Do you know that a District Collector is one of the most prestigious positions within the Indian administrative framework? Hence, a majority of Indians dream of seeing themselves as a District Collector. For many, this path begins with a strong educational foundation and culminates in successfully navigating the rigorous Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Let us dig deep to understand how to become a Collector and what are the roles and responsibilities of such a professional. Besides, we will throw light on the skills required to become a Collector and what is the approximate salary of a Collector in India.
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Who is a Collector
In simple words, a Collector is the administrative head of a district or town. The term 'Collector' comes from the main duty of collecting tax and revenue in that particular district. This person called a Collector is also responsible for maintaining the law, peace, and order in that particular district. The position of a Collector is considered to be the highest position in a particular state. It is the Central Government that appoints the Collector for a district but he/ she is supervised by the State Government.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Collector
Collectors in India perform a range of duties to ensure peace and laws within the territory. They are also responsible for maintaining internal peace and security. Listed below are the main roles and responsibilities of a Collector:
- Controls the tax and revenue collection in the district
- Manages the election procedure of the State Legislature
- Plays the role of a Human Resource Development and District Rural Development Officer
- Play the role of the Grievance Redressal Officer and Chief Development Officer of the particular District (CDO)
- Plays a crucial role in the Crisis Management and Disaster Management of the State
- Acts as the Officer in charge in emergencies and outbreaks
- Has the power to implement land reforms for the well-being of farmers
Skills Required to Become a Collector
To become a District Collector, one must possess a diverse set of skills that make one capable of perfect administration and leadership. These skills are listed below:
- Leadership qualities
- Strong communication skills
- Logical reasoning skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Decision-making skills
- Analytical skills
- Judgement skills
- Discipline
Salary of a Collector in India
The salary of a Collector in India is pretty good and he/ she is held responsible for a wide range of duties. Freshers working as Collectors may earn between Rs 0.8 lakh - Rs 1.5 lakh per annum. The salary of a Collector with experience of 1- 3 years is between Rs 1.8 - Rs 7.9 lakh per annum, whereas, it goes over this for Collectors with experience of more than 5 years. Remember the salary for a District Collector may vary depending on the position, experience, location, and other similar factors.
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Steps to Become a Collector
Curious to know the exact steps of how to become a Collector? Then, we are now elaborating on this in a proper step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Adhere to the Eligibility Criteria
Interested candidates are required to adhere to the eligibility criteria as the first step towards the journey of becoming a Collector. They should meet eligibility factors like age, nationality, language proficiency, and education requirements to become a District Collector.
Step 2: Apply for the UPSC Examination
After meeting the eligibility criteria, candidates are supposed to apply online to appear for the UPSC examination through the official website of UPSC.
Step 3: Appear for the Civil Services Examination (CSE)
It is now time to appear for the CSE examination conducted by UPSC, which is followed by an interview. The purpose of holding this interview is to test the candidate’s fundamentals, reasoning, critical thinking abilities, and knowledge of various social concerns.
Step 4: Pass the Prelims and Mains Examination
Most importantly it is mandatory to clear the prelims that consist of two exams, including GS Paper 1 and GS Paper 2 (CSAT). Both these are objective type multiple choice question papers and GS1 consists of 100 questions, whereas, GS2 comprises 80 questions. Both are both 200 marks each.
Step 5: Pass the UPSC Interview
Last of all, the candidate is required to clear the UPSC interview. It is a kind of personality test worth 275 marks and the interview panel consists of government officials, expert educators, subject matter experts, and the board chairwoman. The scores of the UPSC exam and this interview will then be clubbed to get the final score of the candidate. The ones with high scores will then be selectors for the IAS training.
Step 6: Finish the IAS Training
The ones selected based on their high scores in the UPSC examination and interview will then be sent for an IAS training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie (LBSNAA) for 2 years.
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