Chapter 3 - Indian Police Service (IPS) | A Bouquet of Services by IPS Lohit Matani and IPS Vishal - UPSC PDF Download

Indian Police Service (IPS)

Contributors: Mr. Lohit Matani and Mr. Vishal (both IPS 2014 Batch)

3.1 Cadre Structure and Allocation 

The Indian Police Service (IPS) is one of the three All India Services constituted under Article 312 of the Constitution of India. The IPS officers provide senior level leadership to Police Forces both in the States and at the Centre. The Police Division in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is responsible for all Cadre Control and Policy Decisions such as cadre structure, recruitment, training, cadre allocation, and so on.

The Service is organized into 24 State cadres. These cadres also have IPS officer’s induction to service in two forms. One is recruited through UPSC and other is promotion of SPS (state services).

There are a maximum of 150 seats sanctioned for IPS recruitment in a year. State government gives their requirements to Home ministry who finalizes the requirement and hands it over to UPSC for selection. The vacancies from states are provided as per the category (Gen/OBC/SC/ST) and insider/outsider ratio.

In general, ratio of IPS direct recruit to SPS is 70:30. For direct recruits, insider to outsider ratio is 1:2 which means IPS domiciled from the particular state will fill up half the vacancies in comparison to non-domiciled.

Candidates appearing for UPSC are required to give their preference list of state cadres before appearing for Mains examination. Based on the above mentioned requirements and rank secured by the candidate, they are referred to a particular state cadre.

The present day police officers aim for the motto of “a sensitized police for an empowered society”. Thus, they had to enlist the cooperation and assistance of the people in the voluntary observance of law to earn the respect of the public.

3.2 Roles and Responsibilities

An IPS Officer is the leader of a large police force at the district, State and the national level. In this leadership capacity, he/she leads the following tasks done by the police force:

I. As Superintendent of Police (SP) of a district:

As a District SP, an IPS officer performs the following functions:

1. Maintenance of public order and peace: District SP is responsible for maintaining peace and order in the area of his/ her jurisdiction. Any law and order situation arising from reasons like religious festivals, congregations, demonstrations, riots, serious offences, and so on are to be managed by the district SP.
2. Prevention of Crime: District SP leads a team responsible for prevention of crime in his jurisdiction. This involves analyzing the previous crime trends and arresting the cause of crime. For example, a communal murder is prevented by solving the conflict between two hostile communities.
3. Detection and Investigation of Crime: Being a unit commander, a SP is responsible to know the truth behind all the crimes committed in his/ her area. He/ she directs and guides subordinate officers in investigation to convict the real accused.
4. Collection of Intelligence: SP performs the task of collecting human as well as technical intelligence. Intelligence means secret information about the various happening in the district. This secret information helps both in crime prevention and its detection and investigation of crimes.
5. VIP security- It is the responsibility of the SP to provide adequate security to any person visiting in his/ her district.
6. Taking counter-terrorism measures- In every district, SP leads specialized teams known as Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) or Hit Teams to take counter-terrorism operations in the district. If the terrorist problem is larger, these district level teams are supported by state level and national level organizations like National Security Guard (NSG).
7. Taking Counter measures for Drugs Trafficking and Smuggling: It is the responsibility of the district SP to control all sort of drugs trafficking in his/ her area.
8. Tackling Economic Offences : In the era of rising crimes like cheating, fraud, Ponzi schemes and cyber-crime, the responsibility of tackling economic crimes is delegated to the SP of a district. In many of the SP offices across the country, there is a dedicated office named ‘Economic Offences Wing’ to tackle economic offences and white collar crimes.
9. Managing Disasters: SP of a district actively aids the District Collector in managing any disaster situation. The role of police in managing disasters is indispensable as it is the first responder to any natural or man-made hazard. SP provides well trained and skilled man force to deal with disaster situations.
10. Enforcement of Socio-Economic Legislations: Traditionally, police department under the SP is responsible for tackling social evils like alcohol, gambling and prostitution. However, nowadays many state governments are creating separate departments to deal with these evils. For example, excise department deals with illegal alcohol trade.
11. Motivate and Guide the Force: SP has the responsibility to lead the force with courage, dedication, uprightness and a sense of service to the people. They are required to inculcate the values of integrity, sensitivity, respect for human rights, justice, accountability, selflessness and high standards of professionalism etc. among their subordinates.

II. In State Level Police Organizations:

IPS officers serve in various State level police organizations like:

1. Criminal Investigation Department: Here IPS officers investigate offences of serious nature.
2. Anti Corruption Bureau: Officers here lay corruption trap on corrupt officials and investigate cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
3. State Intelligence Department : Officer in SID lead the parallel intelligence apparatus of the state.
4. Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Department: Officers posted in this department supervise crimes against Schedules Castes and Scheduled Tribes all across the state.
5. Legal and Technical Department: IPS officers supervise various legal aspects, like those relating to various minor and major laws, and technical aspects, like those relating to forensic science, in this department.
6. State Reserve Police Force: IPS officers in this department lead companies of various armed battalions. These companies are used during major law and order problems.

III. In Central Level Police Organizations:

IPS officers serve in various Central level police organizations like:

1. Central Reserve Police Force: IPS officers occupy leadership positions in CRPF. It is deployed to deal with internal security situations like naxalism, insurgency and terrorism.
2. Border Guarding Forces: IPS officers lead various border guarding forces like ITBP, SSB, BSF and Coast Guard.
3. Central Bureau of Investigation: Officers here investigate corruption cases, cases of serious nature and serious economic offences.
4. Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW): Officers in these organizations are responsible for intelligence collection inside as well as outside India. This intelligence network is parallel to the state as well as district intelligence network.
5. National Investigation Agency (NIA): Officers in this agency investigate terror related crimes.
6. National Security Guard (NSG): Officers in this agency are responsible for conducting counter terrorist operations.

IV. Headquarter Functions:

IPS officers posted in the state police headquarters look into various service matters like transfer, promotion and posting of all the subordinate officers. They also give sanction for important decisions like application of Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) against criminal gangs etc. They also appraise the performance of the subordinate officers.

V. Police Research:

IPS officers posted in Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) are responsible for conducting research in to important matters of policing like the specifications of the bullet proof jacket to be worn by the police staff, scientific methods of investigation to be used, and so on.

3.3 Normal Growth Profile

We will be discussing about the various career opportunities an IPS Officer has in a separate topic. However, this topic only deals with various ranks an IPS Officer holds during his professional life. These ranks are held when he/ she is working in his/ her main line department (i.e. State police in case of an IPS Officer)

3.4 Recruitment

The recruitment into IPS happens through two channels:

1. People are inducted into IPS after qualifying in the Civil Services Exam conducted by UPSC.
2. The State service police officers are promoted to the rank of IPS after around 8-10 years of their service, depending on their performance.

3.5 Physical requirement

Height –     Male 165 cm & ST (not the SC/ OBC) – 160 cm

                   Female 150 cm & ST (not SC/ OBC)- 145 cm

Chest –       Male Minimum 84 cm. Expansion 5 cm.

                   Female: Min 79 cm and expansion 5 cm.

Eye sight – 6/6 or 6/9 distant vision for good eye.

                   6/12 or 6/9 for worst eye. Near vision J1 for good eye. J2 for worst eye.

3.6 Training

The training structure of the IPS is divided in to five phases as mentioned below.

The majority of this training is conducted at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA). However, the training also involves foreign component as well components in other national institutions related to security of the state.

• In Service Training: Apart from the above formal training structure, various in service courses are conducted by SVP NPA in order to impart expertise in certain policing related fields. They include terrorism, extremism, cyber security and so on.

3.7 Variety of Opportunities for IPS Officers

Apart from the usual work profile in the State government, IPS Officers have ample opportunities to serve in organizations of State, national as well international level.

3.8 Perks, Privileges and  Advantages for IPS Officers

1. Police department is the first line of response to any problem that arises in an area. Thus, IPS officers get all the love and respect of the local public for solving their problems.
2. IPS officers have the highest amount of visibility among all government officials posted in a district.
3. People respect IPS officers for the uniform they wear. The uniform provides a sense of pride and a responsibility to serve the public in any manner whatsoever.
4. As police department performs an indispensable task, IPS officers develop links with people from all walks of life, be it a doctor, lawyer, judge, revenue officer, business person, artist, and so on.
5. A young IPS officer carries with him/ her image of a super hero.
6. IPS officers also enjoy the facility of a decent accommodation and vehicle from their very first posting.
7. Because of the nature of their job they also get a body guard and a beacon from their first posting itself.
8. IPS officers also have an opportunity to develop domain expertise in subjects like cyber security, counter Terrorism, and so on.

3.9 Occupational Hazards

The unpredictability in the life of a police officer creates work life imbalance. Police department is one of the department where service is rendered 24x7 hours, 365 days in a year. Therefore, a lot of stress build up is the side-affect. Since police service is one of the most visible arm of the government, therefore, a lot of pressure groups try to influence it to their advantage. It creates a lot of ethical dilemmas which leads to frequent transfers. This disrupts family life of the officer. A lot of times life of police personnel is also threatened while tackling crime.

Police service is highly satisfying, if one can see through these occupational hazards. It is one of the services where an officer has the opportunity to redress the wrong done to a person.

3.10 Case Studies indicating the work life of an IPS Officer

3.10.1 Anti- Drugs Investigation

In the year of 2016, the otherwise peaceful city of Nanded, Maharashtra started witnessing the drugs problem. It was never before affected by drugs addiction. However, in 2016 youth were found indulging in drugs. These children were ruining their studies and life and their parents were very worried. People were unaware of the source of these drugs. There was no information of drugs being grown in the nearby region.

Mr. Amitesh Singhvi was posted as ASP of a sub division in Nanded. This sub division had highest number of drug addicts. Mr. Singhvi wanted to actively fight with this menace. He asked his subordinate personnel to start collecting information of drugs trafficking in his sub division. After active groundwork of 15 days, he got confirmed information that some 100 kg of drugs will be kept on 20th July, 2016 at the house of one temple priest. He waited for a day. On 20th July, he went along with his team to the house of the priest and raided it. There he found 100 kg of Marijuana along with a person (Madhav) who supplied it. He immediately called the Sub Divisional Magistrate and the Inspector of Weights. He measured the weight of Marijuana and seized it in front of the SDM. He arrested the priest and Madhav.

Then he sent the drug for chemical analysis test. He interrogated the priest and Madhav, and came to knew that Madhav brings Marijuana from a person Sandeep in Vishakhapatnam. Amitesh checked the previous travel documents and call details of Madhav to confirm what he was saying. Then Amitesh went along with Madhav to Vishakhapatnam to arrest Sandeep. He laid a trap and arrested Sandeep. After interrogating Sandeep, Amitesh came to know that Sandeep used to get drugs from a naxalite Prashant. This Marijuana was grown in a field controlled by the Naxalites.

However, when Amitesh tried to enter the Naxalite fields, the Andhra police did not show their support for him. His SP also asked him to return back and not to enter the naxal area as his security is more important than controlling drugs trade. Thus, Amitesh was not able to arrest the root cause of drugs trade. However he ensured that drugs are not transported in his area.

Q. Why problems like drug trafficking is increasing in our society? What challenges and ethical dilemma Mr. Amitesh must have faced in dealing with the drugs problem? How can those problems be overcome?

3.10.2 A Case of Communal Murder

The village of Lathi in Sonbhadra district used to be a peaceful village; however communal tensions started emerging due to the political activities of some opportunistic elements. Tensions started growing between a Scheduled Caste and a Muslim family. Both families had 3 men each. On the fateful night of 21st May, 2013, the three brothers of the Muslim family (Imran, Fehran and Gurhan) entered inside the house of the other family, where the three brothers Shankar, Mahesh and Atal were present. After sometimes, the lights were off and 1 men from both the families were found to be killed. The other four men were critically injured.

Communal tensions spread to the whole village and the village was divided into two gangs. However, police got the information and it intervened. ASP Nikhil Gaekwar took the investigation of the murder of Imran, and the investigation of murder of Shankar was taken up by another DySP Mr. Raja Shukla. Everyone was thinking that in a fight, each party killed a member of another party.

ASP Nikhil investigated the matter. After interrogating Mahesh, he came to know that Mahesh had used a knife to kill Imran and subsequently thrown that knife in an agricultural field. ASP Nikhil was able to find and seize that knife. Moreover, he was also able to find the blood stained shirt of Mahesh, which he had thrown in the agricultural field. He sent the knife and the shirt to the Forensic Lab for its DNA profiling.

In the meantime, Mahesh revealed that he had himself killed his brother Shankar along with killing Imran. Actually, he had lured the three Muslim brothers to enter his house for reconciling each other’s concerns. However, once they entered, he closed all the lights and started attacking all three of them with a knife. During this, he killed Imran and critically injured his two brothers. Moreover, he also killed his brother Shankar by mistake, as he came in between. Once the report of DNA profiling of the knife and Mahesh’s shirt was out, it was found that the blood on the knife and the shirt matched with the blood of Imran and Shankar.

However, Mr. Raja Shukla asked Mr. Nikhil not to disclose in his charge-sheet that Mahesh had himself killed his brother Shankar. Otherwise, Raja’s case will be weakened. Mr. Raja was a senior DySP and Mr. Nikhil was a new IPS officer. Mr. Raja told him that an Investigation Officer has to support the complainant even if he knows that the complaint is completely false. And two officers cannot submit conflicting charge-sheets in the court. 

Mr. Nikhil accepted the demand of Mr. Raja and only mentioned about the murder of Irfan and did not discuss about the death of Shankar in it. His charge-sheet remained completely silent on it. As a consequence Fehran and Gurhan remained in judicial custody as undertrials for 7 years till the sessions court acquitted them from all the charges.

Q. What ethical dilemma did Mr. Nikhil faced in this situation? Why do police officers fear from allegations from the side of false complainants? What is the duty of police officers- to serve the public truly or to follow the procedures? What would you have done in this situation?

3.10.3 A case study of Land rights at Assam-Nagaland border

The onset of misty mornings in the northeast India is not uncommon but that day something was amiss. The hordes of public ranging around 2000 had gathered near Indisen Village in Dimapur district of Nagaland. The new IPS Mr. Lohit who joined Dimapur Commissionerate for his district practical training about 3 months ago was commanding the situation at the location. He could sense the uncanny feeling of something growing in the crowd.

The course for the day was set few days ago, as UNTABA group announced to go inside the Assam administered Doldoli forest area lying at Assam-Nagaland border area. Following this announcement, they called upon all Naga tribes to come on the D-day to show their solidarity towards the common cause of occupying Doldoli forest area. This forest land had been a point of friction between Nagaland and Assam people for a long time. And the matter was already pending before Supreme Court. As this issue kept lingering for a long time, people had become impatient and few nefarious elements tried to use to their advantage.

Around this time, Assam was witnessing assembly elections. Therefore, Assam Police had requested Nagaland Police to contain the situation till the assembly elections were completed. Hence, Dimapur Commissionerate was ordered by Police Head Quarter to ensure the same.

Almost 5 Km of border area fell under the jurisdiction of Police station headed by Lohit. Therefore, he was instructed by Commissioner of Police to come up with a detailed plan to contain the situation. Lohit was given a time of 4 days to come up with this plan. He was provided with 120 additional India Reserve Battalion personnel to be used as reinforcement.

UNTABA group held a meeting in the disputed area 7 days before the D-day. The issue was getting a lot of social media attention throughout Nagaland and the tension was growing by the days. This matter had the potential to become a major law and order issue.

Just out of academy and lack of field experience did not deter Lohit from approaching the issue in a professional manner. He gathered information about the issue through senior officers (ACP and DCP) in the district. He formed a team of SI and ASI to gather intelligence on the ground and met the nearby colony chairman to understand the expanse of the area and possible entry points.

Simultaneously he worked with DCP who guided him in preparing a preventive as well as contingency strategy. In the meanwhile another intelligence report suggested that few insurgent groups were planning to join the gathering. Therefore the possibility of an armed gathering became very likely.

Lohit was himself under tremendous pressure because Commissioner Office had clearly stated to use minimal force and that too as a last resort. Understanding the complexity of situation, Lohit was working closely with his immediate senior (ACP) in tackling this situation.

On the D-day, deployment was complete but still there was no information on the results of informal talks with protestors. As Lohit command his party at the Indisen Village deployment, he could already see that his party was outnumbered by 1:10. As the crowd moved forward, Lohit warned them to immediately withdraw and let their leaders come forward to talk to administration. Despite the first warning, crowd did not stop. Lohit must quickly swing into action to save the situation from turning ugly.

Q. What are the dilemmas faced by Mr. Lohit in this situation? What advice would you give to Mr. Lohit in this situation to save the day? What different would you have done to contain the impending situation?