IPS Exam

Indian Police Service Exam

What is IPS Exam?

The Indian Police Service (IPS) is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India. The IPS was formed in the year 1948. The cadre controlling authority for the IPS is the Ministry of Home Affairs.

IPS Exam

The Indian Police Service examination is a part of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) which is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) each year.

IPS Officer

An IPS (Indian Police Service) officer carries out his/her responsibilities by

  • An IPS (Indian Police Service) officer carries out his/her responsibilities by safeguarding public
  • IPS Officer serves for the state & central as well. Their primary duty is to maintain peace among public
  • The IPS gives more importance to law and order, which, at the district level, is a collective responsibility of IPS and IAS officers; detecting and preventing crime; and traffic control, preventing drug, accident prevention, and management etc.
  • Their main role is to lead and commanding the Indian Intelligence Agencies like Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) etc., Indian Federal Law Enforcement Agencies, Civil and Armed Police Forces in all the states and union territories

Branches in IPS

In order to fulfil these functions efficiently, responsibly and systematically, the IPS service is divided into various functional departments such as Crime Branch, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Home Guards, Traffic Bureau.

IPS Exam Highlights 

The Indian Police Service (IPS) selection will be made through the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conduct by the UPSC along with more than 20 services. The application process and selection process is common for all the services. Approximately, over eight lakh candidates apply for the IPS exam every year. 

The selection process for the IPS includes the preliminary, main examination and an interview/personality test. Every year, the selection process will begin in the month of June with Preliminary and conclude in April.

The final merit list for the CSE will be released in May.

Exam Civil Services Examination
Exam level National
Organising body Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam type  Pen and paper-based (offline)
Number of services  24
Number of attempts  6 attempts
Number of Vacancies  Approximately 800
Expected registration Approximately 8 lakh

IPS Exam 2024 Important Dates  

The UPSC released the Civil Services Examination (CSE) notification on 14 February, 2024. Candidates can apply for the examination until 05 March, 2024. The CSE Preliminary Exam will be held on 26 May, 2024 and the IPS Main Exam will be held from 20 September, 2024 Onwards (5 Days).

Civil Services Examination (CSE) notification  14 February, 2024
IPS online application form 14 February to 05 March, 2024
IPS Preliminary admit card 2024 3rd week of May 
IPS exam date 2024 26 May, 2024
IPS Preliminary result  August 2024
IPS Main exam date  20, 21, 22, 28 & 29 September, 2024 (5 days)
IPS Main exam result  October 2024
IPS personality test/ interview  November 2024
IPS final result  December 2024

 


  • Main Syllabus

     
  • Prelims Syllabus

     

Eligibility Criteria

  1. Physical criteria:

    The physical criteria for eligibility of the IPS officer is as follows:

    Minimum HeightMen - 165cm                   Women - 150cm

    Relaxable minimum height is 160cm (men) and 145cm (women) for candidates belonging to ST and races such as Gorkhas, Garhwalias, Assamese, Kumaonis, Nagaland Tribals, etc.

    Minimum Chest Girth - Men/Women: 84cm 79cm

    Myopia (including cylinder) should not exceed minus 4.00D

    Hypermyopia (including cylinder) should not exceed plus 4.00D

    • The presence of Squint is a disqualification
    • Spectacles are permitted
    • Distant vision for better eye(Corrected Vision) should be 6/6 or 6/9
    • Distant vision for the worse eye(Uncorrected Vision) should be 6/12 or 6/9
    • Near vision should be J1 and J2 respectively
    • High grade color vision is required and Binocular vision is needed
  2. Nationality:

    Nationality of a candidate must be either of the following:

    • Citizen of India
    • Subject of Nepal
    • Subject of Bhutan
    • A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962 for permanent settlement in India.
    • Migrant from any of the following countries for permanently settling in India:

    Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam

  3. Education qualification:

    A candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree from any of the universities recognised by the UGC or possess an equivalent qualification.

  4. Age limit:

    Candidate should fulfill the age limits mentioned below:

    • Minimum age 21 years
    • Maximum age 32 years as on 1st of August in the year of examination.

    Relaxable age limit is as follows:

    • Up to max. 5 years for SC/ST candidates.
    • Up to max. 3 years for OBC candidates.
    • Up to max. 5 years for a candidate from the State of Jammu & Kashmir
    • Up to max. 5 years for Defence Services personnel
    • Up to max. 5 years for Ex-servicemen including Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service and have been released.
    • Up to max. 5 years for ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of 5 years of Military Service.
    • Up to max. 10 years for Blind, deaf-mute and Orthopaedically handicapped persons
  5. Number of atempts:

    Restriction on the maximum number of attempts is effective since 1984:

    • For General Candidates: 6 attempts (Up to 32 Years)
    • Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Candidates (SC/ST): No Limits (Up to 37 Years)
    • Other Backward Classes (OBC): 9 attempts (Up to 35 Years)
    • Physically handicapped- 9 attempts for general and OBC, while unlimited for SC/ST

Roles and Responsibilities

  • To fulfill duties based on border responsibilities, in the areas of maintenance of public peace and order, crime prevention, investigation, and finding, collecting of intelligence reports, taking care of VIP security, counter-terrorism, border patroling, railway policing, working towards preventing smuggling, drug trafficking, economic offences, corruption, playing a key role in disaster management, enforcement of socio-economic legislation, bio-diversity and defending of environmental laws etc.
  • Exchanging information with the Indian Intelligence Agencies like R&AW, IB, CID, CBI
  • Leading the Central Armed Police Force (CRPF) and being in touch with them on a regular basis
  • Interact and coordinate with the Indian Revenue services (IRS), Indian Armed forces, primarily with the Indian Army
  • Serve the people of the country with full integrity, honesty and whole hearted dedication

Latest Updates

IPS 2022 Exam Dates Announced

The UPSC has released the Indian Police Service (IPS) 2022 exam dates. The IPS Preliminary 2022 will be conducted on June 5. The Commission has also released the tentative dates for all the examinations or recruitment tests in 2022 along with the date of notification, last date to receipt of online applications. 

The IPS Prelims 2021 will be conducted on October 10. 

16 August 2021
IPS Preliminary Exam 2021 Postponed

The UPSC has postponed the IPS Preliminary exam scheduled on June 27 due to the second wave of the Coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic. The Commission is likely to conduct the IPS preliminary exam on October 10, 2021.

The official notice reads, "Due to the prevailing conditions caused by the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19), the Union Public Service Commission has deferred the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2021, which was scheduled to be held on 27th June, 2021. Now, this Examination will be held on 10th October, 2021."

14 May 2021
IPS Interview 2021 Dates Announced

The UPSC has released the IPS interview dates 2021. Candidates who have passed with flying colours in the Mains exam were shortlisted for the final phase of the exam, i.e., interview. Candidates can check the interview dates published on the official website. 

The Commission will be conducting the IPS interview between April 26 and June 18, 2021. It will release the e-summons letters of personality tests (interviews) of the candidates will be available soon on the official website. The air tickets will be reimbursed booked through the Airlines or travel agents. 

7 April 2021
UPSC To Close IPS 2021 Application Window

The UPSC will close the IPS 2021 application form today. i.e., March 24. Candidates are advised to visit the official website to complete the IPS exam 2021 registration process.

The Commission will be conducting the IPS Prelims exam 2021 on June 27. The admit card of the Prelims exam will be available on the official site in May 2021. 

24 March 2021
UPSC Releases IPS Mains Result 2020

The UPSC has released the IPS Mains Exam 2020 result on March 23, 2021. Candidates who have appeared for the IPS Mains examination conducted between January 8 and 17 can visit the official website to check the result. 

The UPSC has released the list of candidates shortlisted for the personality test (PT)/ interview. The Commission is likely to begin the interview process in the last week of April. The shortlisted candidates are required to fill up the attestation form online and submit the same online till April 5, 2021.  

23 March 2021
IPS 2021 Prelims Will Be Held On June 27
UPSC Releases IPS 2019 Reserve List
IPS Result 2019 Revised List Released
IPS Mains Admit Card 2020 Released
IPS Mains 2020 DAF-I Application Form Link Activated
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