabled.

Aspirants may visit the website of the UPSC for further details and to fill in the form on time. Aspirants may prepare for the exams from an early time to be successful as it is competitive and lakhs of students appear for the exam.