Brief Note on Indian Information Service

The Indian Information Service (IIS) is one of the prestigious Central Civil Services of Government of India which facilitates the crucial function of government communication and citizen outreach. The cadre of IIS acts as a vital communication link between the Government and the people by way of disseminating official information and communicating various Government policies, programmes, and development schemes to the citizens. The Service is also instrumental in collecting and providing relevant feedback to the Government for the purpose of policy formulation and implementation.Established in 1960, the Indian Information Service (IIS) was initially known as Central Information Service (CIS). In 1987, CIS was bifurcated into Indian Information Service Group ‘A’ and Group 'B'. All appointments to the Indian Information Service (Group A) are made by the President of India. The recruitment to Indian Information Service Group A is done through the Civil Service Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission, every year. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India is the Cadre Controlling Authority (CCA) for Indian Information Service.

Work profile of IIS Officers

The IIS Officers serve a variety of roles and functions through various government media organizations and offices under the Information Wing, Broadcasting Wing (Prasar Bharti) and Films Wing of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. The officers are entrusted with the task of devising and implementing Information, Education and Communication (IEC) strategies of various Ministries/ Departments of Government of India through Print, Electronic and Social Media vehicles as well as interpersonal communication and outreach activities at the field level. During their tenure in Press Information Bureau, they are posted with various Ministries and Departments as official spokespersons and play key roles in meeting the Ministry's information-communication needs and media relations. The officers of the cadre also handle the news operations of the Public Service Broadcaster, Prasar Bharati at Doordarshan and All India Radio. The IIS Officers posted in Central Bureau of Communication undertake the task of facilitating communication and publicity campaigns for various schemes of Government of India. IIS officers are instrumental in operationalizing various statutes of Government of India such as Cable TV Network Act 1994, Cinematograph Act, 1952. In addition, the officers of this cadre are deployed in various Ministries and organizations under Government of India and State Governments, on deputation basis. The IIS Officers are deployed in key leadership and operational capacities in the various organizations under Ministry of Information & Broadcasting such as:

• Press Information Bureau (PIB)
• Doordarshan (News)
• All India Radio (News Services Division)
• Central Bureau of Communication (CBC)
• Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC)
• Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI)
• Publications Division
• Photo Division
• New Media Wing (NMW)
• Press Council of India (PCI)
• Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC)
• Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC )
• Film and Television Institute of India, Pune (FTII)
• Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI)
• National Film Development Corporation (NFDC)

Recruitment of IIS Officers

IIS Group A: The principal mode of recruitment into the Indian Information Service Group A is through the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, every year. The candidates must clear each round of the examination - Preliminary, Mains and Interview - and acquire a recommendation from UPSC to enter the cadre of Indian Information Service. Officers recruited this way are called Direct Recruits (DRs). The vacancies in IIS Group A are also filled through promotions from IIS Group B.

IIS Group B: Recruitment to the Senior Grade of IIS Group B is done through a separate examination conducted by UPSC. The staff of Junior Grade of IIS Group B is selected through the examination conducted by Staff Selection Commission.

Induction Training for Indian Information Service Officer Trainees at IIMC

Duration and structure of the programme

The Induction Training of IIS Group ‘A’ spans about twenty and half months. IIS Induction Course is a Sandwich Course comprising two phases of classroom training with On-the-Job Training in between.

The main objectives are:

• To provide a deep understanding of the functioning of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and its Media Organizations and to fully prepare the OTs for specific responsibilities that they are expected to execute on assuming charge of their posts.
• To offer the OTs a 360 degree exposure to the dynamics of media and the process of government communication.
• To equip the OTs with the necessary skill sets for developing strategic thinking across the communication spectrum.

The Phase I Training aims at sensitizing and familiarizing the Officer Trainees on the symbiotic relationship between communication and development administration and on the role of government communication in successful implementation of welfare schemes. The Course also intends to provide the OTs a comprehensive view of the evolving media landscape in India as well as the world, and also making them aware of the multiple challenges, opportunities, and the role of digital communication technologies in delivering development.

Structure: The Phase I Training course is designed with 3 Trimesters comprising classroom sessions (9.5 months), simulation exercises and field attachments and All India Study Tour (Bharat Darshan), enabling an engagement across all media platforms. These range from broadcast news to conceiving and implementing communication campaigns to new technologies of social media. The OTs are given exposure to the learning of a foreign language also.

The classroom sessions are followed by a 10-month-long On-the-Job Training (OJT), with one month attachment in the regions/field. The training draws to a close with a 2 week Phase II training.

Focus Area Of Study: Communication concepts, strategies and skills; Media tools and research techniques; Social, New and Emerging Media; Latest Information and Communication Technology; Study of Media Units of Government of India; Communication Mechanism at district and sub district level; General and Financial Rules in Administration; Presentation, Projects and Seminars: etc.

Training pedagogy followed

• Classroom Session
• Discussion of best practices
• Simulation Exercises
• Analysis of reports and case studies
• Practical Assignments
• Field visits
• Attachments to organization and institutions
• E-Learning

Details of courses and course modules

Training format

The initial nine and half month training comprises of classroom sessions, simulation exercises and field attachments, enabling an engagement across all media platforms. These range from broadcast news to conceiving and implementing social campaigns to new technologies of social media. The officer trainees are also persuaded to learn and appreciate the critical importance of media and communication in governance. With effect from last year, the Officer Trainees have been given exposure to the learning of a foreign language.

On the Job Training: Phase I is followed by a 10 month On the Job Training (OJT), with one month in the field. The training draws to a close with a 2-week Phase II, which also includes a one week foreign attachment.

Phase II: The OTs will return to IIMC and make presentations about what they have learnt during their On-the-Job training and the special projects/assignments handled by them. Upon completion of Phase II Training the OTs will be given their posting orders by the Ministry.

A new initiative has been taken from 2019 Batch regarding learning foreign languages.

The Induction training is in a format of 3 trimesters. Placed below is the broad course content. Teaching is undertaken in the form of one to two week modules, curated around an area of learning.

First Trimester

• Introductory master classes by eminent media professionals and service seniors on media on a range of relevant topics, ranging from the communication ecosystem, the government system as also emerging technologies.
• Communication Theory, Development Communication & Media landscape in India
• Overview of social media, fake news, infographics- content creation for social media
• Visual Communication, Radio and Television Journalism, Mobile Journalism; with practicals
• Module on Administration and Finance.
• Parliament Attachment

Second Trimester

• Introduction to 360 degree multimedia communication
• Corona and the government narrative
• Four week training with Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.
• Social Sector Communication: Entire IEC. Major social sector initiatives of government, as elaborated in the annual syllabus.
• Last two days: Presentation on ICOP (Integrated communications & outreach programme) for 1 social sector initiative. (Online viewing through Google Meet)
• Economic Sector.IEC thereof, with focus on fundamentals, as also the multi- pronged poverty alleviation ecosystem (2 weeks)
• Internal Security, Crisis Communication & Psy-ops (1 week)
• Defence, Strategic Affairs & Public Diplomacy
• Media Laws Module II: Regulatory framework & Laws related to Broadcast, Advertising, Media Ethics, etc.

Third Trimester

• Basics of marketing Media planning and buying; participatory communication
• Social Media Module II
• Feedback & Media measurement
• E-learning training on IGOT
• Emerging technologies- Artificial Intelligence, podcasting, Vlogging, OTT, Data Analysis, Tackling fake news, data visualization
• Mobile Journalism and innovative Story-telling.
• Leadership Communication through great books
• Film Module including Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF),
• CBFC, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) attachment
• Also Publications Division
• Business School Attachment

The evaluation is done through end of trimester examinations and through individual presentation and term papers. The OTs also undertake a North East attachment and an All India Study Tour during Phase I.

Field training

• Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training (PRIDE), New Delhi
• Attachment with selected Non Governmental Organization (NGO)
• Defence Attachment with Assam Rifles
• Regional Attachment for ICOP.
• Four-week course at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune in TV production and film appreciation.
• Study Tour through Bharat Darshan.
• Community Radio Attachment

Collaboration with other training institutions/faculty members

• Defence Headquarter Training Institute (DHTI), New Delhi
• Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurugram
• Film and Television Institute of India, Pune

Training of IIS Group ‘B’Probationers

IIMC also organizes the 9-month Foundation Training for the OTs of Senior Grade IIS Group B, which comprises of 6-month classroom training and field attachments followed by the 3 months of OJT. The Junior Grade of IIS Group B probationers are also trained in IIMC for a period of 3 months.