India's top 10 powerful government jobs, focusing on authority, impact, perks and salaries.
It does not directly cover UPPSC (Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission) specifics like:
uppsc posts list
uppsc post list 2025
uppsc job list rank wise
uppsc highest post
sdm post in uppsc
pcs post list with salary
uppsc posts list and salary
uppsc posts list and eligibility
UPPSC conducts state PCS exams for roles like SDM, DSP but emphasizes UPSC national services (e.g., IAS, IPS).
There's a huge curiosity to know about India's most powerful government jobs.
Getting a government job in our country is difficult and then deciding who has more power is even harder.
Here we discuss the 10 most powerful government jobs.
We'll also see if all these powerful jobs are recruited only by UPSC or if other exams lead to them too.
“We first looked at posts with maximum power, then shortlisted by:
Work impact (how many people your decisions affect)
Perks
Salary
Recruitment exam”
Our first profile—everyone guessed it: IAS officer.
Top positions come under IAS and provide top government portfolios like:
Cabinet Secretary
Chief Secretary
Chief Vigilance Officer
These positions are exclusively for IAS.
They impact large audiences and can even topple governments.
IAS runs the government's biggest body—democracy.
Perks
Large houses
Cars
Daily expenses
Security
Salary
Starting salary as SDM: ~₹80,000/month
Senior level (top positions): ~₹2,00,000/month
Who is bigger, IAS or IPS salary?
IPS officers hold top positions like:
National Security Advisor (Ajit Doval was IPS)
NSG DG
BSF Head
They influence national security.
IAS vs IPS Salary
Starting (ASP/DSP): ~₹80,000/month (similar to IAS SDM)
Senior level: Up to ₹2,00,000/month (matches IAS top)
Perks
House
Car
Allowances
Security
(Same as IAS)
Starts as Civil Judge Class II.
Elevated advocates become High Court Judges, top as Supreme Court Judge.
Judges influence hundreds of lives daily and can strike down laws passed by Parliament.
Perks
House
Car
Allowances
Security
Salary
Starting: ₹80,000–90,000/month
Chief Justice: ~₹2,00,000+
Lieutenant to Army General
Starting: ₹1L/month
Top: ₹2L+
Audits governments
Assistant Accountant General to CAG
Starting: ₹60,000
Top: ₹2L
Assistant to Chairman/MD
Starting: ₹1L
Top: ₹2L+
Officer to Governor
Starting: ₹1L+
Top: ₹2.5L+
Scientist to Chairman
Starting: ₹60,000
Top: ₹2L
3rd Secretary to Ambassador
Starting: ₹90,000
Top: ₹2.5L+
(Diplomatic immunity)
Assistant Conservator to DG Forests
Starting: ₹60,000–90,000
Top: ₹2L
~60% of top jobs like IAS, IPS come via UPSC.
~40% come via other exams, but they are still powerful and senior-level.
These jobs differ in profiles, paths, powers, and facilities.
Not covered
UPSC-focused content
UPPSC PCS highest posts like DM / ADM are similar to IAS/IPS but state-level
Equivalent
Both start at ~₹80,000/month (SDM / ASP)
Top salary ~₹2,00,000/month
© 2025 Guidance Shiksha | All Rights Reserved