Some candidates choose IPS over IAS. Why?

Most of the aspirants in the  UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) prefer IAS over IPS and IFS. However, there are always some candidates who select  IPS over IAS as their first preference. It is because there are certain attractions in IPS which other civil services cannot provide. The following are the main reasons or attraction to select IPS over IAS.

IPS Over IAS. Why?

1. IPS Uniform

 IPS is a Uniform Force Service. An IAS officer or the officers of any other civil service are like anyone else cannot be recognized unless someone introduces them to you. However, an IPS officer is immediately identified by his/her uniform. How smart and beautiful an IPS officer looks like in his uniform? A smart IPS officer stand unique in the crowd from his/her body language and smartness.

2. Specialization

The best part of IAS is the variety of tasks /posts assigned to this job. Although, it also produces an IAS officer jack of all trades and master of none. Maybe in the agriculture department today as a secretary, head the revenue department tomorrow and may be transferred to the department of minority affairs the next day. They hardly spend ample time at any single charge to develop a specialization. Thus they lose to know much less than the officers who are working under them. Most services see IAS officers come from outside and intrudes in the main administration domain.

An IPS officer specializes in police administration and investigation. IPS officers build a brand identity of efficiency and expertise in his chosen field and respected by everyone. The organizations like CBI, IB, and RAW directly monitored by the Prime Ministers Office. CBI, IB, and RAW are always headed by IPS officers. As per the current scenario, National Security Adviser to Prime Minister is a most powerful bureaucrat in the country which is always headed by a senior most IPS officer expert in security measures

3. IPS Officer Power

IPS officers enjoy immense power directly. There is no one who can take conflict even with low ranking police officers. They have plentiful discretionary power and they can put any person including a senior IAS official into trouble. The CBI which is almost exclusively manned at the senior level by IPS officer can arrest anyone including Ministers and IAS officers. IPS officers have power over every citizen of the country including other officers.

4. Job Satisfaction: IPS Vs IAS

The police administration job provides great job satisfaction since you are directly dealing with the public. When you apprehend a criminal or an anti-social element, you are curing the society of an illness. An honest police officer bags the affection and admiration of the people who are suffering at the hands of the powerful and rich people. In IAS, your contribution is indirect except in the District Collector post. The satisfaction is greatest as an IPS officer. I know some IPS officers who are so much afraid by the antisocial elements that they would leave the town no sooner the officer is posted there.

Also read: Salary of an IAS Officer after 7th Pay Commission

5. Visibility: IPS over IAS

 The most visible service in the group of Civil Service is Indian  Police Service. You can’t move even a small distance in a city without facing a police officer on the road. There is nothing will be a matter how high you may be, you have to deal with a police officer when you have some problem arising. While hardly anyone knows who is the Chief Secretary of the State but even common people may very well know the particular Police Commissioner or the Director General of Police.

6. Social Importance: IAS Vs IPS

No society can be peaceful or prosperous if the law and order situation of the state or country vulnerable. A single crime like rape and murder can disturb the conscience of the society, state, and nation. While it may not be a serious issue if revenue targets are missed by a few hundreds of crores or a project is suspended for a couple of years. Our constitution guarantees the protection of life and property of Citizen by Article 20 &21. So it will be s very serious issue if an innocent girl attacked in the city. Who can forget the Delhi Gang rape case of 2012 which shaken the country?

7. IPS Glamour

Police are the public face of the real power of government. You would seldom see any IAS, IRS or IFS or any other officer in the cinema. However, almost all movie has a police officer as a  powerful character. You cannot be a megastar unless you did play the role of a dashing police officer in a picture. They may be hated or loved,  but they cannot be ignored by anyone. T Singham, Dabangg are such examples of glamorization of the police officer as a Superman.

 8. Public Adulation

The common people of India thinking the real state power with police and treat the police as above the rest. I recalled a small story which I read several years ago in a national daily.

An old lady  was fighting for  land dispute case for several years. Finally, the pronounced the verdict  in her favour from the Court.

The old woman got extremely cheerful and she blessed the Judge: “May God make you a Thanedar (Police Inspector) soon!”

If a police inspector is a place to be so high in the eyes and heart of the common man, then imagine the place of an IPS officer whom dozens of such officer report? This would be surely beyond their comprehension.

You certainly miss a lot when you choose IAS over IPS.