After 12 years of wait, 27 JKPS officers inducted into IPS

After more than a decade, a high-level panel headed by a Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) member, approved the induction of 27 Jammu and Kashmir Police Service (JKPC) officers into the elite Indian Police Services (IPS).

Among the officers inducted into the IPS, 14 have already retired while 13 are serving. Officials said the inductions were approved at a meeting in Srinagar chaired by TCA Anant, member UPSC and attended by J&K Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta, Principal Secretary Home Shaleen Kabra, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh and two representatives of Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

For the last 12 years, no JKPS officer had been inducted into IPS which had led to stagnation and resentment among the local officers as a number of them were working as SSPs even after 22 years of service or more. The last induction of JKPS officers into IPS was conducted in 2014 and the seats were filled up to 2009.

Significantly, out of 66 IPS officers in J&K, including those who are on Central deputation presently, all are direct recruits of IPS and there is not even a single JKPS officer inducted into the IPS due to delay in inductions because of variety of reasons -- the litigations arising out of seniority disputes being one of them.

Earlier, out of a total of 147 IPS posts in J&K, 80 were reserved for direct IPS officers and 67 for JKPS, who are inducted into IPS. This was part of UPA government’s special formula for J&K under which 50 per cent posts each were reserved for direct recruits and JKPS officers.

However, after the abrogation of special status of J&K under Article 370 in August 2019, Narendra Modi government reversed the order and restored the previous formula of 67:33 bringing J&K at par with other states and union territories.

The induction of JKPS officers into IPS will lead to their promotion as DIGs, especially those who have completed mandatory service for the post, and taking into account available posts which will overcome the shortage in the rank of DIGs.

Sources said the JKPS officers, who have been inducted into the IPS, will get AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram UTs) cadre and can be posted outside J&K as well.