Government jobs are always in demand in India. The reasons are simple enough; the jobs provide financial security and relative ease when compared to similar private prospects. The country has two types of government jobs, the central government jobs and the state government jobs. Both of these employment prospects have their own list of merits and demerits but in general the central government jobs are considered to be a bit more superior to the state government jobs. The compensation for the central government offices may be slightly more than similar state government offices.
Recruitment in Central and State Government
Recruitment in both these jobs are generally done on the basis of merit. Almost all government jobs have some eligibility criteria and in some cases also have written or online examinations to filter the applications. The biggest government offices on which direct appointment is possible are the civil services. This is a central government job and due to the various perks that arrive with the office, the positions are admired the most and are considered very prestigious. The state governments also have their own public service commissions for recruitment, though these offices are considered to be slightly inferior when compared to the UPSC. Engineering and Forest services are also two top central government jobs and are considered to be on par with the other civil service jobs.
State Government Jobs
State government jobs are the responsibility of the state government. The state government is responsible for their compensation, facilities and other additional incentives. The state government jobs may also have some percentage of seats reserved for candidates who belong to that particular state. There are generally four pay bands in a state government job. The first band has a pay grade of around 3000 per month and the salary comes to around 15000 to 20000. The paygrade of second band is 4200 and the salary is in between 15 to 35 thousand. Similarly the third and the fourth band have a pay grade of 6000 and 9500 respectively. Recruitment processes for state government positions vary according to the pay grade. For recruitment in the first band candidates don’t have to face any test and a basic qualification makes them eligible for it. For a job in the other pay bands candidates have to face an aptitude test. For the higher pay bands the aptitude test may be further supplemented by a personal interview.
Central Government Jobs
The central government follow a somewhat similar format in recruitments. Some of the Indian Central government employers are the defence services, the railways and the public sector undertakings. Selection tests are an integral part of the central government jobs and generally are designed to test quantitative, verbal and logical abilities of the candidates. For appointment to some higher positions, interviews and supplementary tests may be conducted along with the main selection examination. Compensation in these jobs are pretty much like the state government jobs but the central government employees do get to have some additional incentives, facilities, and perks. The central government jobs are open for the entire country and normally there are no seats reserved on a regional basis. As more candidates apply for the central government positions, getting a central government job is a bit more difficult than a state government job.
The Bottom Line
Kick start your government exam preparation, if you haven’t yet! The government has plans to increase its workforce. You must be happy to know that more than two lakh positions are expected to be created by the Indian Central government in various government departments, probably by 2017.
To know about more about upcoming and latest central and state government jobs in India, follow this blog.
A good comparison between the central government and state government jobs. People who are preparing for central government jobs and state government jobs would find it useful. Great work!