RAW Full Form: Role, Functions, and Importance Explained

RAW Full Form: Get an Insightful Overview 

The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) uses a variety of methods to find new officers and operatives. Taking the UPSC Civil Services Exam is one route to join RAW in India (Group-A IAS, IPS, IRS & IFS Officers). The agents and officers are hired by RAW through a variety of strategies. The numerous duties of RAW include advising Indian policymakers and conducting counterterrorism and counterproliferation operations as well as gathering foreign intelligence and advancing India's foreign policy. Rameshwar Nath Kao served as RAW's first Secretary. Additionally, RAW's headquarters are in New Delhi, India. Currently, Samant Goel is in charge of RAW.

What is the Full Form of RAW?

RAW is an acronym for India's Research and Analysis Wing, a foreign intelligence service. It was established on September 21st, 1968. RAW's job is to gather intelligence on other nations, especially those that are near India, so that it can stop current dangers to India, create suitable policies in response, establish international ties, and do a lot more. RAW also handles the task of covertly neutralizing any threat to India from any nation or terrorist organization.

The Secretary of the Cabinet Secretariat, who reports to the Indian Prime Minister, is in charge of RAW. RAW is an autonomous organization that is not subject to parliamentary control. RAW has carried out several missions thus far, many of which are well-known to the general public, including Operation Kahuta, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Cactus, Operation Leech, and Snatch Operation, Operation Chanakya, etc.

RAW Full Form: Major Highlights

The following table lists the broad highlights of RAW in India-

Objectives of RAW

The current R&AW objectives are as follows:

• Monitoring the political, military, economic and scientific developments in countries which have a direct bearing on India's national security and the formulation of its foreign policy.
• Moulding international public opinion and influence foreign governments.
• Covert Operations to safeguard India's national interests.
• Anti-terror operations and neutralising elements posing a threat to India.

In the early years, after the Sino-Indian war of 1962 and also because of India's unstable relation with Pakistan, some of the aims of R&AW had even included the following:

• Monitoring the international communism and the split within the two super communist powers-the Soviet Union and China. Just as in other countries, both these powers had the direct access to the communist parties in India.
• To regulate and curb the supply of military hardware to Pakistan, mostly from European countries, and America and above all from China.

History of RAW

A brief overview or important highlights of RAW are bulleted below: 

• The overall poor performance by the Intelligence office in both battles with China in 1962 and Pakistan in 1965 was the primary reason for creating this agency.
• RAW was established in September 1968 led by Rameshwar Nath Kao.
• RAW became a section of the Chief intelligence service and had 250 staff and an annual budget of about 20 million.
• The RAW's annual budget had risen to about 300 million by the early seventies, and its staff and manpower totaled a few thousand.
• Kao had managed to persuade the Government to set up the Aviation Research Center (ARC) in the year 1971.
• The Radio Research Center and the Electronics & Technology facilities were absorbed into RAW in the years 1970 and 1990, respectively.
• Till date, the Government of India has complemented another signal intelligence service known as the National Technical Facilities Organisation in 2004 that later in sometime has been named as NTRO.
• Within the Cabinet Secretariat, the JIC or Joint Intelligence Committee is responsible for bridging, evaluating and reviewing intelligence activities between RAW, the intelligence agency and the Defence Intelligence Agency.

RAW Full Form: Eligibility and Qualifications 2024

Being a RAW agent is a challenging endeavor. An applicant has to be in good physical and mental health. The full list of requirements for RAW officers, including nationality, age restriction, educational background, and professional experience, is provided below-

Responsibilities of RAW

A RAW Agent is responsible for a variety of duties. Some of the key RAW responsibilities are listed below- 

1. Keeping track of the political, military, economic, and scientific changes in nations that directly affect India's national security and the evolution of its foreign policy.
2. Shaping global public opinion and exerting influence over foreign governments.
3. Operations should be changed to protect India's national interests.
4. Combating terrorism and eliminating terrorist groups that pose a threat to India.

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How to Join RAW?

The following are the details to join RAW-

1. RAW's initial main source of support came from trained intelligence agents who were hired directly. 
2. Officers in the Indian Police, Indian Revenue Service, and Indian Armed Forces are used to recruit candidates. 
3. Later, RAW started hiring university grads directly. 
4. Civil Services Officers enrolled in the Foundation Course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration are directly recruited for positions at the Class I executive level.
5.  A campus interview is conducted by RAW at the conclusion of the course. 
6. Candidates are initiated into RAW for a term time based on a selection of psychological tests and the interview.

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How to Become a RAW Agent?

Monitoring other nations that can impede the advancement of India's security and international policy is the principal goal of the RAW operatives. One can do the following actions to become a RAW agent:

1. Get Selected for Elite Position: The first stage in becoming a RAW agent is to get chosen for one of the most prestigious government positions, such as IAS, IPS, the intelligence agency, or the military services. RAW agents are now frequently chosen among those who have previously completed their foundation training. Officials from RAW interview them and provide tests to see whether they are mentally qualified for the position. Officers in the armed forces may be given the chance through lateral deputation.
2. Direct Entry From Universities: RAW agents are often chosen from the military forces or the civil sector, but officials have recently started allowing direct entry of agents from universities and colleges. RAW includes positions such as analyst, stenographer, clerk, accountant, etc. in addition to secret agents. 
3. National Aptitude Test and Interviews: After being chosen for the position, you must pass a national aptitude exam in intellect as well as psychological and personality tests, which is followed by an interview.

Process after Selection

1. Resigning: Prior to being hired, you shouldn't have any lucrative positions. Whatever position you now have must be quit. You will be sent for training when you quit. In order to serve the country selflessly, you must resign from your previous position.
2. Basic Instruction: You begin with the fundamental, ten-day program in Delhi, which is only an introduction. You receive instruction in a variety of languages, information security, standard methods, scientific understanding, etc. You are required to resolve case studies from several intelligence services, including the Israeli MOSSAD, the Russian KGB, the Australian ASIS, and the Pakistani ISI.
3. Extensive Training: After completing your basic training, you are transferred to the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun for further instruction. During the training term, which typically lasts between one and two years, you will learn about real-world scenarios. 
4. Joining and Appointment: Following the demanding training, you are finally qualified to join RAW.

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How are Untrained Officers Recruited?

The processes for hiring and completing the recruiting process for RAW officers are shown below- 

1. Applicants are chosen with the aid of RAS, and direct hiring is done from Civil Services Officers enrolled in the Foundation course at the Lala Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration at Class 1 Executive Level.
2. RAW conducts a campus interview at the conclusion of the course.
3. The applicants for a one-year term are chosen based on their performance in the interview and psychological exam.
4. They have the choice to rejoin their parent military during this one year.
5. However, they are chosen for the RAW permanently after a year (Research and Analysis Service).
6. Lateral deputation from the officer corps of the Indian Armed Forces is another method of recruitment.
7. Officers from the Civil and Defense Services resign from their positions and join RAS.

Direct Recruitment

The public workers must successfully finish a foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration before being chosen as a RAW officers. After doing psychological tests and interviews, RAW conducts interviews with the candidates. Shortlisted individuals begin their one-year employment at RAW. 

RAW Salary in 2024

The pay for a RAW agent varies depending on a number of variables, including experience, job description, length of employment, etc. A Grade-A level official typically receives between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1,50,000 per month.

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