How to Become an IPS Officer
An IPS (Indian Police Service) officer is an officer-rank post whose job is to ensure the internal security of the country. All candidates aspiring to become an IPS officer must pass the Civil Services Examination. Applications for this post are released every year, and a large number of candidates apply. The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) conducts this examination every year. So, if you also want to become an IPS Officer, you have come to the right place.
What you need to do to become a good and honest IPS Officer, what is the salary and eligibility for an IPS officer, and many other questions you may have will be answered in this article about IPS. To get accurate and complete information, please read the article carefully.
What is IPS?
The post of IPS officer was established in 1948. The IPS cadre is under the Ministry of Home Affairs because it is entirely controlled by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
This is a Group 'A' level officer who is responsible for maintaining law and order in the district or its area. He/She is the head of the police force in that area, and the entire police administration works under him/her. IPS is a challenging and demanding service in which officers take an oath to perform their duties with dedication and integrity. In a district, the SP or ACP is an officer of the IPS rank, meaning only IPS qualified officers are appointed to these posts. Some posts are also given through promotion based on the PCS quota.
The full form of IPS is 'Indian Police Service',
Eligibility
Educational Eligibility
To become an IPS officer, candidates must have a graduate degree from a recognized institution. Students in their final year of graduation can also appear for this examination.
Age Limit
Candidates applying for the IPS must be between 21 and 32 years of age. Relaxations are provided for candidates belonging to reserved categories.
Physical Eligibility
Candidate's Height
For this post, the minimum height for male candidates is 165 centimeters, while for reserved category candidates it is 160 centimeters. For female candidates, the minimum height is 150 centimeters, and for reserved category female candidates, it is 145 centimeters.
Chest
The minimum chest measurement for male candidates is 84 centimeters, and for female candidates, it should be a minimum of 79 centimeters.
Vision
For the IPS post, eyesight should be 6/6 or 6/9. For those with weaker eyesight, vision of 6/12 or 6/9 is essential.
Note: Please check the UPSC IPS advertisement to confirm the information. If you meet the above IPS criteria, you can apply online for the Civil Services Examination.
How to become an IPS Officer?
To become an IPS officer, you need to complete the following steps:
1. Pass 12th Grade
First, you need to pass the 12th class or grade. You don't need to top the class or get exceptionally high marks, but you should have a good understanding of your subjects.
2. Complete Graduation
After 12th grade, you need to choose your subject based on your interest and complete your graduation in that stream. A graduation degree, whether regular or through distance learning, is mandatory for the IPS exam.
3. Register for the UPSC Examination
After graduation, you need to apply online for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, which is conducted once a year, through the UPSC portal (upsc.gov.in). This examination is conducted by UPSC in 3 stages:
Preliminary Examination (Prelims)
Main Examination (Mains)
Interview
4. Pass the UPSC Prelims Exam
The first step to becoming an IPS officer is to pass the preliminary examination of the UPSC exam, which consists of two papers: General Studies and CSAT. This is a screening test, meaning the marks obtained in this exam will not be counted in the merit list.
5. Pass the UPSC Main Exam
After qualifying in the preliminary examination, you will have to pass the main examination, which is the second stage conducted by the UPSC. This stage of the IPS exam includes papers related to General Studies and Essays. The marks obtained in this stage are counted in the merit list. Therefore, this stage is extremely important for becoming an IPS officer.
6. Pass the Interview
The final stage is the interview conducted by the UPSC. The marks obtained in this interview are also added to the merit list. The interview stage, along with the main exam, is crucial, as it determines your rank. This is a 200-mark exam, and you need to score as high as possible.
7. Complete Training at LBSNAA
After passing the UPSC Civil Services Examination, to become an IPS officer, you have to undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). For IPS officers, this training is followed by training at the police academy in Hyderabad. After this, you will be allotted a cadre according to your IPS rank and appointed to the post.
How to prepare for the IPS exam?
How to Prepare for IPS: If you want to become an IPS officer, you should study diligently for the Civil Services Examination. Through the Civil Services, outstanding candidates are selected and appointed to high administrative positions in the country. If you also want to contribute to this excellent service of the country as an IPS officer, you will have to perform well in the examination. Whether you become an IAS officer or an IPS officer will depend on your merit list. If you apply for the UPSC exam, you will have to go through the following stages:
Preliminary Examination
In this exam, you have to qualify in both papers of General Studies and CSAT. At least 5 lakh candidates participate in this stage, and after passing the prelims, they are shortlisted for the Mains or main examination. This exam is of the objective type. The marks from this stage are not counted in the merit list.
Main Examination
In this exam, you are asked questions from all the General Studies papers of the UPSC. This exam is in a descriptive format, and the deepest understanding of the subject is determined based on this paper. The merit list is prepared based on these papers, and the interview marks are also added to it. This exam lasts for 5 days and includes GS papers, essays, and compulsory language-based question papers.
Personal Interview
This is the final and decisive stage of the examination. If you have scored good marks in the Mains exam but do not perform well in the interview, you will have to settle for a lower rank. The commission panel interviews you for approximately 45 minutes, during which your personality is assessed. You are asked logical questions, and you are given marks based on your response and views. It is not necessary to answer all the questions, and you can skip questions.
Merit List Determination
After all the stages are completed, the commission declares the merit list based on the main examination and interview. Those with the highest marks are awarded ranks such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS.
Training (IPS Training)
After the merit list, all qualified candidates are sent to the LBSNAA training academy. IPS officers also receive 6 months of training at LBSNAA, and subsequent training takes place at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. There, they are trained in the Indian Penal Code, Special Laws, and Criminology.