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The Indian Police Service (IPS) is a civil service in India. It belongs to the All India Services group. The IPS was formed in 1948. It replaced the old Indian Imperial Police. This change happened after India gained freedom from British rule in 1947. The IPS works along with two other services. These are the Indian Forest Service (IFS) and the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Officers of the IPS serve both the central government and the state governments.
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Full Form of IPS
The full form of IPS is Indian Police Service. The IPS officers lead many police forces in India. They guide both state and central police organizations. They lead the Central Armed Police Forces like Services Selection Board, BSF, CISF, CRPF, and ITBP. They also guide special forces like the NSG.
IPS officers work with the NCB and the National Disaster Response Force. They play key roles in intelligence agencies like the IB & RAW. They also work in the Special Protection Group and the National Investigation Agency. Many IPS officers serve in the CBI.
Motto of the Indian Police Service (IPS)
The IPS motto is “Satyameva Jayate.” It is written in Sanskrit. It means “Truth Alone Triumphs.” This motto guides IPS officers. It inspires them to follow truth and honesty. It reminds them to protect justice. The motto shows the values of fairness and duty.
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IPS History
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel supported the All India Services. He said India needed strong and independent officers. Without them, the country would face disorder.
Indian Imperial Police
In 1861, the Indian Councils Act was passed by the British. India now has a modern police force thanks to this Act. Superior Police Services was established as a new cadre. It was subsequently renamed the Indian Imperial Police. Inspector General of Police was the highest position. In the army, this position was equivalent to a brigadier. A Police Commission was established in 1902–1903.
It was led by Lord Curzon and Sir Andrew Fraser. The commission said Indians should be appointed as officers. Before this, Indians could only reach the inspector rank. In 1920, the service opened to Indians fully. Exams were held in both England & India.
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Beginning of IPS
Before independence, British officers led the police force. The first competitive exam was in 1893 in England. Ten candidates were selected as probationers for India. In 1907, officers started wearing “IP” on their uniforms. This was the mark of Imperial Police officers. 1907 is often seen as the start of IPS.
In 1947, India gained independence from British rule. In 1948, the Indian Imperial Police was replaced. The Indian Police Service (IPS) was officially created. In 1999, India released a stamp to honour the IPS’s 50 years.
The Indian Police Service (IPS) was formed under Article 312(2), XIV of the Indian Constitution. This article gave legal power to create the IPS. There is a major shortage of Indian Police Service officers in India. Reports say the shortage is about 19% to 22% of the approved posts. This shortage affects the smooth working of the police system.
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IPS Objectives
The First Police Commission was formed on 17 August 1865. It gave clear rules for running the police in India. It said the police must enforce the law and keep peace. The police must also prevent and detect crimes. The Indian Police Service is not a police force.
It is a service that provides leaders for police forces. IPS officers lead state police and central armed forces. They are senior officers who handle big responsibilities. Over time, the IPS goals have changed and improved. Now, IPS officers have many important duties.
- They help keep peace and order in the country.
- They prevent crime and investigate offences.
- They collect intelligence and ensure VIP security.
- They work in counterterrorism and border security.
- They also handle railway policing and smuggling cases.
- They fight drug trafficking and economic crimes.
- IPS officers lead top Indian intelligence agencies. These include RAW, IB, CBI, and CID. They guide central and state police forces.
- They command the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). These include BSF, CRPF, ITBP, NSG, and CISF.
- They also guide vigilance and law enforcement bodies.
- IPS officers work with honesty and courage.
- They teach discipline and good values to the force.
- They train others to serve people with respect.
- They uphold human rights and justice.
- They maintain professionalism at the highest level.
- They stay sensitive to people’s hopes and problems.
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IPS Selection Process
The Civil Services Examination is used for recruiting IPS officers. This exam is conducted by the UPSC. Some officers are promoted from State Police Services. Some are promoted from DANIPS. Currently, recruitment through the Limited Competitive Exam is stopped.
IPS Training
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy is the place where IPS officers get training. This academy is in Hyderabad. The total IPS cadre strength is 4920. There are 3270 direct recruitment posts. There are 1650 promotion posts. The Ministry of Home Affairs maintains the Civil List of IPS officers. This list gives details of officers’ postings.
It is updated every year. It can be accessed on the MHA website. People can search IPS officers by name, batch, or cadre. After about 2 years of training, probationers get a master’s degree. This degree is in criminal justice management. It is awarded by NALSAR University of Law.
IPS State Cadres
In August 2017, the Union Government announced a new cadre policy. This was for the All India Services. The aim was to promote national unity. It was also to keep the All-India character of the services. This policy divides 26 cadres into five zones.
| Zone | Cadres |
| Zone-I | AGMUT, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana. |
| Zone-II | Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha. |
| Zone-III | Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh. |
| Zone-IV | Sikkim, West Bengal, Manipur, Assam-Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura. |
| Zone-V | Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu. |
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IPS Ranks and Insignia
IPS officers are selected through the Civil Services Examination. They are also promoted from the State Police Services. Vacancies in IPS cadres are decided based on the need for SP rank posts. There are two pay levels for SP rank under the 7th Pay Commission. These are Level 11 and Level 12. An IPS officer usually stays in SP rank for about 13 years. After this period, they are promoted as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).
ASP is the lowest rank for IPS officers. Fresh IPS recruits join as Assistant Superintendent of Police
during training. They serve in this role for two years in a training capacity. After training, they serve one more year as ASP. They are then posted as Superintendent of Police (SP) in charge of a district. In non-metro districts, they draw salaries at Level 12. Officers assume control of metro city districts after being promoted to SSP. These officers hold more responsibility and higher pay.
IPS Career Progression
The career of an IPS officer follows a fixed structure. Their pay is based on ranks and responsibilities. The salary increases with promotions. Here is a simple table showing the career path, pay scale, and comparison with military ranks.
| Rank / Designation | Pay Level | Basic Salary (Monthly) |
| Assistant Superintendent of Police | Level 10 | ₹56,100 – ₹1,32,000 |
| Additional Superintendent of Police | Level 11 | ₹67,700 – ₹1,60,000 |
| Superintendent of Police | Level 12 | ₹78,800 – ₹1,91,500 |
| Superintendent of Police (Selection Grade) | Level 13 | ₹1,18,500 – ₹2,14,100 |
| Deputy Inspector General | Level 13A | ₹1,31,100 – ₹2,16,600 |
| Inspector General | Level 14 | ₹1,44,200 – ₹2,18,200 |
| Additional Director General | Level 15 | ₹1,82,200 – ₹2,24,100 |
| Director General of Police | Level 16 | ₹2,05,400 – ₹2,24,400 |
| DGP (Head of Police Force), DG CAPFs | Level 17 | ₹2,25,000 (Fixed) |
Women in IPS
Women have played an important role in IPS. They have broken many barriers. They have reached top positions in the police force. In 1972, Kiran Bedi became the first woman IPS officer. Out of 80 officers, she was the only female. She joined the AGMUT cadre.
The second female IPS officer was Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, who joined in 1973. She became the first woman DGP of a state. She served as DGP of Uttarakhand Police. In 1975, Jija Madhavan Harisingh became the first woman IPS officer from South India. She belonged to the Karnataka cadre. She served for 36 years. She retired in 2011 as DGP.
In 1992, Asha Sinha became the first woman commandant in India’s paramilitary forces. She served as commandant in CISF at Mazagon Dock. She retired as DGP in 2016. In 2018, Archana Ramasundaram became the first woman DG of SSB. Kalpana Saxena assumed command of 47 Battalion PAC, Ghaziabad, in 2021. Nina Singh was appointed CISF’s Director General in 2023.
IPS Reform Committees
The colonial Police Act of 1861 is still in effect in India. According to the Constitution, the police are a state subject. States are responsible for policing. Most states continue to follow the old act without change. Some have passed laws, but these are still based on 1861 rules.
Major incidents exposed serious failures. The 2012 Delhi gang rape shocked the nation. The 2020 Hathras case also showed gaps in the system. Terrorist attacks like the 2008 Mumbai attacks showed weak policing. These events highlighted the urgent need for reforms.
For over 30 years, governments have formed committees. These committees studied the police system. They gave many suggestions. But most reforms were not implemented. Many recommendations have been made. However, no major reform has been implemented. Reports have remained ignored.
National Police Commission (1977–81): This was the first major reform committee. It was set up post-Emergency. It gave eight reports. It also prepared a Model Police Act.
Ribeiro Committee (1998–99): Formed after a PIL in Supreme Court. Headed by Julio Ribeiro. Submitted two reports.
Padmanabhaiah Committee (2000): Led by K. Padmanabhaiah, former Home Secretary. Submitted its report in 2000.
Malimath Committee (2003): Led by V.S. Malimath. Focused on criminal justice reforms. Highlighted the vital role of police in investigations.
Soli Sorabjee Committee (2005): Headed by former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee. Submitted a Model Police Act in 2006.
Supreme Court Intervention (2006): In 1996, Prakash Singh filed a PIL for police reforms. The Supreme Court studied all previous reports. In 2006, it ordered mandatory reforms:
- No frequent transfers of senior officers (minimum two years).
- The state government cannot interfere in top police appointments.
- Separate units for investigation and law and order.
In 2006, many states did not comply. The Supreme Court demanded explanations. States slowly began adopting reforms. Tamil Nadu became a leader in reforms. In 2012, the Supreme Court again asked for reports on compliance. Prakash Singh’s lawyer highlighted slow implementation.
FAQs IPS Full Form
What is IPS?
IPS means Indian Police Service. It started in 1948. It replaced the old Imperial Police.
What is the IPS motto?
The Indian Police Service motto is "Satyameva Jayate." It means "Truth Alone Triumphs."
How are IPS officers selected?
UPSC selects IPS officers through exams. Some are promoted from state police.
Who was the first woman IPS officer?
Kiran Bedi was the first woman to join the IPS. She started her service in 1972.
