CHAPTER XLIV
POLICE LEADERSHIP—THE INDIAN POLICE SERVICE

44.1 The police organisation has withstood the diverse stresses and demands placed upon it since independence, many of which were unique. The Indian Police acquitted itself: well in handling many difficult and complex problems. While there have been failures here and there the police have, on the whole, maintained law and order and thereby ensured basic stability in society. Above all, the Indian police have ensured that elections to Parliament and a large number of State Assemblies were impartial and fairly peaceful despite the acrimony of election propaganda.
44.2 While in the past challenges had been well met, the failures which now beset the police are many and varied and not all of them relate to the police capability to handle the contemporary problems. Leaving aside many other factors, some of them vital, we have here addressed ourselves to the question of the quality of the leadership of the police service which has to appreciate and adequately respond to the following factors in the contemporary Indian scheme :—
(1) Our society is in a state of ferment. The social structure is changing fast and the spread of education has rightly increased the awareness of masses of what they have and what they ought to have.
• (2) About 48% of our population lives below the poverty line. But the rich are becoming richer and economic disparities are increasing.
(3) Our resources including such bare necessities as housing and drinking water, have not kept pace with the requirements of our rising population.
(4) The system, specially the political leadership and the civil service, is finding it difficult to adjust and respond to the rapid changes in the social and economic environment and the rising aspirations of the people.
(5) Every cross-section of the society, including the privileged sections, are resorting to agitations and strikes, as pressure groups to demand more than their share of the national cake and have often succeeded in getting it, which has whetted their appetite for more.
(6) The even greater challenges facing both the police and the society on account of rapid increase in population, and the large numbers of the educated and the uneducated who are entering the employment market only to face frustration and failure; some of them
are so disillusioned that they are inclined to
destroy the existing institutions and to attack the privileged sections. As the number of such frustrated and disgruntled people continues to increase, the present police capacity for response and control may not be able to match the demands of the situations.
(7) Intermittent disasters, God-made and manmade.
44.3 The above are only a few dimensions of the problems which the IPS officers will have to understand and respond to in the face of inadequate resources and limited options, "this will require the service to recruit some of the ablest and highly educated and sensitive officers. Thus it cannot be said that officers of a relatively inferior calibre than in any other service will do for the IPS. Such a view, which was hold in the past has already, to some extent, damaged the service. Now special efforts will be needed to cure the IPS of the ills owing from imposed inferiority and the frustrations arising therefrom because the challenges of the future will require new skills in personnel management and a much higher level of professional knowledge, competence and leadership from the senior officers in the police.
44.4 We have in our earlier Reports made several recommendations to improve the service conditions of the rank and file besides their emoluments and prospects. We are happy to note that these recommendations have found general acceptance. We hope that they will now be implemented speedily by the Centre and the States. In our view there is now a wide consensus that the police needs greater attention to improve its performance. We have made recommendations to improve the communication and contact between the police and community and between the police and the press, so that ill-informed criticism does not damage the police and at the same time legitimate and constructive criticism keeps them alert and responsive. We are also making various recommendations to improve outmoded practices and procedures. We propose to suggest a new Police Act. It is our view that all these together bring to the forefront the need for a higher calibre of leadership to be provided by the IPS officers. Their tasks in the future are likely to be very much more difficult and complex, than in the past. This concern has been foremost in our minds.
44.5 In this context, it would be relevant to note some of the criticisms that are being advanced against a rigid career service like the IPS. It has been said that a pre-occupation with a career structure, basically

generalist, neglects professionally qualified specialists. In this background the IAS, IPS and other Class I Services appear to be elitist, amateurish and lacking in professional knowledge and competence. Many officers in these services embody ideas and values which are either outmoded or discredited in the present day society. Above all what strikes one is that every Class I Service has become a trade union which pleads for better and better terms for itself but stands for status quo in matters of professional skills and standards. In such services the officers are opposed to any subsequent competition to select the more able for higher posts even from within their ranks. They are also opposed to any lateral entry of outside talent. To the extent those defects have crept into the IPS we propose to suggest measures to remove them.
44.6 In brief, the whole culture continues to be bureaucratic and structure oriented and not dynamic and performance-oriented. We have observed that in business and industry managers are assessed on the basis of overall success but in the police, officers tend to be judged by failure. Hence we notice an increasing tendency among police officers to take refuge in unnecessary paper work, excessive monitoring, and consultation. Field officers are often found seeking orders from superiors up to Government level or absenting themselves from the scene of trouble. This has caused us deep concern and we feel that the values and the working culture in the police have to be changed if the demands of the future are to be met. It is necessary to attach greater importance to overall success rather than be obsessed by the fear of a possible failure. As matters .stand, just one failure, even an ordinary failure which gets publicised, can wipe out years of success and achievement of a police officer. This naturally inhibits police officers them makes them security conscious in situations which call for dynamism and innovation, courage, deep understanding and a quick response in the fullest confidence that any action done in good faith would be supported. We, therefore, feel that it is very essential to strengthen the role and position of officers in districts and range charges by reposing in them greater trust and confidence. Government must encourage officers to take initiative, accept responsibility and take decisions.
44.7 Some of the difficulties faced by the IPS officers arise out of the managerial problems created by the over increasing size and numbers of police personnel and the continuing demand for more men and resources. Large departments like those of Inspectors General of Police have considerable problems of internal communications and hence of decision making. The police officers who may be administering a policy in the district may have had very little contact with those who have devised the policy. They may have little appreciation of its objectives. The dangers of isolation of the police from the community which it serves indicates that the growth in scope and complexity of Government activities which impinge upon "police work have caused the Government to acquire the image of a huge insensitive machine with an ever-increasing momentum of its own. There is considerable confusion and diffusion between the roles and responsibilities of
Central and State Governments, Central Police Organisations, para-military forces and the State Police authorities. Hence police officers, whether Station House Officers or Superintendents of Police, or Deputy Inspectors General of Police, are quite often faced with a situation where a small incident in the interior gets high-lighted in the Parliament, the national press, the State Assembly, the local press and by the various forums of the Opposition Parties, before the concerned and competent authority has had any time to investigate or deal with the situation. The Government and the concerned officers are then forced into a defensive position with the result that the responsibility for rectification gets completely blurred.
44.8 Among some of the other limiting factors and constraints that operate upon the performance of police officers are the following :—
(1) Security of service and emphasis on seniority resulting in the toleration of mediocrity. It is, therefore, desirable that mediocrity be eliminated during selection for posts of Deputy Inspector General of Police and above, as that the quality of performance can be ensured and stability of tenures becomes more meaningful.
(2) Central control of financial resources reduces the flexibility available to States and the latter begin to look to the Centre.
(3) Increasing conflicts of direction and control from higher echelons who, with improved means of communication, intervene, or seek information, give directions, or monitor action leaving the officer on the spot with little or no time or discretion to work out a solution based on his understanding of the realities of the situation. He, therefore, complies with the orders received. In most cases, errors of judgement are often a choice which with hindsight appears inferior to a possible alternative. Except in cases of neglect and callousness, it would be better to trust the officers and allow them to learn from experience and improve their performance instead of transferring them at the slightest provocation or complaint.
(4) Government will always attract criticism because in a pluralist, democratic and sub-continental country like India judgements will differ as to the proper ends, policies and objectives. In such a situation the police will also get its due share of criticism. The police officers car achieve a lot if they are professionally competent, impartial. helpful and positive in their approach. They will need to show greater awareness of the needs of society and take a hand in explaining proposals and objectives to their men and also to The public There is, therefore, no alternative but to have an informed dialogue between the police and the people to enlist public support and responsiveness. The success of an officer will depend upon his own professional competence, his ability to inspire his team and his ability to win public support and response.

44.9 We have observed that for quite some time now police officers tend to abdicate their role, initiative and responsibility. Some of them have convinced themselves that they are helpless due to scarcity of resources, problems of staff, and the overbearing control of and interference by the political leadership, Things would not have degenerated so much if the deficiencies of the politicians had been made up by the ability, courage, vision, competence and leadership of the senior civil servants and police officers. But it seems to us that the very process of survival, and of going up in this system, exhausts and dehydrates many of them. Those officers who do win and reach the top are too tired and worn out to be able to do much, or even want to do much. The little energy that remains goes into (1) surviving on the post, (2) keeping the powers that be pleased, (3) dealing with the dead burden of routine paper work, and (4) making arrangements for post retirement jobs 01 supplementing their incomes. This insecurity often prevents them from delegating, trusting and supporting their subordinates and they have no time to think, study or initiate new ideas and policies. Some senior officers increase their routine work-load manifold by wanting to see, monitor and approve every activity. They tend to lose contact with problems and issues. This is fatal for any organisation. Many of our officers forget their assets and strengths : (1) they are among the better paid and better educated in India, (2) they have facilities like housing and health care that are better than what are available to the common man, (3) they have sizeable human resources needing their care and attention, and (4) they have provisions in the Constitution safeguarding their service interests. We feel very strongly that the public has a right to expect a standard of performance from our police officers which is commensurate with the advantages they enjoy.
44.10 We have in Chapter XV of our Second Report made several observation and recommendations about political interference with the police and observed that senior police officers will have to make it a part of their Code of Conduct to resist all kinds of pressures and unlawful interference. We recognise that the political leadership has a very crucial role to play in a democracy What we attach greater importance to is that police officers should be politically neutral and give objective advice. They should perform their duties in accordance with law and in the public interest. In our conception, neutrality and objectivity do not preclude political judgement. A judgement can be objective, disinterested, unbiased and yet remain political in its awareness of the political consequences of a particular course of action. The essence of this political neutrality is the requirement that the impartiality and fairness of police officers and policemen should be beyond question. It should be respected by the political leadership and the people. In this respect we feel that not only must police officers carry out their duties with complete impartiality
but anyone coming in contact with them must have the utmost confidence that they do so. The IPS officers must not only be impartial and objective but must also give courageous leadership to their men. They should always be fully aware of the public interest and public service and do their duty as servants of law. We would not, therefore, agree to any compromise on this or accept any excuse. We feel that the police service can have no future unless it earns the respect and confidence of its men and the public We accordingly are of the view that the standards for the conduct and performance of the IPS officers should be set at an appropriately high level.
44.11 The State Study Groups, the replies to the Questionnaire issued by us, the Memoranda of the Associations of IPS and other ranks and the numerous policemen of all ranks whom we met, have practically unanimously expressed the view that police problems and needs have been greatly neglected, that there is inadequate appreciation of their role and burden and that they have to work in a hostile atmosphere with little public support and very limited resources. On this matter the Committee on Police Training while dealing with police efficiency had observed that "the first and foremost among the considerations is that of the morale of the police force...... Morale is dependent
on a number of factors such as terms and conditions of service, public opinion, and, additionally in the case of the police, status in the eyes of the law" (Para 3 page 30). In our view it is equally dependent upon the confidence that comes from adequate professional knowledge, competence and experience of the officer corps. We would, therefore, like the IPS officers to be able to raise the morale of their force by their ability, qualities of leadership and by observing a high standard of personal conduct.
44.12 We are of the view that the competence, confidence and morale of both the police officers and the rank and file can be built up by the following measures :—
(1) Proper recruitment to attract to the service competent persons with ability and character.
(2) Training and education to develop professional competence and expertise.
(3) Able leadership.
(4) High standards of discipline and integrity.
(5) Fair and impartial administration.
(6) Proper rewards, appreciation and punishment.
(7) Sensitive concern and respect for the people.
(8) Prompt response, courtesy and consideration by those in authority to any representation.

Some factors of concern among IPS officers
44 13 While the above observations apply to the IPS and other police officers generally, we have been able to identify the following factors' on which there

is considerable discussion and concern among IPS officers. These are—
(1) Inadequate laws and a criminal justice system that is at once too sophisticated for our society and too expensive as well as corrupt for our people.
(2) Distrust in law specially in the Evidence Act which leaves policemen with the feeling that the whole scheme of things is to ensure that they cannot legally do what they are expected to do.
(3.) Political and executive interference.
(4) Weakening of the position and the role of the Inspectors General of Police of States on account of the constantly increasing intrusion of the State Secretariat into even routine administrative decisions.
(5) Uncertainty of tenure specially on the key posts of Inspector General, Deputy Inspector General and Superintendent of Police. In recent years the changes have been too frequent to be conducive to good and stable administration.
(6) Subordination to the IAS— supremacy of the District Magistrate—dual control—initiation of annual confidential report by District Magistrate in certain States.
(7) Differences in the pay scales and career prospects between the IPS and IAS and also other services. Inadequate appreciation of the risky and arduous nature of the police service. What specially irks the IPS officers is the lower career value, lower status and lower prospects of promotion in the IPS in comparison with the IAS officers with whom the IPS officers work in the districts, State Governments and the Central Government.
(8) Cadre management of the IPS being done by the IAS officers both in the State and Central Governments, who are alleged to have consistently neglected the IPS and increased only the importance and status of the IAS.
(9) The absence of any new ideas to improve cadre management.
(10) Authoritarian approach of some senior police officers and the need for more democratic and participative functioning of the officer corps.
(11) Absence of a fair performance appraisal system and promotion policy.
(12) Frustration and problems of State Police officers promoted to the IPS. their sense of grievance due to their poor prospects of promotion into the IPS and thereafter stagnation at the lower levels in the IPS. 
(13) Shortcomings in training. Inadequate knowledge and experience of the work of SHOs and investigating officers—consequent over-dependence of IPS officers upon lower ranks of Deputy Superintendent of Police, Inspector and Sub-Inspector.
(14) Increase in paper work at all levels—lack
of adequate personal contact with both the. subordinate officials and the public.
(15) Tradition of suspicion, distrust and secrecy in personnel management. The need for a more open system which inspires confidence in the officer corps.
(16) Professionalism at a discount in the IPS and the emergence of wrong methods of advancing career objectives.
(17) Poor representation of IPS officers in policy making positions in State and Central Governments and in forums examining policy and police problems particularly those of law making, planning for urbanisation and decision-making on factors directly connected with the life and well-being of the people.
The above is about the most exhaustive list of points on which existing officers in the IPS want redress. We have recommended in our earlier reports certain remedial measures to some of these problems, while other areas are receiving our attention. However, we wish to stress that much will also depend upon the quality and commitment of all ranks. We would like to mention that some of the police officers whom we met and the IAS Association which submitted a memorandum and also met us felt that there was considerable exaggeration on a number of points and that generally speaking IAS and IPS officers get along quite well. They added that some irritants that come in the way of harmony could be removed. The IPS Association, however, laid great stress on these points and painted a grim picture of their service conditions and prospects.
44.14 We have observed that the functions of the IPS officers have not only multiplied manifold, but are becoming more complex, hard and hazardous. In our Fifth Report we have envisaged certain additional responsibilities, and for these officers many more are emerging day by day at the district level, which call for higher professional and technical skills and competence. This requires the IPS to take special measures to attract some of the ablest officers from the lower echelons and also from the outside world. This requires that the terms and conditions of this service should be comparable with those of the best services. There appears, in our view, to be no justification for the emoluments and prospects of the IPS being in any way inferior to those of the IAS
44.15 We have observed that minor improvements in the senior scale of the IPS over those of the Central Services or some improvements in the selection grade and the scale of DIG over the years did not adequately improve the career values of the service because the yawning gap with the IAS has remained. At present the country is facing such serious dangers that its very integrity and unity are threatened. We need in the IPS, men whose calibre, is not only equal to that of IAS officers but who also possess certain mental qualities, courage and higher physical standards, that are specially needed for effective police work. Therefore, in our view, the present differentials are counter-productive and it would be cost-effective for the Government to improve the quality of recruitment, emoluments and career prospects of the IPS by bringing them on par with those of the IAS.
44.16 We are making these recommendations because of the importance we attach to stability in society and therefore, to improving the calibre and performance of this most essential Service. This recommendation, we may add, flows logically from the recommendations of the Kothari Committee 'which looked into the whole question of recruitment to the non-technical Class I Services including both the IAS and the IPS. We would like those recommendations to be implemented in full, so that the best officers who are specially suited for police work are allotted to this Service and find the police career challenging and satisfying.

Recruitment to IPS
44.17 There is a feeling, both inside and outside the Service, that under the previous system of direct recruitment, the IPS did not secure its due share of the ablest young men in the country. This problem has, however, to be considered in its proper perspective. It cannot be said that this difficulty does not exist, though in varying degrees, in respect of the other public services also. To the extent to which the best talent is not being attracted by the public services in general, the problem of recruitment to the IPS is on par with that of the other services. On account of the general fall in educational standards and because of the much larger intake there has been a dilution in the quality of candidates entering the public services generally. Other avenues in the spheres of industry, business, engineering etc., now provide attractive openings which draw bright young aspirants away from the public services. From the larger point of view and in the interest of national development it cannot be said that this general unattractiveness is a calamity. It is just as well, that a fair cross-section of promising young men should go to other avocations : Sciences and Arts, Technology and Engineering, Industry and Business, Medicine and Agriculture, Universities and Research Establishments. The main point that we have to consider is whether the IPS as a service is more unattractive than the other services and, if that be so, what are the causes and how the situation can be remedied in order to recruit the best available.

The ground position
44.18 According to a study made by a Committee, set up in 1968, by the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs, of Directors General/ Inspectors General of Police, there had been a fall in the quality of candidates entering the IPS during the years 1948 to 1966. The number of those who had First class in the last degree examination prior to entering the service was 34.1% in 1948, it rose to 50.9% in 1959 and 50.7% in 1960 and then fell to 24.6% and 16.1% in the years 1965 and 1966, respectively. The number of Second class was 63.3% in 1948, declined to 45.3% and 45.2% in 1959 and 1960 and rose to 65.8% and 61.4% in the " years 1965 and 1966, The number of Third class was 2.6% in 1948, 3.8% and 4.1% in 1959 and 1960, and 9.6% and 22.5% in 1965 and 1966. As regards performance in the UPSC examination 23% obtained over 60% marks in 1948 but in the years 1965 and 1966 the number of such candidates was nil. The data for the years 1959 and 1960 was not available. The percentage of entrants who obtained more than 45% marks but less than 60% was 76.3 in 1948, 100% in 1949, 85% in 1965 and 94.4% in 1966. As regards the actual performance, the Committee, basing itself on the reports of the Inspectors General of Police, found that whereas the number of officers who were graded above average both in the years 1959 and 1960 was 50% it was 17.8% and 14% in 1965 and 1966. Comparing the educational standards of those entering the IAS it was found that the percentage of First class in the last degree examination fell from 57.6% and 54.6% in 1948 and 1949 to 34.9% and 52.9% in 1965 and 1966. The number of Second class rose from 33.3% and 45.4% in 1948 and 1949 to 58.1% and 39.9% in 1965 and 1966. The number of Third class declined from 9.1% in 1948 to 7.2% in 1966. It seems that though there had been a slight general fall in the academic standards of candidates joining the services, the fall during those years in the case of new entrants to the IPS was more than in the case of IAS. Our own study of figures reveals that the situation improved after implementation of the recommendations of the Third Pay Commission which had slightly improved the pay structure of the IPS. An analysis of the marks obtained by the 49 candidates who joined the IPS in 1978 and 54 in 1979 shows that they have performed as well as those who were selected in the IPS in the earlier years referred to by IsGP Committee.


Position
%age marks in 1978
%age marks in 1979

1st 
61.24
60.95

10th
58.10
57.62

20th 
56.67
56.38

25th 
.56.19
55.81

30th 
55.90
55.71

40th 
47.81
55.33

Last 
39.62 (55th
48.57 position)

Comparative popularity
44.19 As regards the comparative attractiveness of the various services it is found that, of late the IPS is generally given higher preference after IAS/IFS by candidates taking the combined competitive examinations. It is, however, seen that after being selected for and even after joining the IPS most candidates continue, if they arc eligible, to try for the IAS and IFS. According to the figures collected by the IsGP Committee, during the years 1962 to 1968, the number of IPS probationers who left for the IAS was 56 and of those who left for other Central Services was 15. From 1959 to 1966 the number of IPS officers who resigned was 18 out of whom 10 joined the IAS or other services. For some time now about 10 officers leave the IPS every year either during the period of training or later to join the IAS and other services. In 1978, 61 candidates were offered appointment to the IPS, but only 49 joined. In 1979, 60 were offered appointment but only 54 joined. About the comparative unpopularity of the IPS from the view point of prospective candidates in comparison with the IAS and IFS there could, therefore, be little doubt. Subsequent studies have, however, shown that after 1973 the preference for the IPS has improved due to improvement in the scales of pay of Senior Time Scale, Selection Grade and Deputy Inspector General after the Third Pay Commission. The ranking in the Combined Services Examination 1979 of officers allotted to the IPS in 1980 in the 1st, 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th and 47th position are 124, 154, 183, 211, 232 and 252. Thereafter the officers placed at positions 50, 55 and 60 belong to the Scheduled Castes etc., and their ranking are 548, 569 and 594. Thus it is seen that even the last few candidates appointed to the IPS from the open line and the Scheduled Castes are having a higher ranking in the Examination than the last few candidates allotted to other Central Services.
The position relating to the allotment to the other Central Services in 1980 is as follows :—
The Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service 136—639 
The Indian Audit and Accounts Service 123—620 
The Indian Customs & Central Excise Service 126—616 
The Indian Defence Accounts Service 143—664 
The Indian Income-tax Service 45—635
The Indian Ordnance Factories Service 166—623
The Indian Postal Service 253—663
The Indian Civil Accounts Service 243—664 
Indian Railway Traffic Service 122—653 
Indian Railway Accounts Service 133—666 
Military Land & Cantonments Service 387—668 
Indian Police Service 124—594
Yet any officer howsoever eminently suitable for the IPS would leave the service to join the IAS and IFS, if subsequently selected, only due to the better career prospects and the glamour attached to those services. In the process the IPS gets deprived of the services of some very suitable officers and those left in the service acquire a complex of being left-outs.
44.20 Of greater concern, in our view is the acute frustration the IPS officers develop within a few years of being in service. The realities of life in the IPS are not visible to many candidates when they apply for it. But soon the difficult service conditions, increasing professional hazards, lack of prestige vis-a-vis the other services, and a sense of uncertainty arising from political situations give rise to frustrations. Confrontations with Government generally turn into confrontations with the police which is the visible symbol of authority. Quite often the youth is involved in such conflicts and the hostility and feeling of
antagonism engendered during such situations are
reflected in the prejudice against the police service as a whole. There is persistent public criticism of the police and its role in society which is in contradiction to the glamour associated with some other services. We feel that a service which is thus associated with a high degree of personal risk and professional hazards, which suffers from lack of status because of the very nature of its work and which does not have within its pay structure and service conditions an adequate element of compensation cannot be expected to be popular with young men while choosing a career from among a number of avenues open to them specially when, in some services, the hazards and risks arc negligible, conditions of work are not so exacting, emoluments and benefits are greater and social status and recognition better.

Conditions of police service
44.21 While the causes of unpopularity of the IPS amongst prospective candidates relate mostly to the terms and conditions of service and the demands and requirements of police work, some of the difficulties, handicaps and drawbacks are inherent in police work. They cannot be removed but they can partially be compensated for. There are hazards and risks in police work which have to be borne. There are occasions when unpleasant action has to be taken. There are times when personal considerations have to be sacrificed for the public good. Of late, an additional factor unconnected with actual police work, is posing as a deterrent for the IPS. A feeling has gone round that police officers are liable to be made scapegoats and victims of political pulls and pressures. In this context the Committee on Police Training, 1973 had made the following observation with which we agree :—
"A change in the system of recruitment alone will not ensure, that candidates of the required calibre are attracted to the service. The testimony of the witnesses who appeared before us and the replies that we have received show that the main factors which inhibit better quality candidates from entering the IPS, are the general unpopularity of the service due to an unattractive pay structure not commensurate with the responsibilities and hazardous nature of duties, meagre promotion prospects, lack of social recognition vis-a-vis the other services and a sense of uncertainty arising from political situations." (Para 68, page 37).
44.22 These factors and the fact that the IPS officers shoulder a heavy burden and carry a great responsibility as custodians of law and order should be kept in view when considering their terms and conditions of service. To secure contentment and efficiency it is necessary to ensure that the IPS officers do not feel that they are not on par with officers of the highest services. As mentioned previously the work of the IPS officers has now become extremely complex. They require not merely physical stamina and qualities of leadership but also mental attributes and intellectual capacity of a high order. There is a dual role in modern society. While they constitute the strong arm of the law, they have also to be capable of providing the healing and soothing touch. The terms and conditions of service of the IPS officers have to be determined with these requirements in view. That is why we recommend equality in the pay scales and parity in prospects of the IPS with the IAS.
44.23 As mentioned earlier, the IPS has been given a lower preference than the IAS and IFS by many really good candidates. In actual practice, even alter joining the IPS most officers keep trying for other grade A services and leave the IPS as soon as they get an opening elsewhere; and some of those who fail in these attempts remain disgruntled. This not only leads to an all round waste and dislocation of recruitment programmes for the IPS but also, ultimately, leaves several disgruntled officers in the Service. Also, it involves considerable wastage of training effort on those who leave the IPS during and after training and the disturbance they cause to others and the service as a whole. We have come to the conclusion that the qualities and attributes expected and required of IPS officers are in the context of present day conditions and circumstances, in no way inferior to the standards required for the IAS, IFS or any other service. Therefore, there was a good case for the previous system to be changed, which has been achieved to some extent by the uniform examination introduced from 1979 on the recommendation of the Kothari Committee. The results of this change have yet to be evaluated in respect of the IPS but we are doubtful if even after this change the IPS will be able to attract its due share of the better candidates unless all the recommendations of the Kothari Committee are accepted and the IPS is brought on par with the IAS/IFS. The Kothari Committee had suggested that officers be assigned to the various services on the basis of aptitude and suitability, after the completion of the foundational course, a subsequent examination and more specialised interview to provide for individual psychological and aptitude tests. We endorse those recommendations of the Kothari Committee and more particularly that part which suggests allotment of officers to various Services on the basis of aptitude. This makes it essential that the scales and prospects of these Services should be made equal.

Direct recruitment from the Civil Services Examination
44.24 In order to provide more avenues to the various ranks in police for promotion to the IPS we recommend that direct recruitment to the IPS be reduced to 50% of the vacancies and this should continue to be made from the Civil Services Examination introduced from the year 1979. We do, however, consider it desirable to recommend the following modifications in the case of the IPS :-—
(1) The age limit for the IPS should be restricted to 21—24 years as we, are recommending a combination of institutional and on-the-job training spread over a period of 5 years, due to which the officer will be around 27—30 when he will assume charge of the post of a District Superintendent of Police. It would be difficult for an officer in the older age group to submit himself to such a rigorous training schedule as we are proposing in the next chapter on "Training and Career Development of IPS officers". 
(2) No Officer. who is selected from the IPS and accepts the offer of appointment and proceed for training, be permitted to appear at a competition for any other Service or released to join any other Service. However, this point should be settled by the officer himself who should indicate, when the offer of appointment is made, whether he wishes to compete again for other Services. In case he wishes to do so the offer of appointment should be held in abeyance and he should be allowed to make the attempt. It should be open to the candidate to accept the offer, after a year, should he so desire. In that case he would be given a place in the next batch of the IPS and he would thus lose one year of service and pay. This would save the Government from wastage of the training effort at the National Police Academy, Hyderabad and ensure that any officer who joins the IPS continues in the Service and devotes his full attention to training.

Limited competitive examination for recruitment to IPS
44.25 Earlier we have pointed out that the promotion prospects for supervisory grades into the IPS are poor and there is need in the IPS for ground level expertise. We, therefore, recommend that greater opportunities for rapid advancement should be opened for the rank and file. To enable this to happen we have suggested reducing the percentage of direct recruitment in the IPS from 662/3% to 50%. The 162/3% of the vacancies thus released from the direct recruitment quota may be filled by a limited competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission which would be open to any police officer, which would include all CPOs, in the age group 30—35 who has put in a minimum of 8 years of service. The remaining 331/3% of the promotion quota will continue to be reserved for the serving State Police Officers in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, as at present. The written examination for the limited competitive examination should be designed to include subjects relevant to police work such as Law, Criminology, Police organisation, Sociology, Psychology besides the usual General Knowledge and English. Those who qualify should be required to appear for a personality test of 300 marks and their Annual Confidential Reports should be evaluated for which 200 marks be allotted, bringing the total to 500. Thereafter, the successful competitors be required to appear before a Board for physical fitness tests carrying 200 marks.
44.26 We feel that this would provide adequate incentive and motivation to the rank and file and bring a valuable addition of grass-root experience to the IPS. The candidates successful at the limited competitive examination will be allotted to States, other than those in which they were serving before appearing for the limited competitive examination.

Promotion of departmental officers to the IPS
44.27 We recommend that departmental officers namely Deputy Superintendents of Police with 8 yearsof service in the grade and whose age does not exceed 52 years on 1st January of the year of selection may be recommended for inclusion in the IPS cadres by the UPSC. This selection would, however, be based upon the following :—
(i) A qualifying written examination to assess professional knowledge, ability to comprehend and solve practical problems and the officers' efforts to keep abreast of 
changes and developments 200 marks

(ii) Evaluation of ACRs by the UPSC assisted by 
Police Advisers including a serving IGP 500 marks

(iii) Interview by the UPSC Board . 200 marks 
(iv) Physical fitness to be assessed by a 
Selection Board through some tests 100 marks 
Total 1000 marks
The list of those who qualify shall be prepared Statewise and the officers who are promoted to IPS after 45 years of age will continue to be allotted to their respective States and given, on promotion, to the IPS, due credit for their service in the lower ranks, as at present. Those who are promoted to IPS before they have crossed the age of 45 will be allotted to other States.

Cadre structure of the IPS
44.28 Both the IAS and the IPS are constituted into State cadres and joint cadres with an in-built provision for deputation to the Central Government. In both the Services a Union Territory cadre was created under the Ministry of Home Affairs to staff posts in Delhi and other Union Territories. The Central Government, viz.. Ministry of Home Affairs plays a dominant role in the management of both the Services though the IAS is managed by the Department of Personnel and the IPS by the Police Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Before, we describe what constitutes the cadre strength, it may be stated that the cadre strengths of the IAS and IPS have increased over the years as follows:—
Year IAS IPS
1950 897 590
1956 1542 938
1961 2010 1104
1966 2575 1342
1970 3400 1791
1977 4109 2091
. (1975)
1978 4221 2438

The district posts of DMs and SPs are around 400 and about 100 posts are of Divisional Commissioners and Range DIGs. The above figures will show that the field component of the IAS has sharply declined making it principally a secretariat service. Similar trends are visible in the IPS in which also more and more desk jobs are being added to the Service. We would like to emphasise that the importance and status of field posts should not be diluted in any way but should in fact be improved in every possible manner.

Components that constitute the cadre strength
44.29 The following are the components that go to determine the cadre strength of IPS in a State :—
(1) All the posts of Superintendents of Police and above, under the State Government, are called Senior posts.
(2) Central Deputation Reserve @ 40% of (1) above.
(3) Posts to be filled by Promotion and Selection under Rule 9 of the Indian Police Service (Recruitment) Rules, 1954 @ 53-1/3% of (1) and (2) above.
(4) Posts to be filled by Direct Recruitment [(1) and (2) minus (3) above].
(5) Deputation reserve about 22% of the posts to be filled by Direct Recruitment.
(6) Leave Reserve about 5% of the posts to be filled by Direct Recruitment.
(7) Junior posts about 23% of the posts to be filled by Direct Recruitment.
(8) Training Reserve about 11% of the posts to be filled by Direct Recruitment.

In brief, the cadre strength works out to double the numbers of Senior posts. There is no indication or guideline about the internal structure of the service. The cadre strength is formalised by a High Powered Cadre Review Committee under the Cabinet Secretary which conducts a Triennial Review. This committee is required to scrutinise proposals of the States for inclusion of posts in the IPS cadre and is expected to include only those that have adequate job content. The strength of the various cadres as on 1-1-1978 is given in Appendix-I. 

44.30 Confining ourselves strictly to the comparison of the cadre structure of the IAS and IPS, we find that the number of senior posts in the IAS and IPS (not cadre strength) were 2945 and 1709 respectively as on 1-1-1978 but the pyramid of the two Services in terms of salary of officers in the two Services approximately works out as follows :-

Salary IAS IPS



3500-

61
2

3000—3250

85
7


2500—2750 .....
729
81


2000—2250

422
465


Senior Time Scale ....
1648
1154



The career prospects of the two Services are approximately as follows
Lenght of Service Salary Band in IAS Salary Band in IPS
5-13years Rs.1200-2000 Rs.1200-2000
14th year Rs.1000-2250 Rs.1800
18th year Rs.2500-2750 Rs.1800
20th year Rs.2500-2750 Rs.2000-2250
25th year Rs.3000 Rs.2000-2250
28th year Rs.3500 Rs.2000-2250
The differential in the career prospects at senior levels comes to 6—10 years between IPS and IAS officers which has led to a lot of frustration and heart-burning among the IPS officers.
44.31 There is a strong case for rationalising and improving the internal structure of the Indian Police Service and bringing it on par with the IAS in pay structure and promotion prospects. We recommend that the pay of the DIG should be the same as that of a Commissioner, of the IG the same as that an Additional Secretary in the Government of India and of the Director General the same as that of a Secretary in the Government of India. We would at the same time like to insist upon much higher standards of selection to the higher ranks in the Police. All-India selection panels for these posts should be drawn up, based upon performance in various courses, evaluation of ACRs, interview by a UPSC Board and assessment of physical fitness. This will prevent the promotion of medicore officers to higher levels and thereby assure the police of able and competent leadership. We have described this in detail in the next Chapter.
44.32 Before we make specific recommendations about the cadre structure., the following facts deserve to be placed on record :—
(1) There are 664 directly recruited Deputy Superintendents of Police and their total number including both directly recruited and promoted is 2800. They have put in varying number of years of service as Dy. SP. The total number of promotion posts is 552. It is, therefore, inevitable that some able and competent Deputy Superintendents of Police are not promoted to the IPS even on acquiring eligibility for promotion due to the structure of the service and the percentage reserved for promotion.
(2) The Central Police Organisations have a total number of 1416 posts of Class I officers out of which 269 i.e. 19%; are occupied by IPS officers and the bulk of these are in the ranks of DIsG, IsG and above. There are only 2 non-IPS I&G and 31 non-IPS DIsG and they belong to the respective CPOs.
There are now 1114 officers in the Senior Time Scale belonging to these organisations who aspire for the higher posts in the Central Police Organisations.
44.33 We would like to make the following observations and recommendations on the subject of the cadre structure of the IPS :—
(1) There is a wide variation in the promotion prospects to the level of DIG and IG of IPS officers from cadre to cadre and in comparison to the Central Police Organisations. In some States officers of 1959 batch have not become DIsG while, in others, officers of 1964 batch are occupying this post. In the same batch one officer becomes a DIG at the Centre but another in the State stagnates in the selection grade. Some officers of 1955 batch have become IsG at the Centre but some officers of 1950 batch are still working as DIsG in some States. This position, in our view, is quite unsatisfactory. There is need for uniformity of prospects within the IPS irrespective of cadres. This necessitates the creation of central selection panels for the ranks of DIG and IG. In the next chapter we have made the necessary recommendations.
(2) The various components which add up to constitute the cadre strength will need a second look in view of the recommendations that we are making. For example the training reserve may have to be enhanced.
(3) We are concerned about the alliances that develop between some IPS officers and the local interests of caste, creed etc. in then home States. Such alliances come in the way of clean and honest administration. We find that quite a few officers working in their home States lend their weight to parochialism and regionalism—something which is contrary to the interests of national integration. One of the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC), which was appointed in 1956, was that as the States were now being reorganised mainly on a linguistic basis in order to preserve the unity of India and to promote national integration, 50% of the direct recruits to the All India Services i.e. IAS and the IPS should be from outside the State. It might be recalled that at that time the promotion quota for State Service Officers was only 25%. This was later increased to 331/3 %. Further it has been the experience that in the 40% central deputation reserve those who go out of the State are mostly those who do not belong to their cadre State. This has actually resulted in a situation in which more than 70% officers in the two All India Services serving in the State are from within the State itself which has greatly reduced the impact of the recommendation of the S.R.C There is also the further consideration that in the situation as it has developed in the country today parochialism and alliances between the members of the services and the local interests on the basis of caste, creed etc., has greatly increased. In the interest of clean and impartial administration, therefore, we recommend that every direct recruit who has been recruited through either the Civil Services Examination, or through the Limited Competitive Examination, recommended by us separately, should be posted outside his own State. This, we believe, will promote the interest of national integration and clean and impartial administration, matters which have become of great concern to everybody in this country. Whilst we have recommended this system for the Indian Police Service, as we are dealing with that Service alone, we feel that it should be equally applicable to all other All India Services. Simultaneously with the adoption of this system of posting of directly recruited officers, who are posted to States other than their home States, should be provided enhanced TA facilities on the same lines as in the case of commissioned officers in the Armed Forces. This would enable these officers to reach their homes on occasions of emergency without much expenditure and inconvenience as otherwise they may be put to much avoidable hardship.
(4) Later on, in this Chapter, we are suggesting creation of two Central IPS cadres. We envisage that there should be liberal exchange of officers between the States and these two cadres, in fact every officer should do a spell of duty in a CPO cadre. At a time, however, the period of such deputation should not exceed five years. Similarly, IPS officers in the Central Cadres should do two stints in the States. As 100% of the directly recruited IPS officers belonging to various State cadres will have to serve in the Centre at least twice in their service this will have to be done on the basis of a roster ; there is no question of selecting officers after scrutiny of ACRs. It will be open to the Government of India to allot them to any CPO. This will not only help the officers to diversify their experience, it will also give to the new organisations which they join on deputation the advantage of their experience in their previous assignments. We have, however, noticed that most of the IPS officers coming on deputation from the States to. the Government of India at present are direct recruits to the IPS. We would like each and every officer promoted from the State Police Service to work in the Central Government also unless he is promoted after (the age of 48 i.e. he has less than 10 years to retire. State service officers promoted to the IPS
before the age of 48 must do a minimum of one deputation at the Centre of 3 to 5 years.
(5) We are of the view that IPS officers should be exposed to a variety of jobs in and outside the police organisation in order to broaden their outlook. There are certain jobs outside the police organisation that require the special knowledge that police officers acquire. We would like to observe that IPS officers, who receive the benefit of such postings, ought in no way, be considered superior to those who work in the field because, as we visualise it, after such experience they must go back to the field and do a better job of it than before.
(6) Field posts in the Service are not getting the importance they deserve. In our view the field posts need the ablest officers in the service and it should be made a hallmark of recognition and distinction to be selected and posted to a field charge.
(7) We recommend that the management of the
IPS cadre should be by police officers, at the Centre, through the Central Police Establishment Board and in the States by similar Boards set up under the State Security Commissions.
(8) The High Powered Cadre Review Committee has no IPS officer on it and operates more or less mechanically with little scope for going deep into the cadre increase proposals. We recommend that for purposes of expert advice two heads of CPCs should by rotation be included in this Committee, in addition to its present membership. The review is usually confined to decadering and encadering posts. The rules for this review require that at intervals of every three years the strength and composition of each cadre should be examined by the Central Government in consultation with the State Government concerned. We recommend that the Triennial Cadre Review must involve in addition to the representatives of the State concerned the IGP/DG also and go into the following matters :—
(i) Review the performance of the State police against its IPS strength and the relative management by the IPS officers of the Civil and Armed Police.
(ii) Analyse with reference to the current needs and problems of the cadre structure of the State, the Central Deputation Reserve, the Deputation Reserve, the Training Reserve, the Leave Reserve and the number of junior posts.
(iii) Formulate plans for the pattern of growth in the light of the future needs of the State police, the challenges it will have to face
and its pattern of growth. To begin with the first stage plan should be made for a I least a decade on the basis of the recommendations made from time to time in the Triennial Review.

Entry of IPS officers into Central Police Organisations
44.34 The Central Police Organisations have a role to play in maintaining and safeguarding the security and integrity of the country. The para-military forces have an intermediate position between the military and the police. There are some units like the Central Reserve Police Force which are closer to the police. There are others like the Border Security Force which are closer to the Army, The main point is that they have a unique position from which assistance, when required, can be given either to the military or to the Police. Then we have other Central Police Organisations like the Intelligence Bureau, the Research and Analysis Wing, the Central Bureau of Investigation etc. which have their own distinct role and require a high calibre of officers drawn from a variety of sources of which the police will remain the main base. We are aware of the opinions expressed in some quarters favouring the conversion of the para-military forces into either units of the Armed Forces or of the police. We do not favour either course and consider any talk of the para-military forces being turned into military units just as meaningless as the talk of converting them into police units. We will elaborate this when we deal with the 'Armed Police'.
44.35 The unique character of the para-military organisations is maintained by a delicate balance in officering, in rules and regulations and in the philosophy of their work. These organisations need officers from a wide variety of sources such as the Police, the Armed Forces, the Engineers—Civil and Electrical—the Computer Experts and other specialists We recommend that two Central IPS cadres should be constituted one for the para-military organisations like the BSF, CRPF, ITBP and the other for such organisations as the IB, CBI and RAW. We are of the view that such Central cadres can be constituted within the framework of Article 312 of the Constitution. The Constitution says that the Parliament may by law provide for the creation of one or more All India Services common to the Union and the States. The essential constitutional requirement that the All India Services should be common to the Union and the States cannot only be met but would also be desirable in respect of these two Central cadres. As we have already said each and every IPS officer of these cadres, should be sent out to various States for spells of duty on the basis of a roster while IPS officers from the States would continue to come to these organisations on mandatory deputations. Rule 3(1) of the Indian Police Service (Cadre) Rules, 1954 will, however, need to be modified. It says that, "there shall be constituted for each State or group of States an Indian Police Service Cadre''. The two Central cadres will have to be added in this Rule. We envisage three sources of recruitment in these Central cadres. The first would be direct intake of IPS officers through the Civil Services Examinations. This means the CPOs will no longer directly recruit any officer other than IPS officers coming through the U.P.S.C. The second source would be Army officers and specialists such as engineers, doctors, computer specialists etc., who would enter laterally as considered necessary from time to time. These officers will have the option to join the IPS through a process of selection. The third source would be IPS officers on deputation from the various States.
44.36 The creation of two Central cadres would throw up a large number of vacancies. We recommend that the non-IPS officers, who are at present working in these organisations, be considered for filling up the new vacancies through a special recruitment to IPS to be conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.
44.37 A demoralised leadership lacking motivation and professional expertise is bad for the police and, therefore, bad for stability in society, an essential condition for growth and development. We believe that full implementation of the recommendations we have made would provide the right kind of leadership to police which is a very essential and sizeable wing of the growing service sector of the nation. This very large service organisation which works round the clock needs a highly devoted and capable leadership in order to ensure that it renders to the people the service that is the peoples' due.