Government jobs in India

Why government jobs? Why not private jobs? The dilemma continues for days while applying for a job. There is no easy way to decide, since both have their own pros and cons. In private jobs, there is more money but not job security. During recession, companies tend to sack a lot of people to cut down their costs. No private employee can say for sure whether they will have the job after five years. While government jobs pay less but the job is secured. Employees do not get fired unless they commit a crime or are illegally involved with any activities or have any performance issue. Government jobs have limited vacancies and are much more competitive. One has to keep patience in clearing all selection rounds. Whereas, a private job has relatively more vacancies and has a higher chance of getting recruited faster. A government job not only secures one’s job but also takes care of its employees even after retirement by providing pensions. Sectors like banking and railways also provide benefits like travel and medical facilities even after retirement. In a private job, one has to plan and save for their post retirement life. Nowadays, relocation is a very common factor for everyone. Whether to get a job near home or to get settled after marriage, government jobs give you the opportunity to relocate without changing jobs. While relocating when working for a private company needs you to leave the company. Government jobs have better leave policy and fixed working hours. Whereas private companies offer limited leaves and if the company is foreign based, then the leave policy does follow Indian holidays. Private jobs do not have any fixed working hours, but have flexibility in switching shifts. Many private companies offer the facility to work from home without having to take an actual leave if someone is unable to present physically at the office. While the confusion of choosing between private and government jobs remains, there are a few government jobs that are trending at present.

• Nursing: In the midst of Covid 19 pandemic, the demand for the job of nursing is at its peak. Nursing requires 24 hours care for the patients. They provide assistance to the doctors and have several duties to perform. Writing charts, taking patient samples, blood pressure and temperature, administering medications, looking after the needs of a patient are among a few. Nurses have to use both heart and brain to fulfil their duties. They have to think critically and be compassionate in order to make a patient comfortable in the given environment. They have to think rationally in order to understand the difference between the needs and demands of a patient. It is the most important government job and the satisfaction comes from prioritising patient’s needs before theirs. In order to get a job in nursing, candidates who have passed the 12th class examination in science can apply for B.Sc nursing which is a 4 year undergraduate programme. The course of B.Sc nursing is available in various nursing colleges or institutions across India.

• Civil Services: Civil service can be defined as“appointive positions by the government in connection with the affairs of the Union and includes a civilian in a Defence Service, except positions in the Indian Armed Forces.”It includes Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Foreign Service (IFS). It is a respectable and prestigious job. A civil servant is neither appointed nor elected. The civil servant, also known as a public servant is hired on professional merit to work for government departments and is answerable to the government, not to a political party. In order to qualify for a civil servant position, one has to clear the UPSC exam, which is held annually. 

• PSU: Public Sector Undertakings or PSU provides jobs in state - owned enterprises, such as, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), National Power Thermal Corporation Limited (NTPC) and many more. The companies belong to the Union government of India or are owned by more than one state or territory. They provide a good salary and the work does not require too much pressure. In order to get a job in PSU, one has to clear competitive exams that are held more than once a year. 

• State Public Service Commission: SPSC is more or less similar to civil services. It recruits people to work for various posts in state departments. Different states have different recruitment processes. West Bengal Public Service Commission, Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission, Odisha Public Service Commission, for example, holds several examinations for different posts in state departments. 

• Defence Services: Defence Services gives the opportunity for the citizens of India to contribute for the country. It consists of three portions - Army, Navy and Air Force. In order to get into any of these positions one should enrol in National Defence Academy (NDA). This job is both well paid and prestigious. Moreover several benefits like official government residence and medical facilities are also provided. People who want to do something for the country should go for these types of jobs.

• Government Lecturers or University Professors: After completing masters, students who have interests in teaching can apply for the position of government college lecturer. A college lecturer is not only paid a good salary but also gets more holidays, too, as compared to other government jobs. So, people who are interested can qualify for this position by clearing UGC NET Exams that are conducted twice a year.

• Bank jobs: One of the most preferred jobs is a position in the banking sector. Candidates are selected through Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) and are recruited to banks like Allahabad Bank, Andhra Bank, Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Oriental Bank of Commerce and so on. State Bank of India recruits candidates for different positions through similar exams. Graduates having a minimum knowledge in computers can apply.

Overall, there are many more government job vacancies waiting to be filled apart from those stated. Graduates and Post Graduates should take preparation and apply accordingly. Government jobs assure the happiness and secured life of the employees.