How To Become a Raw Agent

Roles and Responsibilities of RAW Agents

The principle function of RAW agents is as follows:

• Congregate foreign intelligence: The primary duty of an agent is to collate information with regards to political developments, military developments and strategic thought processes of countries that pose a potential threat to India's sovereignty.
  
  
• Counter-Terrorism: Report any information gained by underground movements regarding any impending terrorist attack or infiltrations planned against our nation.
  
  
• Counter-Proliferation: To counter the excessive spread of infiltrators in the guise of refugees too.
  
  
• Advice Indian Policy Makers: To be part of foreign policy-making, which must be aligned with every country’s internal thought process.
   
• Advancing India’s Foreign Strategic Interest: Attempt to control external aid to countries that pose a potential threat to India.
  
  RAW has the additional responsibility of safeguarding our nuclear facilities and programmes from the insidious plan from the external world.

Benefits of becoming a RAW agent

• The government takes care of his family during covert operations that he is constantly involved in during his career.
  
  
• His children are exposed to good education even if the same has to be done overseas.
  
  
• His remuneration is quite good considering that he is facilitated by all benefits accorded to a bureaucrat.
  
  
• Even if he does not get the benefit of being celebrated as a martyr if he gets killed, he reaps a lot of financial help. However, nothing can compensate for death.
  
  
• The ultimate benefit is when you realise that you worked in a high-risk environment to serve your country with extreme satisfaction.

The Skills of a RAW Agent

• Long working hours need not be a constraint for the agent. On the contrary, they should be used to it.
  
  
• As per the myth that prevails, a RAW agent need not be athletic with a good build. However, physical fitness is required to overcome the long working hours.
   
• Prudent, logical and radical thinking is necessary for a good agent With long working hours, the agent needs to travel for a long time using various and uncomfortable means of transport.
   
• The agent should be capable of arriving at quick decisions that should be in his favour.
  
  
• The agent should be ready to work in any situation, not with standing the discomfort it may pose.
  
  
• The agent needs to have a keen sense of observation and recollection
  
  
• The mental agility and sense of intuition should be exceedingly good
  
  
• The agent needs to put on a disguise if the situation warrants
  
  
• The agent should be highly secretive 

how to apply for raw

• The applicants should possess a bachelor's degree from a university of repute.
  
  
• A foreign language certificate is also a must for the RAW candidate.

Raw Agent Recruitment

A written exam is required for recruitment to RAW or IB, followed by an interview. The written exam is as follows:

• Combined Graduate Preliminary Exam (CGPE): This exam is more for IB recruitment.
  
  
• Group A Civil Service Exam conducted under the auspices of the Central Staffing Scheme: This exam is better suited for RAW candidates. After clearing all stages of the Civil Service exam, you have to attempt a RAW test.
  
  
• Applicants must have a 20-year long association as a government servant to be inducted into RAW. 

Salaries of RAW Agents

RAW agents have extensive experience in government functions before being installed as an agent. The wages are hence quite attractive, and benefits are much better.

The wages of a RAW agent are between Rs 80,000 per month to Rs 1,30,000 per month. If calculated yearly, it amounts to INR 9.6 Lakhs to Rs 15.6 Lakhs per annum.

Some other benefits that accrue are as follows:

• RAW agents are also liable for bi-monthly extra pay every year.
  
  
• Furthermore, they are recipients of a special security allowance above their gross income, dearness allowance and basic payment.
  
  
• Employees of RAW posted overseas get DA as well as foreign service allowance.
  
  
• They are liable to get a hardship allowance for posting under the hardship posting category. Government sources decide this category.
  
  
• Raw officials have the good fortune of getting assignments in the US, Singapore or any European country to ensure good quality education for their kids.

Raw Agent Qualification

• The applicant has to be an Indian citizen.
  
  
• The applicant must not have a history of any crime or violent act in police records.
  
  
• The applicant should not indulge in the act of substance abuse
  
  
• The applicant should be less than 56 years of age with more than 20 years of service as a government servant

Ways to become a RAW Officer

At the onset, RAW relied on the IB cadre officers to join them. Later RAW began recruiting graduates from Universities. In 1983, RAW created its service cadre,

The Research and Analysis Wing (RAS), to recruit talents from Group A Civil Services under the Central staffing Scheme.

If you are wondering How to become a Raw Agent after 12th , RAW recruits officers through the UPSC route as well. The UPSC Civil Services Exam (Group A IAS, IPS, IRS & IFS Officers) can mark your entry to RAW as an agent.

Besides, RAW recruits candidates from government departments, Armed Forces, Intelligence Agencies, Police Services and Administrative Services.

It is vital to serving the government for many years before you get the opportunity to join RAW as their agent.

Ranks in the RAW hierarchy

Conclusion

A RAW agent is a boon to the country. Their responsibilities are multifold and hence need to be knowledgeable about several facts that we as a nation are engaged.

They must be in government service for a long time, nurturing their ambition of finally getting into RAW. The immense hardship they will have to undertake has to be slowly inculcated within them in the course of employment,

And the essential skills they already possess need to be nurtured and enhanced. A RAW agent is a risky job, and there is all likelihood of them getting killed in service.

They could be subjected to a gruesome death without being mourned by the nation. But instead, their family will have to bear all that in silence.

Foreign policies are framed with their inputs in mind. Various officials from RAW are party to the formulation of the policy. It is also involved in the security of India’s nuclear programme.

The skills they are associated with are exemplary too. For example, to be mentally agile, active, prudent, and logical is not a flair associated with every person.

Likewise, a quick thinker, intuitive with an ability to disguise his identity is not an ability that is linked to each of us. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is a RAW agent's salary?

The RAW agent earns between Rs 80,000 to Rs 1.3 lakhs salary. That amounts to Rs 9.6 Lakhs to Rs 15.6 lakhs per annum. Besides his salary, there are various other requisites that he can get, like below:

• In addition, RAW agents are responsible for bi-monthly extra pay every year.
• They are recipients of a special security allowance above their gross income, dearness allowance and basic pay.
• Employees of RAW posted overseas get DA as well as foreign service allowance.
• They are liable to get a hardship allowance for posting under the hardship posting category. Government sources decide this category.

Raw officials have the good fortune of getting assignments in the US, Singapore or any European country to ensure good quality education for their kids.

2. How do I become an IB or RAW agent?

• The applicants should possess a bachelor's degree from a university of repute.
• A foreign language certificate is also a must for the RAW candidate
• The candidate must write the Combined Graduate Preliminary Exam (CGPE): This exam is more for IB recruitment.
• The applicant also has to appear for the Group A Civil Service Exam conducted under the auspices of the Central Staffing Scheme: This exam is better suited for RAW candidates.
•  After clearing all stages of the Civil Service exam, you have to attempt a RAW test.
• Applicants must have a 20-year long association as a government servant to be inducted into RAW.
  
  

3. How does RAW recruit its agents?

• The RAW recruits need to go through various exams like  the Combined Graduate Preliminary exam (CGPE)
• Group A Civil Service Exam conducted under the Central Staffing Scheme
• The Raw recruit should be associated with the government working for them for at least 20 years before opting as an agent.
• The applicant should have a Bachelor’s degree from a reputed University.
• He should be conversant with at least one foreign language.
• He has to be an Indian citizen without being a history-sheeter as per the police records.
• He should not indulge in drug abuse.