People who ace the UPSC usually opt for the IAS these days. This has been a shift from the earlier days when most of them opted for the Indian Foreign Service or the IFS. Diplomacy is generally defined as the art of negotiating deals and agreements with countries and international organisations. Career diplomats serving in the Indian Foreign Service serve in the many foreign missions of India abroad, in the international organisations such as UN,UNESCO, etc., head Regional Passport Offices in India, and also manage and run the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. The bureaucrats in services like IAS, IRS, IPS and other central services are running the country, but the officers in the IFS are creating foreign policies for the country and maintaining and promoting India's relations with foreign countries, which is one of the most important tasks in taking India forward in the ever changing world.

The idea of establishing a separate foreign service for the country originated from a note dated 30 September 1944, recorded by Lieutenant-General T. J. Hutton, the Secretary of the Planning and Development Department. Then Olaf Caroe, the Foreign Secretary, suggested that as India was going forward to be an independent country, a diplomatic service to represent India abroad was the need of the hour. Finally on 9 October 1946,on the eve of Indian independence, the Indian government established the Indian Foreign Service to represent India abroad for diplomatic, commercial, consular and other purposes. The first batch of the IFS were selected in 1948 by the Civil Services Examination conducted by the UPSC . The cadre size of the IFS is one of the smallest every year, ranging among 25-30 officers each year. The Indian Foreign Service is an exclusive premier service, with around 800 IFS handling both Indian missions abroad and the headquarters at South Block.

It is indeed unfortunate that new officers getting top ranks in the UPSC exams only opt for the IAS these days. The IFS is an extremely important and prestigious service, with it's officers representing India abroad. And what can be more prestigious than being a representative of your country, negotiating agreements on behalf of a billion citizens of your country? Officers eventually get promoted to the rank of High Commissioners, Ambassadors, etc., who are placed among the top people in the order of precedence of that country, being addressed by terms such as 'His Excellency'. They also head an entire mission of India, and sign deals on behalf of the entire country. On top of it, they travel around the world and serve in several foreign countries. At the end of their career, almost all of them would have lived a life full of thrill and adventure, with many tales to narrate. So brilliant students preparing for the UPSC and having interests in International Relations and travelling should break the barrier and join the IFS. The IFS needs such intelligent and brilliant officers now, to build solid relations with countries around the world, and take India forward to being an economic superpower.