IPS officers may have to choose specialisation in later part of career

The Union home ministry is considering a proposal to ask Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to specialise in any one of the fields within policing after 18-20 years into their career .

“We are examining a proposal to ask IPS officers to specialise in areas like crime, law & order, prosecution, intelligence gathering, counter intelligence, and border guarding with each being a specialised task,” home minister P Chidambaram said while addressing the 63rd batch of IPS probationers at their passing out parade here on Saturday.

He said the system had to adapt to new conditions with policing becoming more and more specialised.

“Today our adversaries are numerous and new adversaries are emerging every day. They are mastering new ways and technologies and yours must equal them. They are forging new alliances with some sections of society. You also have to forge alliances with all sections of society to stay ahead of your adversaries,” he said.

While this batch is a record number in any batch trained by the Sardar Vallbhbhai Patel National Police Academy, the minister said the country needs many more IPS officers to man a nation of 1.2 billion people.

The ministry has already doubled the budget to Rs 210 crore to the academy this year apart from sanctioning 274 new posts keeping in view the emerging needs of IPS training.