12 November 2026
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Why IFS Lost Out To IAS As First Choice of UPSC Toppers

Indian Masterminds Stories

Ever since the beginning, the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) used to be the first choice of the toppers in the UPSC Civil Services Exam. It was considered an elite service and only cream de la cream used to opt for it. IAS and IPS used to be taken by those who couldn’t get into the IFS. 

Times have changed. There apparently is a paradigm shift in the structure of civil services because of which successful candidates’ choices too have changed. Now, IFS is no more the natural first choice of the toppers. Most of the toppers have increasingly been opting for the IAS. The IPS is emerging as the second choice and IFS has been relegated to third place.

Indian Masterminds tried to fathom the reason for the changes by speaking to experts. Please watch the video to find out.


Indian Masterminds Stories
Join our WhatsApp Channel
Related Videos
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
hindustan-copper-ltd-resized
Hindustan Copper Q2 FY27 Results: Net Profit Jumps 179% to Rs 519.54 Crore, Revenue Rises 64% to Rs 1,175.24 Crore
BHEL_resized
BHEL Wins Two POWERGRID Orders for Synchronous Condenser Projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat 
Arul Vignesh IAS Officer Harassment Allegations
TVK MLA Arul Vignesh Denies Harassment Allegations Against IAS Officer J.E. Padmaja Raised by DMK MP Kanimozhi
MIDHANI Rare Earth Independence Plan
MIDHANI Q2 FY27 Results: Net Profit More Than Doubles to Rs 27.69 Crore, Turnover Rises 41%
Uttarakhand Government
Uttarakhand Plans IAS, PCS Appointments to Handle Administration at Two Government Medical Colleges
GRSE Raichak Shipyard Project
GRSE Q2 FY27 Results: Net Profit Rises 12% to Rs 172 Crore, Revenue Grows 9% to Rs 1,827 Crore 
jharkhand Government
Jharkhand Transfers 39 Forest Officers; Rajkumar Bajpai Named APCCF, Siddharth Tripathi Made Forest Corporation MD, Ranchi DFO Put on Waiting
Anshul-Mishra IAS Tamil Nadu cadre
Who Is Anshul Mishra? 2004-Batch IAS Officer Whose One-Month Jail Term in Contempt Case Was Set Aside by Madras HC
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Aniket Sagar ICoAS
No Coaching, Full-Time Job and Two Attempts: How Aniket Sagar Cleared ICoAS
Aniket Sagar, a chartered accountant from Bundelkhand, cleared UPSC ICoAS 2025 after working at PwC,...
IDAS Himanshu Tembhekar
Should UPSC Aspirants Give Up Their Hobbies? IDAS Officer Himanshu Tembhekar Explains
Should UPSC aspirants give up their hobbies? IDAS officer Himanshu Tembhekar explains how hobbies help...
UPSC Story
He Taught Students to Meet Expenses. Today, Sachin Bhadouria is a Scientist ‘B’ at CWPRS
Sachin Bhadouria overcame financial challenges and a Hindi-medium background to secure AIR 2 in a UPSC...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
hindustan-copper-ltd-resized
Hindustan Copper Q2 FY27 Results: Net Profit Jumps 179% to Rs 519.54 Crore, Revenue Rises 64% to Rs 1,175.24 Crore
BHEL_resized
BHEL Wins Two POWERGRID Orders for Synchronous Condenser Projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT