IPS Exam, Syllabus, Eligibility, Roles, Salary Of IPS Officer

The full form of IPS is Indian Police Service, and it is one of the three All India Services. The IPS Exam is conducted as a part of the civil services exam and shortlisting of candidates is done based on their rankings as per the final UPSC results.

The elite Indian Police Service is not a security force but provides commanders to take higher-level posts in the state police machinery and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). Being in an All India Service, IPS officers can be employed by the Central Government and the respective States. IPS officers in India carry a lot of responsibility and also enjoy significant perks.

The Indian Police Service in its modern form came into being in 1948 when the British era Indian (Imperial) Police was replaced. To know about the origin and history of IPS before 1948, refer the link.

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IPS Exam – Recruiting IPS Officers

There are two recruitment modes to the IPS (Indian Police Service):

  1. Promotion of State Police Service Officers
  2. Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission

For a brief period, there was the provision of a Limited Competitive Examination (LCE) for recruitment to the IPS. However, in 2018, the Supreme Court of India upheld the Centre’s decision to scrap this mode of recruitment of Indian Police Service officers.

The UPSC conducts the Civil Services Exam for which almost 5-8 lakh aspirants appear every year. The same exam recruits officers for the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Revenue Service, Indian Audit and Accounts Service, etc.

The IPS exam (UPSC CSE 2024) will be held in three stages:

  1. Civil Services (Preliminary) Exam – May 26th, 2024
  2. Civil Services (Main) Exam – September 20th, 2024, onwards
  3. UPSC Personality Test – To be notified

Check the complete IPS syllabus, and know all the details regarding the IPS exam.

IPS Eligibility – Qualifications Needed to Become an IPS Officer

To become an IPS officer in India, aspirants must meet the stringent criteria set by the UPSC and clear the IPS exam (Civil Services Exam).

The IPS eligibility conditions and qualification criteria are:

  1. Nationality – Must be an Indian citizen
  2. Age Limit – Minimum age of 21 years, maximum age varies, depending on category and benchmark physical disability
  3. Minimum Educational Qualification – University degree (Graduate) from a recognised University
  4. Number of Attempts – 6 attempts for General category & EWS (More for other categories)
  5. Restriction on Applying – Officers already appointed to the IAS or IFS aren’t eligible
  6. Physical Standards – As per the Rules for Examination

To know the IPS Eligibility and Physical Requirements in detail, refer to the link.

Indian Police Service – Roles and responsibilities of IPS Officers

The Indian Police Service comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The roles and responsibilities of the IPS officers are as follows:

  1. Border responsibilities and duties
    • Counter-terrorism
    • Border policing
  2. Maintaining public peace and order
    • Crime prevention
    • The investigation, detection and collection of intelligence
  3. VIP security
  4. Railway policing
  5. Anti-smuggling and drug trafficking
  6. Tackling Economic Offences
    • Corruption in public life
  7. Disaster management
    • Biodiversity and protection/enforcement of environmental laws, etc
  8. Enforcement of socio-economic legislation
  9. High-level posts in the Indian Intelligence Agencies
    • CBI
    • R&AW
    • IB
    • CID
  10. Leading and commanding the Indian Federal Law Enforcement Agencies
    • Civil and Armed Police Forces in all the union territories and states
    • CAPF – Central Armed Police Forces
      1. CPO – Central Police Organisations
      2. CPF – Central Paramilitary Forces
        • BSF
        • ITBP
        • CRPF
        • NSG
        • CISF
  11. Serve as HoDs in policymaking
    • in the Ministries and Departments of Central and State Governments
    • Public sector undertakings (PSUs) both at the centre and states
  12. Interact and coordinate closely with
    • Other All India Services
    • The Indian Army. and Armed Forces in general
Aspirants looking forward to the upcoming civil services exam must kickstart their preparation now! Complement it with the links given below:

IPS Cadre Allocation

The officers promoted/recruited from the state police services remain in their respective state cadres. For the successful candidates of the IPS exam (Civil Services Exam), the cadre allocation is done on the basis of their rank, availability of vacancies and their preferences. Earlier the Cadre Allocation Policy 2008 had a state-wise preference list, which was to be filled by the IPS exam candidates. However, now the cadre allocation policy for IPS officers has changed.

Since UPSC CSE 2017, the new cadre policy for All India Services has been enforced. It aims to increase national integration and rationalise vacancies while increasing the efficiency of administration. Now, the IPS cadres are grouped into 5 zones.

IPS Cadre Policy:-Download PDF Here

Zone Number of Cadres IPS Cadres
I 7
  • AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and UTs)
  • Jammu and Kashmir
  • Himachal Pradesh
  • Uttarakhand
  • Punjab
  • Rajasthan
  • Haryana
II 4
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Bihar
  • Jharkhand
  • Odisha
III 4
  • Gujarat
  • Maharashtra
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Chhattisgarh
IV 6
  • West Bengal
  • Sikkim
  • Assam-Meghalaya
  • Manipur
  • Tripura
  • Nagaland
V 5
  • Telangana
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Karnataka
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Kerala

In this, candidates have to first indicate zone preference and then the cadre preference. To understand the new UPSC cadre allocation policy for IAS and IPS, refer to the link.

IPS Training

For the new IPS officers, there is almost two years of training or a probationary period. The first part of the Foundation Course is of three months duration and is common to all the new UPSC CSE recruits. After the foundation course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, the IPS probationers go to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), Hyderabad.

Apart from the district training for IPS officers, the different indoor and outdoor subjects are:

Outdoor subjects Marks Allotted
Drill (comprising Ceremonial Drill and Sword Drill) 100
Drill (comprising Ceremonial Drill and Sword Drill) 80
Equitation 40
Field Craft Tactics and Map Reading 200
First Aid and Ambulance Drill 20
Physical Fitness 80
Swimming 25
Unarmed Combat 30
Yoga 25
Indoor subjects Marks Allotted
Police in Modern India 75
Indian Evidence Act, 1872 100
Indian Penal Code, 1860 100
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 100
Special Laws 50
Crime Prevention & Criminology 75
Investigation-I 75
Investigation -II 75
Forensic Medicine 50
Forensic Science (Theory & Practical) 75
Maintenance of Public Peace and Order 75
Internal Security 75
Police Leadership and Management 100
Ethics and Human Rights 75
Information & Communication Technology 100

To know about the IPS training in detail, refer to the link.

IPS Salary – IPS Ranks

The IPS officers in India get a starting monthly salary of Rs 56,100 (DA, HRA etc. are extra). This is after the 7th Pay Commission recommendation. IPS salary as per the ranks of IPS officers is given in the table below.

Designation or IPS rank in State Police/Central Police Force Salary as per 7th Pay Commission
Director-General of Police 2,25,000.00 INR
Additional Director General of Police 2,05,400.00 INR
Inspector-General of Police 1,44,200.00 INR
Deputy Inspector General of Police 1,31,100.00 INR
Senior Superintendent of Police 78,800.00 INR
Additional Superintendent of Police 67,700.00 INR
Deputy Superintendent of Police 56,100.00 INR

To know the IPS salary in detail and its comparison with the 6th Pay commission salary, refer the link.

For IAS/IPS preparation books and free study material related information, see the related links below.

IPS Exam 2023 – UPSC CSE Related Links

UPSC Books UPSC NCERT Notes UPSC Exam pattern
UPSC 2024 UPSC Current affairs UPSC Notification
UPSC 2024 Calendar UPSC Prelims IAS Online Application

Frequently Asked Questions on IPS Exam

Q1

Q 1. How can one enter the Indian Police Service?

Ans. There are two modes of becoming an IPS Officer. The first is through direct recruitment that is held under UPSC as the civil services exam. The other way is through promotional interviews and exams conducted within the unit.
Q2

Q 2. How are IPS different from IAS?

Ans. IAS officers help in Public Administration and Policy Formulation and Implementation. While IPS officers are charged with investigating crime and maintaining public order in the area where they are posted. To get a comprehensive Difference between IAS and IPS Officer’s roles, responsibilities, salary, training, etc. candidates can visit the linked article.
Q3

Q 3. What is the educational qualification required to become an IPS Officer?

Ans. An applicant must have attained a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline to apply for the post of IPS Officer.
Q4

Q 4. What is the IPS exam age limit?

Ans. The candidate must not be less than 21 years of age and must not be more than 32 years in age. However, specific categories have an upper age limit relaxation, which is clearly mentioned in the official UPSC notification.

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  1. Dear Sir
    I m 28+ now and I have completed my B.
    Come in 2016 , am I eligible for IPS ??

  2. Dear sir
    I am 17 + now I completed my 10 in 2019 eligible for the ips exam

  3. is Preliminary and main exam same for ips , ias and irs?

  4. sir, tell full details of physical test for ips officer

  5. Hello sir I am 18+ AND I had completed my 12th now how to apply for IPS

    • Hi Kashish
      To be eligible for IPS Exam which is a part of UPSC Civil Services Exam, one needs to be a minimum of 21 years of age and is required to possess a graduate degree. Check our IPS Eligibility page for further clarification.

  6. Sir
    I have to apply for ips exam
    But donot know the syllabus and exact site for the ips exam

  7. What is the height required to become an IPS?

  8. Hello sir Iam Rohit Dubey from Ahmedabd and my age is 25 can I give ips exam

  9. sir syllabus for ips

  10. Hie sir what I have to do after ba for ips study’s
    What is the height required for ips
    What is age limit for ips

  11. Sir, kindly update me about age for the general women candidate and what should be the hight for same?

  12. preliminary exam we just have the general studies or any other things are included?

  13. I have completed my graduation in Bped. Sir am
    i eligible for ips exam. There is no optional subject for physical education. What can I do sir please tell me. I wanted to prepare for UPSC.

  14. Hi, My height is 163cm and I have gone through the eligibility criteria, there it was mentioned 165cm. Could you tell am I eligible for IPS?

    • Hi Arjun
      If you don’t meet physical standards set by the UPSC, you aren’t eligible for IPS. But, if it suits your interest and passion, you still can sit for UPSC CSE examination and secure a good rank to get into IAS, IFS, IRS, and others.

  15. What are the subjects we prepare for IPS preliminary exam

  16. sir i passed my Criminology in May 2020 and now my Preparation to UPSC is started so can you help me out the next date of the exams

  17. Can I be an IPS with any OPTIONAL?

  18. Subjects for IAS and IPS are same ?

  19. Sir , which books I prefer for upsc examination

  20. Sir myself VANIA,
    Currently I am in class 9 and my interested subject is Maths. I want to become an IPS officer in future, does my subject supports my dream?
    Sir please tell how can I start it’s preparation and subjects required for it.

    • Hi,
      You surely can become an IPS officer. We suggest you complete your schooling successfully and then your graduation. While pursuing your academics, you can check UPSC Syllabus.
      By the time you are in 12th, keep a track of UPSC Exam Pattern and prepare accordingly.

  21. Sir I’m 35 years old and post graduated , can i eligible for IPS, IAS, IRS etc. …. I belongs to general category

  22. Hello Sir/Madam
    I am currently studying in the final year of Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree. I have keen interest in Answering IPS exams. So I am little unaware about the reference books for preparing at the preliminary examination of IPS. Can you please suggest some reference books/notes or the sites to refer to study.

    Regards

    Kriya Dessai

  23. Hlo sir, my name is samriti pawar. Iam doing sem. 1 . I am interested in political science. I want to be an I. P. S officer when I grow up. Sir please tell me about the preparation and the subject from which I can start it.
    Regards
    Samriti pawar

  24. Hi what marks are needed to get IAS officer job

  25. Sir,I’m graduate in Hindi so,am I eligible for IPS exam

  26. सर mai RAJKUMAR YADAV 1992 ( JANM DIN )का हूं और, मैं 2016 में BA फाइनल कर लिया हूं। इसके आगे आईपीएस बनाने के लिए MUJHE क्या करना पड़ेगा प्लीज मुझे बताय

  27. Dear sir ,
    I am 21+ now and i have completed my diploma in 2022 , am i eligible for ips ??

    • Good Evening Ashok.

      Yes you can apply for IPS as you have passed both the age and educational criteria to qualify for the exam. To know more about the IPS Eligibility criteria you can visit the following link IPS Eligibility

  28. Hi sir
    I am aishwarya 22 age i have completed BCA in 2022 , am i eligible for ips ??

    • Hi Aishwarya, Yes you are eligible to write the UPSC CSE Exam. Work hard and you will surely get the services of your choice. For more details on the IPS Exam, visit the linked article.