How Much Does an IPS Officer Make? (With Ranks and Salary)

Updated 20 March 2023

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Indian Police Service (IPS) is one of the three Indian civil services. An IPS officer maintains public peace and protects law and order. While serving the nation as a civil servant is a dream job for many, knowing about the role, power and responsibilities of an IPS officer can help you decide whether this is a suitable career choice for you. In this article, we discuss "How much does an IPS officer make?", their primary duties and how to become an IPS officer.

How Much Does An IPS Officer Make?

Since the Seventh Pay Commission's recommendations, the compensation of an IPS officer in India has increased significantly. An IPS officer earns an average salary between ₹56,100 and ₹2,25,000 per month. It differs according to seniority, which decided the basic pay, TA (travel allowance), DA (dearness allowance), and HRA (house renting allowance). Together, all these components determine the pay scale of an IPS officer.

The salary of an IPS officer on the basis of rank is as follows:

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP): ₹56,100 per month
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP): ₹67,700 per month
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP): ₹78,800 per month
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP): ₹1,31,100 per month
Inspector General of Police (IGP): ₹1,44,200 per month
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP): ₹2,05,400 per month
Director General of Police (DGP): ₹2,25,000.00 per month

What Does An IPS officer Do?

The responsibilities of an IPS officer are as follows:

Lead and command the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) divisions, such as the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and National Security Guard (NSG)
Manage and control the armed police forces in all the states and union territories
Lead and supervise the Indian intelligence agencies
Serve in the research and analysis wing (RAW), ministries and departments of the central and state governments and public sector projects
Communicate and coordinate with the members of other all India services and central civil services
Maintain public peace and order
Prevent and detect crimes and manage accidents
Implementing laws at state and local levels
Provide VIP security
Prevent terrorism and protect the public
Inculcate integrity, respect for human rights, professionalism, sensitivity and alertness in the police forces

What Is The Cadre Controlling Authority Of IPS?

The police division in the Ministry of Home Affairs is the cadre controlling authority of IPS. This division has the administrative and financial control of police organisations. They handle all cadre control and policy decisions, such as cadre structure, recruitment, training, cadre allocation, confirmation, deputation, pay and allowances, disciplinary matters of IPS Officers.

How To Become An IPS Officer

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the civil services examination every year to recruit officers for the IPS. You can follow these steps to become an IPS officer:

1. Get a bachelor's degree

The minimum educational qualification for the civil service exam is a bachelor's degree. It is important to note that the graduation degree, or its equivalent, must be from a recognised university. You can pursue your bachelor's degree in any discipline of your choice. It is advisable to start preparing for the UPSC examination in the last year of your degree programme.

2. Prepare for the civil services exam

Candidates consider the UPSC civil services exam to be one of the toughest exams in the country. Many candidates are unable to clear it even after repeated attempts. Either by enrolling yourself in an academic institution or through self-study, you require dedication, focus and commitment to clear the exam. Pay special attention to the exam format, marking and subjects to perform better.

3. Apply for the UPSC exam

The UPSC conducts the examination for IPS candidate selection. The application schedule is available on the UPSC website months in advance and the entire cycle takes nearly one full year. Level one examination usually takes place in June, followed by the second level in October, and finally, the last stage takes place in March. The results are out generally in May every year and the training begins in September. Be sure to check newspapers and the official UPSC website for the exact dates and schedule, which varies every year.

4. Clear the preliminary exam

There are three levels in the UPSC exam; namely, the preliminary, main and personality tests. The exams happen sequentially and only a few select candidates proceed to levels two and three. The preliminary exam is the qualifying level exam of 400 marks. There are two mandatory papers of 200 marks each in this exam: General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II. Both the papers are objective type and the final ranking does not include the marks obtained in this exam.

5. Get through the main exam

The main exam is the second part of the UPSC exam, and it is important to pass the preliminary exam to appear for the main exam. The main exam consists of nine papers of subjective type. Paper A and Paper B are language papers and are qualifying level exams. Paper I is an essay, and Papers II, III, IV, and V are General Studies I, II, III, and IV. Paper VI and VII are Optional Paper I and Optional Paper II. The final ranking includes the marks of the mains exam.

6. Succeed in the personality test

Based on the results of the civil service mains exam, the commission conducts the personality test. The personality test is a two-month-long process and the purpose is to test the suitability of the candidate in the public service. Interviewers include the board chairperson, board members of the commission, subject matter experts, psychologists, bureaucrats, educationists, etc. The interview is worth a total of 275 marks, and there are no such official qualifying marks. The final selection of IPS officers is on the basis of marks obtained in the mains and the interview.

Eligibility Criteria Of Civil Service Exam For IPS

The eligibility condition for the civil services exam for IPS are as follows:

Nationality: For the Indian police service, a candidate must be a citizen of India.
Age limit: The minimum age limit is 21 years, and the maximum age limit is 32 years to appear in this exam. The commission gives age relaxations to certain candidates from reserved communities.
Minimum educational qualification: Candidates must hold a degree from any recognised university.
Number of attempts: A total of six attempts are permissible. The number of attempts may also vary depending on reservations for different communities.
Medical and Physical Standards: Candidates must be physically fit as per standard guidelines.

What Are The Necessary Skills Of An IPS Officer?

Some of the necessary skills of an IPS officer are as follows:

Leadership skills: Strong leadership skills are important for IPS officers to perform their duties efficiently. Since IPS officers lead and command the intelligence agencies and the civil and armed police forces in the country, excellent leadership is essential.
Communication skills: IPS officers have to communicate persuasively with authorities and administrators from several states and centres. Thus, strong good communication skills are crucial to success.
Relationship skills: Good relationship skills can help IPS officers deal effectively with their team members, colleagues, seniors and politicians.
Management skills: IPS officers manage teams and other armed forces and police organisations. They also maintain public peace and order, and good management skills can help them do their job efficiently.
Investigation skills: As investigations are a part of their duty, these skills are necessary for IPS officers. Strong investigation skills result in solving cases quickly, nabbing criminals and preventing crime.
Problem-solving skills: The job of an IPS officer may involve a lot of conflict and unforeseen public challenges. Having good problem-solving and decision-making skills can prove to be a valuable asset.

The Work Environment Of An IPS Officer

IPS officers have a taxing and challenging work environment. They usually put in long hours and may also have to report on duty on short notice, including holidays and festivals. They work on-field, travel extensively and also take care of reporting and documentation. IPS officers coordinate security between various zones and may have to work with several other officers to conduct meetings.

They regularly experience high-pressure situations and have to remain focused, attentive and vigilant when on duty. Whether it is enforcing laws, conducting investigations or ensuring the safe passage of lawmakers, all these situations have the potential for giving rise to public conflict and unrest. Furthermore, IPS officers may have to stay in remote and sensitive areas to undertake operations with high levels of threat.

Salary figures reflect data listed on the quoted websites at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.