The Income Tax Department administers a number of Direct Tax Acts, namely, the Income Tax Act 1961, the Wealth Tax Act 1957, the Gift Tax Act 1958, Interest Tax Act 1974, Securities Transaction Tax Act 2004, Banking Cash Transaction Tax Act 2005 and Fringe Benefit Tax Act 2004, etc. There is a tremendous amount of responsibility and an IT officer deals with all kinds of individuals and businesses.
ENTRY ROUTES
Individuals who wish to join the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) Group ‘A’ would be applying for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the UPSC every year. The minimum qualification required for applying for CSE would be graduation from a recognised university. Candidates, who have attained 21 years of age but not attained 30 years of age as on August 1, 2011, are eligible to apply for the above examination (relaxations as per government norms mentioned in the notification on www.upsc.gov.in). Every candidate appearing at the examination, who is otherwise eligible, shall be allowed four attempts (no restriction on the number of attempts for SC/ ST candidates, seven attempts for OBC candidates).
The preliminary examination (prelims) is the process through which candidates are shortlisted for the main (written examination). Candidates qualifying the main (written) exam are called for the personal interview. Based on the marks secured in the main (written) and interview, a merit list is drawn up, which determines the choice of service (keeping in mind the options exercised by the candidate in the application). Through the same examination, you could also aim for the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service, Indian P and T Accounts and Finance Service, Group ‘A’, Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’, Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), Group ‘A’, etc.
The combined graduate level examination by the staff selection commission (https:/ssc.nic.in) would lead to recruitment as inspector of income tax. Graduates of any discipline between 18 and 27 years are eligible to apply for this entry. This is a junior level entry into the department through a less rigorous selection procedure as compared to the civil services examination.
PLACEMENTS AND PROSPECTS
IRS officers are concerned with the collection, administration and policy formation of direct (income, corporate, wealth, etc) and indirect (central excise, service tax and customs duty). These officers are the tax administrators of India. They are under the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) in the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
Starting with the post of Assistant Commissioner, IRS officers rise up to the level of Chief Commissioner, with the senior-most ones reaching the post of member/ chairperson of CBDT and equivalent institutions. They are also deputed to the Vigilance Department, Securities and Exchange Board of India, Narcotics Control Bureau, apart from heading various cells in the Ministry of Finance and other ministries in the Indian Government.
Working for the Income Tax Department means that you are a part of a tax-collection process that funds the country’s most vital programmes, from its security, social services, to maintaining its forests, the environment, public facilities/ infrastructure, education and so much more.
CAclubindia
