The lowdown
The Indian Police Service (IPS) is part of the Indian Civil Services that comprise 27 services which are divided in two main sections – the all-India services and the central services. Officers of all India services, on appointment by the Indian government, have to work with different state governments. The IPS officers mainly take care of the law and order, crime prevention and detection, traffic control and accident prevention and management etc. Other duties may include arranging for VIP security, border policing, railway policing, tackling corruption, counter-terrorism, checking smuggling, drug trafficking, and economic offences and helping in disaster management. They can also be a part of Indian intelligence agencies like RAW, IB and CBI etc or paramilitary forces like like BSF and ITBP
Clockwork
A senior officer’s work schedule (No two days are the same as there cound be emergencies etc):
8am to 9am: Briefing by junior officers and conveying the same to other officers
10.30am to 1pm: Listen to the grievances of complainants
2pm to 2.30pm: Quick lunch
3pm: Discuss and convey important information to senior officials
4pm: Visit police stations and follow up on cases
6pm to 7pm: Check security arrangements at important installations
7pm to 9pm: Complete correspondence/files etc
The payoff
Entry level: New entrants are paid around Rs. 40,000 a month.
Middle level: Around Rs. 60,000 per month.
Senior level: Around Rs. 80,000 per month.
One is also entitled to special perks depending on where one is posted. Special allowances could vary and be given for some specific locations
Skills/TRAITS
* Sense of ethics, ability to tackle any situation fearlessly
* Should have clarity of thought and an ability to analyse a situation to take important decisions
* Must be sensitive to needs and beliefs of communities they serve
* Must have good listening and communication skills
* Thorough grounding in the law of the land
* Despite the demands of the job one has to focus on physical fitness and stay mentally alert
Getting there
To serve in the Indian Police Service (IPS) you will have to pass the civil service examination, which is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) every year. Anyone who is an Indian citizen and a graduate can sit for the preliminary exam, which is an objective type exam. The candidates who clear the first stage can appear for the next stage called the main examination. It’s a subjective type examination. A shortlist is prepared of successful candidates on the basis of the main examination, followed by an interview conducted by the UPSC. If a candidate qualifies the interview, s/he is allocated the service based on merit. A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) on the basis of the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be eligible to compete for the IPS exam
Getting there
To serve in the Indian Police Service (IPS) you will have to pass the civil service examination, which is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) every year. Anyone who is an Indian citizen and a graduate can sit for the preliminary exam, which is an objective type exam. The candidates who clear the first stage can appear for the next stage called the main examination. It’s a subjective type examination. A shortlist is prepared of successful candidates on the basis of the main examination, followed by an interview conducted by the UPSC. If a candidate qualifies the interview, s/he is allocated the service based on merit. A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) on the basis of the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be eligible to compete for the IPS exam
Institutes and URLs
* Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVP-NPA), Hyderabad
www.svpnpa.gov.in
* Study Circle, Virat Bhawan, New Delhi, www.studycircle.co.in
* Rau’s IAS Study Circle, New Delhi, www.rausias.com
Pros and cons
* Immense satisfaction derived from the fact that you are serving the public
* Has enough challenges and can be glamorous
* Good remuneration, especially after the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations and time-bound growth prospects
* Dealing with criminal cases can be risky. You may have to be accessible to your teams on a 24x7 basis
* Some high-profile cases could put you under a lot of pressure
* Worklife can be really hectic
I feel honoured that I have served in the IPS. It’s a career full of challenges, thrills and adventure. Also, it has enough scope for intellectual growth as well - Neeraj Kumar, an Indian Police Services (IPS) officer of 1976-batch and currently the Police Commissioner, Delhi Police