BharatNotes ⚡ TL;DR
ASP (entry, 0–4 yr) → SP (~5 yr) → DIG (~14–16 yr) → IG (~18–20 yr) → ADG (~25 yr) → DGP (~30 yr). State DGP is the apex state police post; IPS can also be deputed to central security agencies (CBI, IB, NSG, CRPF).
IPS career ladder:
| Post | Years of Service | Pay Level | Command |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asst. Superintendent of Police (ASP) | 0–4 years | Level 10 | Sub-division police |
| Superintendent of Police (SP) | ~5 years | Level 11 | District police |
| Senior SP / Deputy IG | ~10–14 years | Level 12–13 | Range/multi-district |
| Deputy Inspector General (DIG) | ~14–16 years | Level 13A | Range HQ |
| Inspector General (IG) | ~18–20 years | Level 14 | Zone/large range |
| Additional DGP (ADG) | ~25 years | Level 15 | Specialist/force command |
| Director General of Police (DGP) | ~30 years | Level 16–17 | State police apex |
Probation and training:
- IPS probationers attend SVPNPA (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy), Hyderabad for ~44 weeks
- Foundation at LBSNAA, Mussoorie (~15 weeks, shared with IAS/IFS)
- District practical training (~1 year in allocated cadre state)
Central deputation for IPS:
- Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
- Intelligence Bureau (IB)
- Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) — via IB/CBI route
- National Security Guard (NSG)
- Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), BSF, CISF, ITBP — as senior commanders
- National Investigation Agency (NIA)
- SPG (Special Protection Group) — senior IPS on deputation
Source: IPS (Pay) Rules 2016; SVPNPA Annual Report; Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) reports; DoPT IPS cadre regulations
