Top cop

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 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 in public life; counter-terrorism, checking smuggling, drug trafficking, and economic offences and helping in disaster management. They could also be leading and commanding Indian intelligence agencies such as the Research and Analysis Wing, Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, etc, or the paramilitary forces of India such as the Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force

Clockwork
A senior officer’s work schedule:
8 to 9am: Briefing by junior officers and conveying the same to other officers
10.30am to 1pm: Listen to the grievances of complainants
2 to 2.30pm: Quick lunch
3pm: Discuss and convey important information to senior officials
4pm: Visit police stations and follow up on cases
6 to 7pm: Check security arrangements at important installations
7 to 9pm: Disposal of correspondence/files etc.
Schedule changes in case of emergencies/special events

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The payoff
Entry level: New entrants are paid around Rs40,000 a month
Middle level: Around Rs60,000 a month
Senior level: Around Rs80,000 a month
One is also entitled to special perks depending on where one is posted. This is, however, a variable amount specific to some locations only

Skills/TRAITS
* One has to be hard working and determined
* Must 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
You have to appear in the civil service examination if you want to get into IPS. Anyone who is an Indian citizen and a graduate can sit for the preliminary and then the main examination, followed by an interview conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). If a candidate qualifies the interview, he or she is allocated the service based on merit

More on upsc.gov.in