Join ISI : Pakistan’s Elite Intelligence Service

I was searching for a long time about the steps/criteria involved in joining Pakistan elite intelligence services known as the ‘ISI’. So here is what i have found out from different forums and sources; please feel free to add if you have any points.

First of all lets explore what ISI is all about and its different departments so that one exactly knows the scope of its operations and how you can fit into its services;

Introduction:

ISI is one of the best and very well organized intelligence agency in the world. It was founded in 1948. In 1950 it was officially given the task to safe guard Pakistani interests and national security inside and outside the country. The ISI is tasked with collection of of foreign and domestic intelligence; co-ordination of intelligence functions of the three military services; surveillance over its cadre, foreigners, the media, politically active segments of Pakistani society, diplomats of other countries accredited to Pakistan and Pakistani diplomats serving outside the country; the interception and monitoring of communications; and the conduct of covert offensive and wartime operations.

ISI is headquartered in Islamabad and works under a Director General, a serving Lieutenant General of the Pakistan Army. There are three Deputy Director Generals-designated DDG (Political), DDG (External) and DDG (General). The ISI is staffed mainly by personnel deputed from the police, para-military forces and some specialized units of the Army. There are over 25,000 active men on its staff. This figure does not include informants and assets. It is organized into six to eight divisions, which are listed below:

Joint Intelligence X: JIX, serves as the secretariat which co-ordinates and provides administrative support to the other ISI wings and field organizations. It also prepares intelligence estimates and threat assessments.
Joint Intelligence Bureau: JIB, responsible for political intelligence, was the most powerful component of the organization during the late 1980s. The JIB consists of three subsections, with one subsection devoted to operations involving India, other operations involve, anti-terrorism and VIP security. This is the largest part of ISI.
Joint Counter Intelligence Bureau: JCIB, is responsible for field surveillance of Pakistani diplomats stationed abroad, if need be monitoring foreign diplomats, as well as for conducting intelligence operations in the Middle East, South Asia, China, Afghanistan and the Muslim republics of the former Soviet Union.
Joint Intelligence / North: JIN, is responsible for Jammu and Kashmir operations, including monitoring Indian forces deployed within disputed Kashmir.
Joint Intelligence Miscellaneous: JIM, offensive intelligence operations and war time espionage.
Joint Signal Intelligence Bureau: JSIB, which includes Deputy Directors for Wireless, Monitoring and Photos, operates a chain of signals intelligence collection stations, and provide communication support to its operatives. It aslo collects Intelligence through monitoring of communications channels of neighboring countries. A sizeable number of the staff is from the Army Signal Corps. It is believed that it has its units in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.
Joint Intelligence Technical: JIT, not much is know about this section however it is believed that JIT include a separate explosives section and a chemical warfare section.

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ISI holds entry exams, just like CSS. You have to clear all the papers which includes psychological and intelligence tests. When you clear all the papers & achieve their merit you are sent for  an interview and after that a medical test.

At this point i am not sure about the pre-requistes for joining ISI but it would include the normal requirements like you have to a Pakistani National, not sure about age requirements (depends on the role etc). But there are 2 ways to join ISI;

1. If you are a Civilian you have to appear in the entry test.

2. If you are already in the armed services – you could either be posted to ISI or join via examination.

STEPS FOR QUALIFYING AD ISI TEST PROCESS:

1.WRITTEN EXMANINATION. PAPERS ARE CHECKED BY SENIOR ISI OFFICIALS.

2. INTELLIGENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST LIKE ISSB.

3. THOSE QUALIFY STEP 1 AND 2 ARE CALLED FOR INTERVIEW BY SELCTION BOARD CONSISTING OF 5 MEMBERS COMMITTEE HEADED BY GRADE-22 ISI Officer and FOUR MEMBERS OF GRADE 21- ISI OFFICIALS.

4. SECURITY CLEARANCE

5. MEDICAL

About Written Examination:

Two papers
1. Essay
2.Current affairs

1.Essay: 100 Marks Time 3 hrs

You will be given abt five essays. You will have to attempt any one. Your essay must be of at least 2500 to 3000 words.

–Woman Related Issue
–Democracy in Pakistan
–Economic Development in Pakistan
–Corruption and accountability in Pakistan
–Energy Crisis
–Global War against Terror and its Future
–Conflict or Dialogue among Civilizations
–Nuclear Proliferation
Prepare these topics coprehensively. Other tpics for essay will be from Current affairs. so prepare best for Current affairs paper.

2. Current Affairs 100 Marks

You will have to opt 5 questions only.

One question will be Compulsory and it will be of MCQs type.
Now You will have to attempt 4 questions out of 9 remaining. All will be descriptive. One question will be of notes; u will have to attempt two notes if u are attempting that question.
Note: Current Affairs paper will be like CSS IR+Current Affairs paper. So take help from previous years CSS IR papers.

Topics:
Read All National Issue:
Baluchistan Distrubance,
Waziristan and War On Terror,
Charter of Democracy and Future of Pakistani politcs,
Personalised politics in Pakistan,
Future Military Role in Pakistani Democracy etc
Energy and Water Crises
Earthquacke Reconstrcution

—International and Reginal Organisations and Allainces :
UNO, OIC, GCC, EU, NATO, SCO, SAARC, et al
—UNSC Reforms
—Nuclear Proliferation
—WTO and Globalisation and its impact on SAARC countries
—India-USA Relations
—India-Pakistan Relations an Progress on Compsosite Dialogue
—Pakistan-China Relations and Cooperation in All Areas particulary Defense
—Pakistan-Iran and Regional Dynamics and IPI- Gas Pipleline
—Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations and Taliban Factor
—Iran-USA and Nuclear proliferation
—Pakistan-USA Strategic Dialogue and future
—Foreign Policy of USA, India, China.
—Global Warming
—Geo-political and geo-strategic importance of Pakistan
—Political Culture of Pakistan and Democratic Future of Pakistan

Hope this helped – I know its not the full process , but i am still doing research on this – if you guys have any knowledge please do share with our readers.

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Tagged as: inter services intelligence, ISI, Pakistan, recruitment, selection