New Delhi: In a move that has raised questions in administrative and legal circles, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan has written to State governments urging them to send more Indian Police Service (IPS) officers on Central deputation.
The communication seeks to fill middle- and senior-level positions in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Central Police Organisations (CPOs), even as the Supreme Court has directed the Centre to progressively reduce IPS deputation in senior ranks of CAPFs.
The deputation is aimed at staffing key positions in forces and agencies such as the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), as well as central investigative bodies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
IPS Central Deputation Row: Supreme Court’s Clear Stand on Reducing IPS Presence
The Home Secretary’s letter, sent to the States in the first week of January, comes despite a clear judicial directive. On October 28, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed a review petition filed by the Union Government challenging its earlier ruling of May 23, 2025.
In that ruling, the apex court had directed the Centre to “progressively reduce” the deputation of IPS officers in the senior administrative grade (SAG) and up to the rank of Inspector-General in the CAPFs. The court’s decision was aimed at curbing what it described as excessive IPS dominance in these forces and ensuring fair career progression for cadre officers of the CAPFs.
Existing Reservation of Senior Posts for IPS Officers
At present, IPS officers occupy a significant share of senior leadership positions in the CAPFs. As per existing norms, 20% of posts at the rank of Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) and 50% of posts at the rank of Inspector-General (IG) in the CAPFs are reserved for IPS officers.
The Supreme Court’s judgment is expected to substantially alter this structure over time. It is projected that nearly 13,000 CAPF officers could benefit from the ruling through faster promotions and reduced stagnation, a long-standing grievance within the forces.
Notably, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) acts as the cadre-controlling authority for both the IPS and the CAPFs, placing it at the centre of this policy and legal debate.
IPS Central Deputation Row: Vacancies Persist at Senior Levels in CAPFs
Despite the reservation of senior posts for IPS officers, many positions remain unfilled. As of December 23, out of 188 posts at the DIG and IG levels reserved for IPS officers across CAPFs, as many as 36 posts were lying vacant.
These vacancies are spread across forces such as the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and the SSB, adding to operational and administrative challenges within the organisations.
Emphasis on ‘Adequate Representation’ From States
In his letter, Mr. Mohan highlighted that 40% of senior duty posts in each IPS cadre are earmarked as the Central Deputation Reserve. However, he pointed out that several States and cadres fail to send an adequate number of nominations for Central deputation.
He further observed that while States sometimes forward names of senior IPS officers, they often do not propose officers for posts ranging from Superintendent of Police (SP) to Inspector-General (IG), resulting in skewed representation.
“It would, therefore, be appropriate if a conscious attempt is made by the State governments to forward the nominations of officers for deputation in such a manner that officers of different levels/ranks are adequately and proportionately represented, as well as every eligible officer gets an opportunity to serve at the Centre,” the letter stated.
IPS Central Deputation Row: States Accused of Withdrawing or Delaying Deputations
The Home Secretary’s letter also flagged concerns over States withdrawing officers after their selection or delaying their relief. According to the Centre, such actions severely disrupt cadre management and delay postings at the Central level.
“Sometimes State governments withdraw the names of the officers from offer, subsequent to their selection to a post or do not relieve them for taking up the assignment at the Centre consequent upon their selection. This results in considerable delay in placement of officers at the Centre and adversely impacts the entire process of selection, deputation and cadre management,” the letter noted.
Five-Year Debarment Policy Reiterated
Mr. Mohan reiterated that the Government of India has been strictly following a policy of debarring IPS officers from Central deputation for five years if they fail to join within one month of the issuance of their appointment order.
This debarment applies whether the delay is due to the officer’s personal unwillingness or the refusal of the concerned State government to relieve the officer in time.
Tension Between Judicial Direction and Administrative Practice
The latest communication underscores an emerging tension between the Supreme Court’s directive to reduce IPS deputation in CAPFs and the Centre’s insistence on filling reserved posts with IPS officers. While the government argues that vacancies are affecting operational efficiency, CAPF officers see the court’s ruling as a long-awaited corrective step toward career parity and institutional autonomy.
How the Centre balances judicial compliance with administrative requirements is expected to shape the future leadership structure of India’s central police forces.
