A Glimpse into the Background of the Indian Police Service

The Indian Councils Act of 1861, enacted by the British, paved the way for the formation of a professional police bureaucracy in India. This led to the establishment of the Superior Police Services, which was later renamed as the Indian Imperial Police. The provincial police administration was headed by the Inspector General, while the districts within the provinces were overseen by Superintendents of Police. The recruitment process was predominantly nomination-based, with officers from the British Army or the younger sons of the landed gentry in the United Kingdom being appointed.

The Journey of the Indian Police Service – Key Milestones

The nomination-based recruitment system was scrapped in 1893. Instead, a combined competitive examination was introduced for the recruitment of officers to the Indian Police. The first such examination took place in London in June 1893, and the top ten candidates were appointed as probationers in the Indian Imperial Police.

During the period of 1902 – 03, a Police Commission was established under the leadership of Sir Andrew Frazer and Lord Curzon. The Commission suggested the induction of Indians at the officer level, a practice that was previously not allowed. Nevertheless, Indians could only achieve the rank of Inspector of Police and were not included in the Indian Imperial Police.

Starting from 1920, Indians were permitted to join the Indian Imperial Police and the competitive examination for the same was conducted both in London and India.

In 1907, officers of this force were instructed to display the letters “I.P” on their epaulettes to distinguish them from officers who were not recruited through the competitive exam conducted by the Secretary of State.

The term Indian Police Service was first mentioned in a report by the Islington Commission in 1917.

By 1932, the name was changed to simply Indian Police.

In 1948, in the newly independent India, the Indian Police was officially replaced by the Indian Police Service (IPS).

Also, read | A Brief History of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS)

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