Govt mandates 2 years' central deputation for IPS officers to qualify as IG

The government has made it mandatory for IPS officers of the 2011 batch and onwards to have a minimum of two years' experience at the SP or DIG level on central deputation to be empanelled as inspector general (IG) at the Centre, an official order said.

The move aims to ensure that senior officers have adequate ground-level working experience at the Centre, an officer in the know of the development said.

In the order issued recently, the ministry said, "A minimum of two years of central experience at SP/DIG or equivalent level shall be mandatory for empanelment of IPS officers at IG/eqvt. level at the Centre from the 2011 batch onwards."  While a similar requirement existed for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers deputed to the Centre, there was no such mandatory requirement for Indian Police Service (IPS) officers posted to Central Armed Police Forces and other positions at the IG level at the Centre.