IPS now open to defence, police officers

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has decided to hold the first limited competitive examination (LCE) at seven centres in the country on May 20 along with civil services preliminary examination.

Young defence and police officers will finally get a shot at joining the elite Indian Police Service (IPS) on May 20.

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has decided to hold the first limited competitive examination (LCE) at seven centres in the country on May 20 along with civil services preliminary examination.

Defence officers of the rank of major and captain and police officers of the deputy superintendent of police rank will be eligible to sit the LCE.

They should have put in at least five years of service at the rank and not have turned 35, according to notifications issued by UPSC and the department of personnel and training.

Every eligible officer is allowed two attempts and those selected will be on probation for two years. Monday’s announcement completes the process to hold the special examination initiated nearly two years ago.

IPS officers had opposed the recruitment plan, worried the move would take the sheen of the service.

But faced with the shortfall of officers in senior ranks, the home ministry pushed for the plan.

The IPS has an authorised strength of 4,720 officers. But a poor planning by the ministry over the decades has left three of every 10 posts vacant.

The UPSC will start receiving online applications from March 6 till April 1. Aspirants will have to take a 13-hour written exam -- objective and descriptive - spread over three days before appearing in front of an interview board.