New Delhi (14.01.2025): Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan (IAS: 1989: SK) has written to states to send more Indian Police Service (IPS) officers on Central deputation to fill middle to senior positions in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Central Police Organisations (CPOs). This includes Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
The letter was sent in the first week of January despite the Supreme Court on October 28, 2025, dismissed a review petition of the Centre against the court’s May 23, 2025 ruling to “progressively reduce” the deputation of IPS officers in the senior administrative grade (SAG) or up to the rank of Inspector-General in the CAPFs.
At present, 20 per cent posts in the rank of Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) and 50 per cent posts in the rank of Inspector-General (IG) in the CAPFs are reserved for IPS officers. The court’s decision is meant to significantly reduce the IPS dominance in the CAPFs. Around 13,000 CAPF officers are likely to benefit from the judgment, leading to faster promotions and overcoming issues of stagnation. The Ministry of Home Affairs is the cadre-controlling authority of both the CAPFs and the IPS.
As on December 23, out of the 188 posts at the DIG/IG level that are reserved for IPS officers in the CAPFs such as BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and the SSB, 36 posts are vacant. The letter by the Home Secretary stated that 40 per cent of senior duty posts in each cadre are earmarked as Central Deputation Reserve. “However, it has been the experience that some of the States/cadres do not send a sufficient number of nominations for Central deputation.
