IPS Full Form

The full form of IPS is Indian Police Services which is a dream of many youngsters in India. Getting into the Indian Police Services through the Civil Services Examination is a challenging and competitive process, demanding a high level of dedication and inspiration. The Indian Police Services offers a rewarding career with significant responsibilities, leadership opportunities, and the fortune to make a huge impact on society. Before starting preparation for the IPS exam, one should review the complete information about IPS - IPS full form, IPS Salary, IPS Eligibility, IPS Educational Qualification, and IPS Function & Responsibilities.

Meaning of IPS

IPS Full Form
IPS Full Form in English Indian Police Service
IPS Full Form in Hindi भारतीय पुलिस सेवा
Role of IPS Officer Maintaining law and order, Preventing and investigating crimes, and Ensuring public safety and security.
Recruitment Process 1. UPSC Civil Services exam
2. Other competitive exams done by UPSC
3. Appointment of state police service officers by promotion.

History of Indian Police Services:

The Indian Administrative Services and the Indian Police Services came into existence immediately after India removed the yoke of British colonial rule. The newly formed government of India decided to have two cadres of All India Service officers to manage the affairs of the country and take it forward on the path of development. They would replace the ICS and the IP, which were more oriented to the needs of the colonial rule of the british. The IAS and IPS officers would have to be persons of a superior intellectual level, with managerial abilities of a high order. They were required to be honest, upright, courageous, and at the same time attuned to the needs of the people and the needs of the country.


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About the Indian Police Service

There are 3 All India Services and the Indian Police Services is one of them along with the IAS & IFS. IPS is a highly respectable post in the country that handles law & order, enforces the law, and prevents and investigates crime in the country. Recruitment to the IPS (Indian Police Services) is done via the UPSC Civil Services exam, other competitive exams done by UPSC, and appointment of state police service officers by promotion.

How to become an IPS Officer?

Becoming an IPS officer takes so much effort and hard work from the aspirant. Before starting preparation, aspirants should check UPSC eligibility by using our UPSC age calculator and understand the UPSC exam pattern through UPSC previous year question paper and the UPSC Syllabus. Creating a dedicated strategy and following it rigorously can lead to the Indian Police Services.

Recruitment & Training Process of IPS

Lakhs of aspirants dream of becoming an IPS officer. The recruitment in Indian police services through:

  • UPSC civil services exam
  • Other competitive exams by UPSC
  • State police service officers by promotion

Note: APPOINTMENT BY PROMOTION (SPS to IPS) - Direct Recruitment Quota and Promotional Quota are the two portions that comprise the permitted strength of the Indian police services in any Indian State. Direct recruitment IPS officers are those who come from the Civil Services Exam conducted by the UPSC and with promotional quota, SPS officers promoted to IPS officers.

IPS Training Process

Candidates who clear the UPSC exams for Indian Police Services are mandatory to undergo probationary training at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration(LBSNAA), Mussoorie and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy,(SVPNPA), Hyderabad. There is a provision for mandatory Mid Career Training for IPS officers throughout the entire service span.

IPS Training at LBSNAA - The direct-recruit officers of the Indian police service undergo a 15-week foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.

IPS Training at SVPNPA - After a foundation course at LBSNAA, training officers go through a 46-week basic course at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), Hyderabad.

Cadre Allocation of IPS Officers

IPS Through CSE: The successful candidates of UPSC Civil Services Examination allocated to the Indian Police Service are allocated to State Cadres/ Joint Cadres on the basis of rank of the candidate, candidate's preference and availability of vacancies in thier category at their turn in terms of provisions of Cadre Allocation Policy- 2008 as amended from time to time.
IPS Through Promotion: The IPS officers recruited through promotions from the State Police Services remain in their State Cadres.

IPS Officer - Eligibility Criteria

The UPSC eligibility criteria for becoming an IPS officer are set by the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) and meeting these criteria is the initial and important step toward a challenging and rewarding career in the Indian Police Service. The criteria are designed to filter those candidates who are not only academically qualified but also physically capable of handling tough situations in order to maintain law and order in the country.

IPS Age Limit and Educational Qualification

General OBC SC/STs
Age Criteria for IPS 21-32 Years 21-35 Years 21-37 Years
Educational Qualification for IPS Graduation

Note: For IPS, the Candidate must be a citizen of India.

Physical Standards For IPS

Male Female
Height For IPS 165cm (ST- 160cm) 150cm (ST- 145cm)
Chest For IPS Min. 84cm (Expansion - 5cm) Min. 79cm (Expansion - 5cm)
IPS Eyesight 6/6 or 6/9

Exam Pattern for IPS Exam

The IPS exam is conducted by the UPSC and UPSC exam pattern comprises three 3 stages - Preliminary, mains, and the Interview stage.

Preliminary Stage
Type: Objective (MCQs)
No. of Papers Paper 1- GS ;Paper 2- CSAT
Marks 200 Marks (Each)
Note- The Paper 2 is qualifying in nature and only Paper 1 marks are calculated for the merit.
Mains Stage
Type: Written (Subjective)
No. of Papers 9 Papers - Language(2), Essay(1), GS(4), Optional(2)
Marks Total- 1750 Marks
Note- The 2 language papers are qualifying in nature.
Interview Stage
Marks 225 Marks
Note- The marks of mains and interview are calculated for the final merit list

Rank in Indian Police Services with Pay Scale:

IPS officers generally start their career as Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) and with time and experience, they can reach the ranks of Superintendent of Police (SP), Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Inspector General (IG), Director General of Police (DGP), or even become the head of national agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Intelligence Bureau (IB).

Rank Time-Scale Pay Scale Grade Pay
SP Junior Scale Rs.15,600 - Rs.39,100 Rs.5400
Senior Scale Rs.15,600 - Rs.39,100 Rs.6600
Junior Administrative Grade Rs.15,600 - Rs.39,100 Rs.7600
Selection Grade Rs.37,400 - Rs.67,000 Rs.8700
DIG Super-Time Scale Rs.37,400 - Rs.67,000 Rs.8900
IG Super-Time Scale Rs.37,400 - Rs.67,000 Rs.10,000
ADG Above Super-Time Scale Rs.67,000 - Rs.79,000 NIL
DG Above Super-Time Scale HAG Rs.75,500 - Rs.80,000 (Increment @ 3%) NIL
Rs.80,000 Fixed NIL

IPS Vacancies in UPSC CSE (10 Years)

Every year UPSC conducts the civil services exam to recruit for posts like IAS, IPS, etc. Recruitment to the IPS (Indian Police Services) is done mainly through the UPSC's Civil Services Examination annually.

Year Total Vacancies General EWS OBC SC ST
2014 150 75 No EWS 42 23 10
2015 150 77 No EWS 37 23 13
2016 150 81 No EWS 37 18 14
2017 150 77 No EWS 40 23 10
2018 150 75 No EWS 42 24 9
2019 150 60 15 42 23 10
2020 200 80 20 55 30 15
2021 200 103 20 51 26 20
2022 200 83 20 53 31 13
2023 200 80 20 55 32 13

Posts Other than IPS

IPS officers can be appointed in autonomous organizations/ sub-ordinate organizations/ PSUs/ UN Organizations/ International Organizations in various capacities. They can also serve as Personal Secretaries to Ministers in Central Government. A large number of senior posts in Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (viz, CRPF, CISF, BSF, SSB, ITBP, NSG), besides CBI, IB, RAW, etc. are manned by IPS officers.

Awards/Medals to IPS Officers

The following Medals are available for award to the Indian Police Officers of States/Administration of Union Territories and the Police personnel of Central Police Organizations/ CPMFs

  1. President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG).
  2. Medal for Gallantry (GM).
  3. President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM).
  4. Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM).
  5. Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak.
  6. Parakram Padak.

Perks and Benefits of IPS

Indian Police Service is one of the most challenging services that requires a courageous personality. Along with the challenging nature of the job, there are a few benefits and perks available for IPS officers:

Role of an IPS Officer

Difference Between IAS and IPS Officer

The two most prestigious services in the Government of India are Indian Administrative Services and Indian Police Services which attract lakhs of applications yearly for the UPSC civil services examination. Both services play an important role in maintaining law & order, security, and governance in India, but there are some key differences between these two services.

IAS IPS
Roles Responsible for Implementing Government Policies, Overseeing the functioning of departments, and Holding positions such as District Magistrate, Secretary, etc. Responsible for maintaining law& order, ensuring internal security, and Overseeing the functioning of police departments, Holding positions such as DIG, SP & DGP, etc.
Training IAS Officers undergo training at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie. IPS Officers undergo training at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), Hyderabad.
Progression Sub-divisional magistrates (SDM), District Magistrates (DM), Divisional Commissioner, Principal Secretary, Chief Secretary, Cabinet Secretary Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Superintendent of Police (SP), Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Inspector General (IG), Director-General of Police (DGP), Director at state or central agencies like CBI & RAW.
Powers and Authorities Administrative powers - Implementing Policies and controlling Budgets. Managing powers - Managing resources. Maintain Law & Order, Prevent crime, and Public Safety. Indian Penal Code (IPC) Law enforcement.
Perks Accommodation, Government vehicles, security Accommodation, Government vehicles

Both services are important pillars of the Indian bureaucracy but there are differences in their responsibilities and work area. The IAS officers are required to focus on governance, administration, and implementation of policies, while IPS officers are required to focus on law& order, law enforcement, and public safety. Aspirants should choose the services after considering the job profiles of both services.

IAS vs IPS - Who is more Powerful?

Both IAS & IPS posts are esteemed services of the Indian bureaucracy and complement each other. In their respective areas, both hold significant authority, while IAS officers hold administrative control and policy implementation powers, IPS officers are the ultimate authority in law enforcement and public safety. But comparatively, to IPS powers, IAS officers have powers in a broader aspect, while IPS officers are limited to law enforcement and public safety in a particular state, and IAS officer holds broader authority over the state departments. IAS officers oversee various government departments and law & order is one of them, IAS officers hold control over police departments with significant influence.

How to Prepare for the IPS Exam?

Preparing for the IPS examination, conducted by the UPSC, requires a well-structured strategy with the right approach and consistency.

FAQs Regarding Indian Police Services (IPS)

Ans. The full form of IAS is Indian Administrative Services and the full form of IPS is Indian Police Services.

Ans. Director General of Police (DGP) is the highest rank in Indian Police Services. DGP is appointed by the Cabinet.

Ans. To become an IPS officer, aspirants need to secure top rank in the UPSC civil services examination or clear other competitive examinations by the UPSC.
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