Indian Police Service (IPS)

• Cadre size: 3549 posts (direct recruitment – 70%, promotion 30%).
• The selected candidates' training ground is at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

Functions of IPS Officers

• Day-to-day duties, particularly in the areas of maintenance of public peace and order, crime prevention, investigation, and detection, collection of intelligence, VIP security, border policing, railway policing, smuggling, drug trafficking, economic offences, corruption in public life, disaster management, enforcement of socio-economic legislation, bio-diversity and protection of environmental laws etc.
• Leading and commanding the civil and armed police forces in all the states and union territories.
• Leading and commanding the Central Police Organizations like Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guard, Vigilance Organizations etc.
• Serve at managerial/policy making levels in the Ministries and Departments of Central and State governments and public sector undertakings both at centre and states, and the RAW, Government of India. 
• Required to interact and coordinate closely with the members of other All India Services and Central Civil Services and also with the Armed Forces.
• Lead/command the force with courage, uprightness, dedication and a strong sense of service to the people.
• Endeavour to inculcate in the police forces under their command such values and norms as would help them serve the people better.
• Inculcate integrity of the highest order, sensitivity to aspirations of people in a fast-changing social and economic milieu, respect for human rights, broad liberal perspective of law and justice, high standard of professionalism, physical fitness and mental alertness.

Service Hierarchy

Modern ranks and rank badges for Indian Police Officers

• State Emblem above one star above crossed sword and baton

Director, Intelligence Bureau

• State Emblem above crossed sword and baton
  Director, Central Bureau of Investigation
  Director General, Central Reserve Police Force
  Director General, Border Security Force
  Director General, Central Industrial Security Force
  Director General, Sashastra Seema Bal
  Director General, National Security Guards
  Director General, Special Protection Group
  Director General, National Police Academy
  Director General, Security
  Director General States of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and WestBengal
  Commissioner of Police, Mumbai and Delhi

• One star above crossed sword and baton
  Inspector General of Police, Other States
  Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau
  Additional Director, Central Bureau of Investigation
  Joint Director, Central Bureau of Investigation
  Commandant, Central Forensic Institute
  Director, National Police Academy
  Inspector General, Border Security Force
  Inspector General, Central Industrial Security Force
  Inspector General, Central Reserve Police
  Inspector General, Indo-Tibetan Border Police
  State Emblem above three stars in a triangle
  Inspector General of Police, Union Territories
  Other officer above selection grade

• State Emblem above two stars
  Superintendent of Police in selection grade with 13+ years of service
  State Emblem above one star
  Superintendent of Police in charge of a district
  Commandant of Battalion
  Other officer on senior time scale with between 9 and 13 years service
  State Emblem
  Other officer on senior time scale with 9 years’ service or less

• Three stars
  Assistant Superintendent in charge of sub-division
  Assistant Superintendent not in charge of sub-division with 4 years’ service or less

• Two stars
  Assistant Superintendent not in charge of sub-division with between 2 and 4 years service and not incharge of a police sub division

• One star
  Assistant Superintendent not in charge of sub-division with less than 2 years service

Ranks insignia of the State Police officers

• Three stars
  Deputy Superintendent of Police. A state police officer who is directly recruited to this rank or has come up from the lower ranks.
  Red and blue ribbon and three stars
  Inspector of Police.
  Red and blue ribbon and two stars
  Sub-Inspector of Police
  Red and blue ribbon and a star
  Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police

• Three chevrons points facing downwards
  Police Head Constable

• Two chevrons points facing downwards
  Senior Police Constable or Police Naik. His/her basic pay would be of the same scale of a head constable.

• No rank insignia
  Constable