Process Of Applying For IPS

Step 1

The first step is to procure the “Application Form” along with “Information Brochure” from any of the “Head Post Offices or Post Offices” spread throughout the country and sent the filled Application form to: 

The Secretary
Union Public Service Commission
Dholpur House
New Delhi - 110011. 

Note:- The notification for the examination with relevant details regarding rules and syllabus is published in the month of December in the 'Employment News' / 'Rozgar Samachar' , 'Gazette of India', and in some leading Newspapers of the country.

Step 2

In the month of May or June the aspirants have to take the “Preliminary examinations”. Consisting of two papers. The papers are on:

1	General Studies	150 marks
2	Some optional subject	300 marks

The optional subject for the second paper may be chosen from the following given subjects


1 Agriculture 
2 Animal Husbandry and veterinary science
3 Botany 
4 Chemistry 
5 Civil Engineering 
6 Commerce 
7 Economics 
8 Electrical Engineering 
9 Geography 
10 Geology 
11 Indian History 
12 Law 
13 Mathematics 
14 Mechanical Engineering 
15 Philosophy 
16 Physics 
17 Political Science 
18 Psychology 
19 Public Administration 
20 Sociology 
21 Statistics 
22 Zoology

Note:- This exam is just a qualifying exam for the Final exam and scores obtained in this exam are not added to make the final result. 

Step 3

Those candidates who are declared qualified in the “Preliminary examination” are supposed to take the final exam (normally held in the month of October) having following papers

• 1 Essay type Indian Language Qualifying Paper (300 marks)
• 1 English Qualifying Paper (300 marks)
• 1 General Essay type paper (200 marks)
• 2 General Studies papers (300 marks each)
• 4 Optional subjects papers (300 marks each)

Step 4

Once you are through the final stage is the interview. The aspirants are grilled in the interview to test their personality and mental ability. Then the final list of the successful candidates is prepared and the candidates who have secured very good rank out of 400-450(approx.) top ranks are admitted to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy as IPS probationers.Where they undergo rigrous training of nearly one year in which all aspects of policing and administration are taken care of.  After completion of their training they are posted as per requirements of the Central and State Governments police  and investigative organisation. 

Being All India Services the new IPS incumbant's services are alloted to various state cadre under Cadre System. The Cadre system is alloted on a basis of lottery and the top rank holder  of each state may get a chance to get their home state if he had applied for one.

IPS officer Job Description

The IPS  officer mainly take care of the law and order, crime prevention and detection, tgraffic control and accident prvention and management etc. Beside these routine duties the other duties of an IPS officer may include VIP security, border policing, railway policing, tackling corruption in public life, counter terrorisum, checking smugling, drug trafficking and economic/cyber crimes and  help in disaster management. IPS officer can also be leading officers in intelligence agancies like RAW, IB and CBI etc or paramilitary forces like BSF and ITBP etc.  

IPS officers Job Prospects

An IPS being an All Indian Services officer works for both the Central and State Governments. He serves the State Government in various capacities ranging from an ASP at the beginning of his career to the DGP (The apex of the police force in any state). He can also serve the Central Government in various civil defense and paramilitary organizations like the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Central Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) etc. The IPS mainly takes care of law and order a responsibility shared with the IAS ; crime prevention and detection ; and traffic control and accident prevention and management.