{"id":637584,"date":"2025-07-27T20:23:43","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T14:53:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/?p=637584"},"modified":"2025-11-17T22:46:06","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T17:16:06","slug":"aso-in-mea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/aso-in-mea\/","title":{"rendered":"How to be ASO in MEA? Eligibility Criteria, Salary Structure, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>MEA, or the Ministry of External Affairs, is a part of the Indian administration that is responsible for maintaining relations and communication with other countries. The Staff Selection Commission offers young candidates a great opportunity to work with the central government\u2019s top organisations. One of the top positions under SSC CGL is an assistant section officer or ASO in MEA. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SSC conducts the Combined Graduate Level (CGL), which is one of the ways to kickstart your career as an ASO in MEA. Here we have provided complete details in the article below that will cover ASO in the Ministry of External Affairs eligibility, job profile, pay scale, and more!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-to-become-an-aso-in-mea\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Become an ASO in MEA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To become an&nbsp; ASO in the Ministry of External Affairs, you need to clear the SSC CSL Exam (Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level). Here&nbsp; is the step-by-step process:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 1: Apply for SSC CGL<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, visit the official website: ssc.nic.in and fill out the online application form. Select the ASo in MEA as your preference<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 2: Clear the SSC CGL Exam<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SSC CGL is conducted in four tiers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Objective-type online test<\/td><td>Objective-type online test with a focus on English, Math, and Reasoning<\/td><td>Essay\/Letter writing (pen and paper)<\/td><td>Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 3: Document Verification and Selection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After clearing all tiers, your documents will be verified, and a final merit list will be prepared based on your scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-eligibility-criteria-for-aso-in-mea\"><span id=\"eligibility-criteria-for-aso-in-mea\">Eligibility Criteria for ASO in MEA<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>SSC conducts the CGL examination for the recruitment of various Group \u201cB\u201d and Group \u201cC\u201d officer-level posts in central-level ministries and departments. Here are the eligibility criteria for ASO in MEA:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#e7f5fe\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Name of the Post<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Classification of the Post<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Assistant Section Officer (ASO)&nbsp; in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)<\/td><td>Group \u201cB\u201d&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Age Limit<\/td><td>20 &#8211; 30 Years<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"h-upper-age-limit-relaxation-for-aso-in-mea\"><span id=\"upper-age-limit-relaxation-for-aso-in-mea\">Upper Age Limit Relaxation for ASO in MEA<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Permissible relaxation is the upper age limit, as well as category codes for claiming age relaxation as of the date of reckoning, as follows:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#fcf0ef\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Category<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Age Relaxation<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>OBC&nbsp;<\/td><td>3 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>SC\/ST&nbsp;<\/td><td>5 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PwDe + Gen<\/td><td>10 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PwD + OBC<\/td><td>13 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PwD + SC\/ST<\/td><td>15 years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Ex-servicemen<\/td><td>3 years after the deduction of military service <br>rendered from the actual age as of the closing date<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"h-educational-qualification-and-nationality-nbsp-for-aso-in-mea\"><span id=\"educational-qualification-and-nationality-for-aso-in-mea\">Educational Qualification and Nationality&nbsp;for ASO in MEA<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Enlisted below are the essential qualification details according to the post of ASO in MEA:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bachelor\u2019s degree in any discipline from a recognised university or equivalent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A candidate must be either;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>a citizen of India, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a subject of Nepal, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a subject of Bhutan, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a Tibetan refugee who came over to India, before the 1st of January 1962, to permanently settle in India, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (Formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam to permanently settle in India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-salary-structure-of-assistant-section-officer-nbsp\"><span id=\"salary-structure-of-assistant-section-officer\">Salary Structure of Assistant Section Officer&nbsp;<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The pay scale of an ASO in MEA ranges from INR 44,900 to INR 14,2400 with a grade pay of INR 4600 in addition to permissible allowances by the Central Government. As per the 7th Pay Commission, the ASO in MEA would get a salary of around INR 66,000\/- pm initially. Let\u2019s take a look below:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#e9fbe5\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Pay Level<\/strong><\/td><td>Level 7<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Pay Scale<\/strong><\/td><td>INR 44,900 &#8211; INR 1,42,400<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Grade Pay<\/strong><\/td><td>4600<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Basic Pay<\/strong><\/td><td>INR 44,900<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>HRA<\/strong><\/td><td>10,776<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>DA (Current 17%)<\/strong><\/td><td>7,633<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Travel Allowance<\/strong><\/td><td>Cities &#8211; 3600; Other Places &#8211; 1800<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Gross Salary Range (approx)<\/strong><\/td><td>66,909<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f1e2ff\"><strong>Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/how-to-become-a-space-scientist\/\">How to Become a Space Scientist?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-job-profile-amp-training-details-of-aso-in-mea-nbsp\"><span id=\"job-profile-training-details-of-aso-in-mea\">Job Profile &amp; Training Details of ASO in MEA&nbsp;<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Assistant Section Officer (ASO) plays a major role in maintaining the workflow of the department. They have important work responsibilities, and they revolve around Indian diplomacy. Here are some of the work responsibilities of ASO in MEA:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Assistant IFS officers in day-to-day work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Noting, drafting, and communication with the head office<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plan and examine international documents<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coordinate between various offices, as well as the headquarters of the home nation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To promote friendly relations between the state and its people<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The following are the training details of ASO in MEA:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>At the time of joining, there will be no immediate training. However, to get a foreign posting, you have to undergo 30 days of training as well as a foreign language test.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The foreign language proficiency test is mandatory to get a foreign posting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Training is hectic, with a lot to learn in a brief period, for effective work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Training takes place at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), JNU, New Delhi<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-promotion-policy-for-nbsp-aso-in-mea\"><span id=\"promotion-policy-for-aso-in-mea\">Promotion Policy for&nbsp;ASO in MEA<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As an ASO in the Ministry of External Affairs, you will have the following career path:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-director-nbsp-deputy-secretary-under-secretary-section-officer-assistant-section-officer-aso\"><span id=\"director-%e2%86%93deputy-secretary%e2%86%93under-secretary%e2%86%93section-officer%e2%86%93assistant-section-officer-aso\">Director&nbsp;<br><strong>\u2193<\/strong><br>Deputy Secretary<br>\u2193<br>Under Secretary<br>\u2193<br>Section Officer<br>\u2193<br>Assistant Section Officer (ASO)<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"career-growth-and-promotions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Career Growth and Promotions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>ASOs in MEA can excerpt the following career progression:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Assistant Selection Officer (ASO)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Selection Officer (SO)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Under Secretary<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deputy Secretary&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Director&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The first promotion from Assistant Section Officer (ASO) to section officers takes around 4 &#8211; 5 years after clearing departmental exams. Otherwise, it may take around 10 &#8211; 14 years to get promoted on a seniority basis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#d1ffed\"><strong>Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/how-to-become-a-bank-manager\/\">How to Become a Bank Manager?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-aso-in-the-ministry-of-external-affairs-job-posting-location\"><span id=\"aso-in-the-ministry-of-external-affairs-job-posting-location\">ASO in the Ministry of External Affairs Job Posting\/Location<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Outside India, the following locations are given to ASO in MEA, which is further divided into 5 categories &#8211; A+, A, B, C, and Hard C:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#e9fbe5\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Country Category<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Posting Locations<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>A+<\/td><td><strong>New York<\/strong>, Toronto, Washington DC, Wellington, Geneva<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>A<\/td><td>London, Paris, Madrid, Mexico City, Tokyo<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>B<\/td><td>Chicago, Warshaw, Zurich, Sydney<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>C<\/td><td>Thimphu, Kuwait, Bangkok<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hard C<\/td><td>Kabul, Damascus, Kandahar<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"tips-to-crack-ssc-cgl-for-aso-in-mea\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips to Crack SSC CGL for ASO in MEA&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some important tips to crack SSC CGL for ASO in MEA:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Focus on English and General Awareness- heavily weighted in Tier I and Tier II<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stay updated on current affairs and international relations&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Practice previous year papers and mock tests&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintain consistent study with a proper strategy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-faqs\"><span id=\"faqs\">FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1638259899772\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What is the work of ASO in MEO?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The Assistant Section Officer (ASO) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has the following major responsibilities: <br \/>To support the IFS officials in their day-to-day work.<br \/>To work on files, take notes, create documents, and communicate with the Indian headquarters.<br \/>To plan and review papers that will be signed between countries.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1638259951514\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is ASO in MEA a gazetted officer?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Assistant Section Officer (Central Secretariat Service): This is a non-gazetted Group B position in the Central Secretariat Service. This is a desk job as well, with an ASO often assigned to various ministries in Delhi.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1638259967474\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Which post is best in SSC CGL?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The best posts under the SSC CGL exam are:<br \/>Income Tax Inspector<br \/>Assistant Section Officer<br \/>Central Excise Inspector<br \/>Assistant Audit Officer<br \/>Public Finance <br \/>Assistant Enforcement Officer<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1638260031854\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I become IAS through SSC CGL?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">SSC CGL is one of the greatest ways for such people to become IAS comparable officers. After deputation as an Assistant Section Officer, it might take many years. However, it is recommended that you prepare for the SSC CGL test in addition to the IAS exam.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1638260091619\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How do I become an ASO in Ministry of External Affairs?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Candidates between the ages of 20 and 30 are eligible to apply for the position of ASO at the Ministry of External Affairs. Candidates must have completed a bachelor&#8217;s degree in a related discipline and passed the CGL Exam.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-pale-ocean-gradient-background has-background has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/discover\/indian-exams\/ssc-cgl-vs-ssc-chsl\/\"><strong>SSC CGL vs SSC CHSL: Which Exam Is Tough?<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/discover\/indian-exams\/ssc-cgl-preparation\/\"><strong>SSC CGL Preparation: Tips, Study Plan and Best Books<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/discover\/indian-exams\/upsc-optional\/\"><strong>UPSC Optional<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/discover\/indian-exams\/government-exams-for-civil-engineers\/\"><strong>Top Government Exams for Civil Engineers<\/strong><\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/government-jobs-vs-private-jobs\/\"><strong>Government Jobs vs Private Jobs<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/bank-po\/\">What is a Bank PO<\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s everything you need to know about ASO in MEA. For more such helpful and informative articles, stay connected with <a href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/\"><strong>Leverage Edu<\/strong><\/a>. And if you\u2019re planning to study at a top university abroad, our experts are here to guide you every step of the way. Reach out to us today.<br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MEA, or the Ministry of External Affairs, is a part of the Indian administration that is responsible for&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":796037,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11061],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-637584","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-career"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to become Assistant Section Officer (ASO) in MEA? | Leverage Edu<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover how to be an ASO in MEA, all about ASO in Ministry of External Affairs, Eligibility Criteria, Salary Structure, Jobs location\/posting, more!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/aso-in-mea\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to be ASO in MEA? 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This is a desk job as well, with an ASO often assigned to various ministries in Delhi.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/aso-in-mea\/#faq-question-1638259967474","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/aso-in-mea\/#faq-question-1638259967474","name":"Which post is best in SSC CGL?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The best posts under the SSC CGL exam are:<br \/>Income Tax Inspector<br \/>Assistant Section Officer<br \/>Central Excise Inspector<br \/>Assistant Audit Officer<br \/>Public Finance <br \/>Assistant Enforcement Officer","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/aso-in-mea\/#faq-question-1638260031854","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/leverageedu.com\/blog\/aso-in-mea\/#faq-question-1638260031854","name":"Can I become IAS through SSC CGL?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"SSC CGL is one of the greatest ways for such people to become IAS comparable officers. 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