The government sector has a lot of scope for people who look for stability in a job. Besides, this cluster offers opportunities for a multitude of profiles so people with many different interests or qualifications can serve in the government sector.
This article deals particularly with jobs in government sector specific to public administration. Government jobs related to defense, law and order, education and training, STEM, etc. are covered under corresponding clusters.
Government jobs are highly coveted, since they provide a good salary, job security, an opportunity for public service, positions of authority and power for those who are capable and so inclined, to make a larger impact, reasonable working hours and work-life balance. Note that other than for armed forces personnel (officer and non-officers), pensions are no longer given to government employees who started work in or after 2004.
This cluster deals with jobs in government sector specific to public administration. Government jobs related to defence, law and order, education and training, STEM, etc. are covered under corresponding clusters.
OCCUPATIONS
There are two ways that jobs in this cluster can be categorised.
- By the recruiting political authority, viz., Centre or State
Government jobs are available at centre level and state level. The recruitment procedures are separate and can be different. Note that job groups exist at both centre and state. - By job groups
Group D: Ground-level multi-tasking force comprising peons, cooks, drivers, gardeners, etc.
Group C: Ground-level supporting and non-supervisory jobs like clerks, cashiers, technicians, etc.
Group B: The executive layer performing much of the supervision, including gazetted and non-gazetted employees.
Group A: The officer grade employees at the top of the pyramid, viz., the managerial cadre.
CAREER POTENTIAL AND GROWTH
The government – both central and state – employs more than 4 crore people. Of this the Armed Forces are the biggest employer, followed by Railways, Civilian Defence, Home Affairs, then others. There are several ministries and departments at central and / or state level such as Information & Broadcasting, Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Railways, Rural Development, Commerce & Industry, Defence, Electronics and IT, Environment Forest & Climate Change, External Affairs, Finance, Education, Home Affairs, etc. Every year the central and state governments together hire a sizable number of new employees – around 5 lakhs were hired in Central and State government departments as per 2020-21 NPS payroll data.
At Group A level it is very competitive, and the posts are those of high responsibility, authority and challenge. Some departments have a high percentage of their staff in Group A, e.g., Space, Electronics and IT, New Renewable Energy, Civil Aviation, External Affairs.