UPSC conducts CSE exams every year for various civil service posts, IPS or Indian Police Services are among them. An IPS officer is selected from state police cadres.
This is one of the prestigious jobs among the civil services of India. In this article, we will find out about IPS as a career and the salary of an IPS officer.
IPS- Truth Alone Triumphs
IPS stands for Indian Police Services. It is one of the civil services of India. They are responsible for maintaining law and order in the country. It is responsible for crime prevention, counter-terrorism, prevention of corruption, managing natural disasters, preventing drug trafficking, traffic control, etc.
Full name | Indian Police Service |
Motto | Satyamev Jayate |
Authority | Union Public Service Commission |
Cadre Controlling Authority | Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |
Minister responsible | Amit Shah, Union Cabinet Minister for Home Affairs. |
Mode | Offline Mode |
Phases | Preliminary, Mains and Interview |
Also Read: How to be an IPS Officer? Tips to Prepare Yourself to be an IPS Officer
Recruitment of IPS Officers
Several IPS officers are chosen by these two methods: UPSC CSE exam and State cadre selection.
UPSC CSE Exam
Every year UPSC CSE conducts examinations for the recruitment of various posts of civil services. An aspirant who wants to become an IPS officer has to clear these phases:
# Preliminary Exam
# Main Exam
# Personality Test
Preliminary Exam
The preliminary exam is the first phase of the UPSC CSE exam. This is an objective type and consists of two papers: general studies 1 and 2. This phase contains MCQ type of questions and is qualifying in nature. The scores of this paper are not added to your final merit list.
Paper | No. of Question | Total Marks |
General Studies( Paper I) | 100 | 200 |
General Studies(Paper-II) | 80 | 200 |
Paper I & II | 180 | 400 |
Mains Exam
Those who successfully clear the first phase move forward to another one i.e. Mains exam. This is a descriptive paper and contains nine different papers.
Paper | Subject | Total Marks |
Paper A
(Qualifying in nature) |
Any one Indian Language included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution | 300 marks |
Paper B
(Qualifying in nature) |
English | 300 marks |
Paper-I | Essay | 250 marks |
Paper-II | General Studies- I | 250 marks |
Paper-III | General Studies- II | 250 marks |
Paper-IV | General Studies- III | 250 marks |
Paper-V | General Studies- IV | 250 marks |
Paper-VI | Optional Subject-I | 250 marks |
Paper-VII | Optional Subject-II | 250 marks |
Totals Marks | 1750 marks |
Optional Paper
Candidates have to select one optional subject among various subjects.
Agriculture | Animal husbandry and veterinary Science | Anthropology | Botany |
Chemistry | Civil Engineering | Commerce and Accountancy | Economics |
Electrical Engineering | Geography | Geology | History |
Law | Management | Mathematics | Mechanical Engineering |
Medical Science | Philosophy | Physics | PSIR |
Psychology | Public Administration | Sociology | Statistics |
Zoology | Literature |
Interview
This is a personality test where a candidate has to give a face-to-face interview with a panel. This phase tests the mental ability, focus, alertness, etc of candidates. This interview carries 275 marks.
Also Read: UPSC Exam Syllabus 2021: Know all the Insights about Prelims, Mains and Interview Round
Training
The newly recruited candidates then enter two years of the training period. This training period is conducted in two different training institutes, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA).
LBSNAA
LBSNAA is an academy where recruits of all civil services are trained. This training centre is located in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.
# Foster cooperation and co-existence of various public services
# To develop the personality of trainees
SVPNPA
SVPNPA aims to transform a student into a responsible IPS officer. This training is conducted in two phases: First in the academy and then in various districts.
# In the training academy, the candidates are taught the basic local language.
# Various skills are instilled in candidates such as physical training, weapons and many more.
# They are also taught about various social issues, management, IPC, etc.
Salary of IPS Officer during Training
The basic pay of IPS officers during the period is around Rs. 15,600-39,100 and Grade pay of Rs. 5,400.
Also Read: How to Prepare for IPS Exam without Coaching? Here’s How You Can Start Preparing at Home
Cadre Allocation Policy
The Union government formulated a new cadre allocation policy in 2017. Under this policy, the 26 cadres were divided into 5 zones. Here are five zones under the new policy:
Zone | Cadre |
I | AGMUT, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana |
II | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha |
III | Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP, and Chattisgarh |
IV | West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam-Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland |
V | Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, T & N, and Kerala |
Functional and Roles of IPS Officer
# To maintain peace and order in public
# Prevent crime, conduct investigation, and detect criminals
# Providing VIP security, counter-terrorist activities, and fulfilling border responsibilities
# Preventing smuggling, drug trafficking, corruption or other tax evasions
# Leading Indian Intelligence Agencies such as RAW, IB, CBI, CID, and many more
# Enforcement of law in states and union territories
# Holding positions in various Central Armed Police Forces like CPO, ITBP, NS, CISF, etc
Career Progression
Probation
After the training period, they will be designated as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). During this period the newly recruits learn from their seniors directly and understand the fundamentals of police mechanisms on the grassroots level.
This probation period lasts for three years.
Senior Time Scale
In the fifth year of their service, the officers get the senior time scale. They will be designated as Additional Police Superintendent in districts or Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police in the city.
Junior Administrative Grade
After serving for more than 9 years, the officers are promoted to the Junior Administrative Grade. They get a post of Superintendent of Police or Deputy Commissioner in the city.
Selection Grade
After 13 years, he gets promoted to Selection Grade. Hereby they get designated as Senior Superintendent of Police at the district level and Additional Commissioner of Police at the city level.
Super Time Scale
After 14 years, they are upgraded to Super Time Scale. They get designated as Deputy Inspector General of Police.
Senior Administrative Grade
After 18 years of service, an IPS officer gets promoted as Senior Administrative grade. Hereby he/ she becomes an Inspector General of Police.
Higher Administrative Grade
After serving for at least 25 years with satisfactory performance, they get promoted as Additional Director General of Police.
Apex Scale
An officer with an excellent performance record and +30 years of experience finally reach the last ladder that is Apex Scale. They are appointed as Director General of Police and Commissioner of megacity police forces.
Other Posts
# Central Paramilitary forces: IPS officers occupy the highest ranks of Central Paramilitary forces. They enjoy command over various forces like CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, etc.
# IPS officers get posted in various government agencies like CBI, NIA, IB, BPRD, NCRB, and many more.
# Some are even recruited as Joint Secretaries or other similar posts in the Central Ministry.
Also Read: What Police Related Job Can I Take Up During My Preparation for IPS?
Rank Insignia
The standard uniform of an officer is Khaki and the shoulder batch differs according to different designations.
Assistant Superintendent of Police
Shoulder batch with one, two and three stars.
Additional Superintendent of Police
Shoulder batch with the national emblem and no star.
Superintendent of Police
Shoulder batch with a national emblem and one star.
Super Superintendent of Police
Shoulder batch with a national emblem with two stars.
Deputy Inspector General of Police
Shoulder batch with three stars and a national emblem. Moreover, a gorget patch with blue background and white lines.
Inspector General of Police
Shoulder batch with crossed sword & stick and a star. In addition, a gorget patch with leaf design.
Additional Director General of Police
Shoulder patch with crossed sword & stick and a national emblem. In addition, a gorget patch with leaf design.
Director of Intelligence Bureau
Shoulder patch with crossed sword & stick, national emblem and a star. In addition, a gorget patch with a leaf design.
Salary
Grade | Position of Government | Salary(Rs) |
Probation | Assistant Superintendent of Police | Rs. 56,100-1,32,000 |
Senior Time Scale | Additional Police Superintendent/ Additional Deputy Commissioner | Rs. 67,700-1,60,000 |
Junior Administrative Grade | Superintendent of Police/ Deputy Commissioner | Rs. 78,800-1,91,500 |
Selection Grade | Senior Superintendent of Police/ Additional Commissioner of Police | Rs.1,18,500-2,14,100 |
Super Time Scale | Deputy Inspector General of Police | Rs. 1,31,100-2,16,600 |
Senior Administrative Grade | Inspector-General of Police | Rs. 1,44,200-2,18,200 |
Higher Administrative Grade | Additional Director General of Police | Rs.1,82,200-2,24,100 |
Apex Scale | Director-General of Police | Rs.2,05,400-2,25,000 |
Additional Benefits
Other benefits include:
# Free Electricity and phone bill
# Taking study leave
# Residence
# Security guard and house help
# Other perks of PSUs
# Pension and retirement benefits
# Official vehicle
Final Words
IPS is a fantasy job for those who want to play a heroic role in real life. It is not a boring job or spontaneous deskwork. Instead, it is an adventurous work full of suspense and thrills.
From border responsibility to crime prevention, IPS officers manage everything. They contribute to transforming a society into a safe and secure one. Moreover, this job has a good amount of salary benefits as well as additional benefits.
However, to become one you need to prepare for UPSC CSE. Moreover, this is one of the most difficult competitive exams in India. Therefore, boost your preparation with UPSC Pathshala and unlock amazing courses, video lectures, and other information.
IPS is a service of honour and pride. This article has all the relevant things about the IPS journey unfolded. It has given me all the information. Do you agree?