Make conscious bid to fill vacant posts in central forces, says MHA

The ministry of home affairs has asked all states to make “a conscious attempt” to send names of Indian Police Service officers to meet the shortage at various ranks in central agencies and forces.

Every year, the ministry invites nominations of IPS officers from states for central deputation to fill up the vacancies for ranks ranging from superintendent of police to director general. Under the IPS (cadre) rules, 40% of senior duty posts in each cadre are earmarked as Central Deputation Reserve (CDR).

“However, it has been the experience that some of the states/cadres do not send sufficient number of names for central deputation. Further, many a time, the state governments send more names of Senior IPS officers, but they do not propose the names for appointment to the posts of SP to IG,” the ministry said in a letter on December 24.

“It would, therefore, be appropriate if a conscious attempt is made by the state governments to forward the names of officers for deputation in such a manner that officers of different levels/ranks are adequately and proportionately represented as well as every eligible officer gets an opportunity to serve at the Centre,” it added.

The ministry asked the states that names for 2025 should be sent “on priority basis”.

A similar request was made by the MHA in June last year. However, people familiar with the matter said, “there has been a lukewarm response from the states on nominating IPS officers for central deputation”.

According to the vacancy statement of MHA as of December 18, 2024, posts of 114 SPs, 77 DIGs, 40 IGs (inspector generals), two ADGs (additional director general) and one SDG (special director general) are lying vacant in various central agencies and forces, including the CBI, CRPF, NIA, ITBP, CISF, BSF, NSG, SSB and others.

Union minister Jitendra Singh informed the Parliament last month that there were 586 posts of IPS vacant as on January 1, 2024. There were 4,469 IPS officers working across the country against their sanctioned strength of 5,055.

“IPS officers at SP and DIG level are particularly not deputed to the Centre because there are vacancies at those ranks in the states’ as well, and then there are retirements and resignations,” said an officer, who asked not to be named.

To address the issue, the MHA has tried to take strict action against the officers who fail to join even after their names have been put on offer for central deputation.

It has adopted a policy of “debarring officers from central deputation for five years if he/she, on being selected, does not join within one month of issue of his/her appointment order, either on account of personal disinclination or on refusal by concerned state government to relieve the officer”, according to the detailed guidelines on the matter.

“Despite this, the results are not very good,” a second person cited above said.