IRS officers are the highest officials concerned with the administration of direct and indirect taxes. The administration of direct taxes and indirect taxes are controlled by Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) respectively. Thus IRS officer work under either Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) or Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). IRS officers are responsible for checking the proper collection of revenue through various taxes. Government uses this revenue for the conducting various welfare programs in the country.  Thus IRS officer has got a crucial part in the Indian Administrative System.

Qualifying exam

Union Public Service Commission conducts civil service exam for recruiting candidates to various civil services like IAS, IFS, IPS and IRS. To become an IRS officer, one should write this civil service exam. There is a preliminary test for this exam called Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT). Candidates should qualify this exam before attending the main exam. Those who qualify the main exam should attend an interview conducted by the concerned authority. Candidates who perform well in this interview can become an IRS officer.

Who are eligible to apply?

Candidates who want to apply for Civil Service Aptitude Test should possess degree in any discipline. They should obtain this degree from any central, state, deemed or open university. They can also obtain the concerned degree through correspondence education or distance education. Candidates who possess the citizenship of India, Bhutan, Nepal or Tibet can apply for this exam. Age limit specified for this exam is between twenty one and thirty years. Relaxation is given for the candidates who come under privileged category.  Those who qualify in the Civil Service Aptitude Test can attend the main exam conducted for IRS service. Candidates will be called for the interview based on the marks obtained in the main exam. Mental ability and personality of the candidates will be tested during the interview. A rank list is prepared based on the performance in the interview and main exam. Those who get good ranks will be given three months training to become an IRS officer.

Key elements in the process

• Pass plus two
• Complete graduation in any stream
• Qualify Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT)
• Qualify main exam and interview

Skills required for an IRS Officer

IRS officer should have good knowledge about various aspects of different taxes. They should have good problem solving skills as their job includes several accounting functions. They should possess good interpersonal skills and decision making skills to manage various crucial situations.