Dear Windrider,
Whether to pursue career in government sector, this decision you should have taken right at the beginning of your career. You could face the following challenges for the mid-way swap:
a) PSU/Govt sector is highly bureaucratic. You will suffocate if you have innovative or creative mindset. Culture is more rule oriented than result oriented. There is nothing called as customer satisfaction.
b) You have worked in IT sector. You might be habituated with long working hours. More than long working hours, you could be habituated with flexi-hours as well. You will not have this facility.
c) The career growth or financial growth in IT sector is fast. What most of the IT professionals earned in 10 years that their either parent especially father earned in 35 years (if he worked in Govt job).
d) The culture in Govt sector is far more different. You need to ingratiate your boss. Some amount of sycophancy goes without saying. Instead of feedback to juniors, bosses could give dressing down. Do not expect your boss to take feedback from juniors.
e) Overall IT culture is convivial. Govt culture is conservative.
f) Promotions are late. You might have to wait for 5-6 years or even more to get next promotion. Promotions are caste based hence you will find quick promotions for the employees of certain caste.
g) IT guys keep their career's ball rolling by frequent change of jobs. Long tenure at the same place could bore you.
h) You could learn from your superiors. But not necessarily Government officers take interest in grooming the juniors. Most of the times, Officers use
formal power over personal power.
Benefits: - All is not that bad in Government sector. In general, there is a job guarantee. Life is steady. getting loans from the bank is easy. Nevertheless, Whether you will be able to tune with the Government culture or not depends on your mindset.
All the best!
Dinesh Divekar