2-year Central deputation at SP/DIG level must for IPS officers to be eligible for senior posts: MHA

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has made a two-year Central deputation for Indian Police Service (IPS) officers at the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) compulsory to be eligible for posting as Inspector General of Police (IGP) with the Union Government. The order applies to IPS officers from the 2011 batch onward.

In a letter dated January 28 to the chief secretaries of all States, the MHA outlined a “modification in guidelines for empanelment of officers of IPS for holding IG post at the Centre.” The letter conveyed that a minimum of two years of Central experience at SP/DIG or equivalent level will be mandatory for empanelment of IPS officers at IG/equivalent level at the Centre from the 2011 batch onwards. The Ministry asked States to bring the clause to the notice of all IPS officers posted in their cadre.

The modification to the guidelines comes days after Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan wrote to States urging them to send more IPS officers on Central deputation, noting that though the State Governments send names for senior-most ranks, they do not propose names for appointment to the posts of SP to IGP.

In 2021, facing an acute shortage of All India Services (AIS) officers at the Centre, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) proposed to depute Indian Administrative Service (IAS), IPS and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officers to the Centre without necessarily taking the State government’s nod. The DoPT said that in spite of existing provisions, States did not sponsor adequate numbers of officers for Central deputation and the available officers are not sufficient to meet the requirements of the Union. Following Opposition from the States, the proposal was not implemented.

Before an AIS officer is called for Central deputation, his or her concurrence and a clearance from the State Government are required. As of December 23, of 229 sanctioned SP-level posts, 104 are vacant. At the DIG-level, of 256 sanctioned posts, 69 were vacant.