IB ACIO Salary, Job Profile, Exam Pattern and Syllabus

The IB ACIO salary starts at ₹44,900 basic pay a month, which is Level 7 of the 7th CPC pay matrix. On top of that, Intelligence Bureau officers get a Special Security Allowance of 20 percent of basic pay, plus DA, HRA and transport allowance. That makes it one of the best paid entry jobs open to a fresh graduate. Below I explain the job, the IB ACIO exam, eligibility, the syllabus, the Security Assistant post for 10th pass candidates, and how to prepare.

What is the IB ACIO job: job profile of IB ACIO

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) is India's internal intelligence agency. It works under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Its job is to collect and study information about threats inside the country: terrorism, extremism, espionage, organised crime and anything that can disturb peace and security.

ACIO stands for Assistant Central Intelligence Officer. The direct entry post is ACIO Grade II/Executive. It is a non-gazetted post, and you can be posted anywhere in India, including remote and border areas.

The IB ACIO job profile is mostly field and desk intelligence work:

• Gathering information from sources in your area and writing clear reports.
• Verification work, such as checking the background of people and organisations.
• Keeping watch on events, protests and groups that may turn violent.
• Supporting security arrangements for important visits and public events.
• Analysing reports at a desk and passing them up the chain quickly.

The work is quiet and confidential. You will not wear a uniform like a police officer, and you cannot talk about your cases with friends or family. People who like reading people, observing details and writing well tend to do well here.

Intelligence Bureau jobs: posts at a glance

When people search for IB jobs or intelligence bureau careers, they usually mean one of these direct recruitment posts. Each comes through its own notification on the MHA website.

IB also recruits technical ACIOs and Junior Intelligence Officers through separate notices, with different qualifications. Always read the notice for the exact post you want.

IB ACIO salary and allowances

The ACIO pay range in the notification is ₹44,900 to ₹1,42,400 (Level 7). Your basic pay rises with the yearly increment and with promotions. The monthly salary is built from these parts:

For the current IB ACIO salary in hand, check the "Salary at a glance" panel near the top. It works out basic, DA, HRA, transport allowance, gross and an in-hand estimate using the latest DA rate. Add the SSA on top of that figure. You can also try different cities in our 7th CPC salary calculator, and read what each allowance means on salary allowances explained.

In short, the intelligence bureau salary at the start is basic pay of ₹44,900 plus SSA plus the usual central allowances. That is why IB ACIO sits on many lists of highest paying govt jobs for graduates.

IB ACIO exam eligibility and age limit

Here is what the IB ACIO exam eligibility looked like in the latest notification we checked. Rules can change, so confirm with the current notice on mha.gov.in.

• Nationality: Indian citizen.
• Qualification: graduation or equivalent from a recognised university, in any stream. Knowledge of computers is listed as desirable.
• Age limit: 18 to 27 years on the closing date.
• Relaxation: SC and ST get 5 years, OBC get 3 years. Central government civilian employees with 3 years of regular service can apply up to 40 years. Widows, divorced women and judicially separated women not remarried get relaxation up to 35 years (UR) and 40 years (SC/ST). Meritorious sportspersons get up to 5 years. Ex-servicemen get relaxation as per government rules.
• Final year students: you must hold the degree by the closing date set in the notification.

Check your exact age on the cut-off date, with your category relaxation, using the tool below. Our page on age limit for govt jobs explains relaxations in more detail.

IB ACIO exam pattern (IB exam pattern) and selection process

The IB ACIO exam has three tiers. You must clear each one to reach the next.

• Tier I has negative marking of one quarter mark for each wrong answer.
• Tier II has a minimum qualifying mark.
• Candidates for Tier II and Tier III are shortlisted in a set multiple of the vacancies, based on marks.
• Final merit uses Tier I, Tier II and Tier III marks. Then come document checks, a medical exam and character and antecedent verification.

Cut-off marks, vacancies and exam dates change every cycle, so look for them in the official notice and result.

IB ACIO exam syllabus

The intelligence bureau exam syllabus for ACIO is close to other graduate level exams like SSC CGL, with a stronger focus on current affairs and writing.

That is the full IB exam syllabus for Tier I. Tier II tests whether you can think and write. Expect an essay on a current social, economic or security issue, plus a passage to read and summarise in English.

IB Security Assistant salary and exam

If you are 10th pass, the Security Assistant/Executive post is your door into IB. The IB SA salary is Level 3, ₹21,700 to ₹69,100, with the same 20 percent Special Security Allowance on basic pay and the usual central allowances.

• Qualification: 10th pass, a domicile certificate of the state you apply for, and knowledge of a local language listed for that state's Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau.
• Age: up to 27 years, with relaxation by category.
• IB SA exam pattern: Tier I objective test of 100 marks (general awareness, quantitative aptitude, reasoning, English, general studies) with negative marking; Tier II, a qualifying translation test between the local language and English, plus a spoken ability test; Tier III interview.

The IB security assistant job profile is field support: gathering local information, watching events and helping officers. Local language skill matters a lot in this post.

Training, promotions and IB careers

After selection you join on probation and go through training in intelligence work before your field posting. The appointment is temporary at first and becomes permanent as per the rules in force.

Promotion runs through ranks such as ACIO Grade I, Deputy Central Intelligence Officer and above, through departmental promotion as per IB rules. Each step brings a higher pay level. The pace depends on vacancies and your service record. Many officers also value the work itself: few jobs let you see national security from the inside.

Points to weigh before you apply: frequent transfers, long hours during sensitive events, and strict rules on secrecy and personal social media.

How to get a job in Intelligence Bureau: preparation plan

Most serious students take 6 to 9 months to prepare for the IB ACIO exam alongside college or another job.

1. Months 1 to 3: build basics in maths, reasoning and English grammar. Read one national newspaper daily and make short notes.
2. Months 3 to 5: cover general studies from school textbooks of classes 6 to 10, then polity and economy basics.
3. Writing practice: write one essay of about 250 words every week from the start. Get someone to check it. This is where many candidates lose Tier II.
4. Last 2 months: take full mock tests in one hour, review errors, and revise the last 6 to 8 months of current affairs.
5. Interview: be honest, calm and well informed about your state and current issues.

Many students write IB ACIO along with SSC CGL and CAPF AC because the syllabus overlaps. If you also want a uniform job, compare it with sub-inspector posts. Be careful with claims of IB exams leaked papers or agents promising selection: IB selection is only through the official exam, and fake offers are common.

Official website and IB ACIO exam form

The IB ACIO exam form and all IB notifications are released on the Ministry of Home Affairs website, mha.gov.in, and applications are also linked through the National Career Service portal, ncs.gov.in. The notice warns candidates to apply only through these official channels. Fees, dates, vacancies and cut-offs are given in each notification, so check there before applying. For more central jobs, see our government exams list and jobs after graduation.