A. Reversing the 10-year trend of a shrinking diplomatic community, the government has cleared a plan to induct over 300 diplomats in the next decade. We have only 921 Indian Foreign Service officers as against China's 4,200 and Brazil's 1,200.

The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is considered the most elite service in India. Personnel are posted in the ministry of external affairs in New Delhi and in Indian diplomatic missions around the world.

The IFS is very different from other civil services. As an IFS officer, you are a key player in building diplomatic relations with a foreign country. You are representing India and as a diplomat you are expected to know any and everything about India.

To join the IFS, you have to take the Civil Services Examination and secure a high rank as IFS is ranked topmost in the Group A services and comes only next to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in terms of power and status.

The civils exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission and comprises three stages: preliminary (objective type) exam, main (written) exam and the interview. An IFS aspirant has to clear all these stages and secure a good rank at the same time (although your prelims scores will have no bearing in determining the final merit list). Although the IFS is no longer the number one "hot favourite" it used to be, you'll still have to work pretty hard to make sure your name figures in the top 50 positions.

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in any stream with minimum 45%.

Age: 21-30 yrs as on August 1 of the year in which you take the exam.

Watch out for the advertisement in leading dailies in December. For further details, log onto the UPSC website:www.upsc.gov.in