The Union Public Service Commission administers the Civil Services Examination (CSE) to recruit candidates for India’s civil services, which include the IAS, IPS, IFS, and other allied services. Every year, lakhs of applicants apply for the UPSC IPS exam. To join the elite Indian Police Service, aspirants must pass the UPSC CSE Examination.
In all aspects, the exam’s structure is quite simple. Students’ knowledge in a wide range of topics is evaluated on the IPS Exam. The candidates must also succeed in the interview. Candidates must pass a physical examination that includes height and chest measurements.
Candidates must also show off their physical prowess. The applicant must finish any basic training programs and courses specified by the commission. The Commission only then deemed the candidate qualified to become a full-fledged officer in the Indian Police Service. As a result, there are three steps in the selection process for Indian Police Service officers:
| Abbreviation | UPSC |
| Type | Government Recruitment Body |
| Division | Indian Police Service or IPS |
| Purpose | Recruitment of Police Personnel (and other such positions) |
| Location | Dholpur House, New Delhi |
| Chairman | Shri Pradeep Kumar Joshi |
| Founding Date | 01.10.1926 |
| First Chairman | Sir Ross Barker |
| UPSC Official Website | Website Link |
| Particulars | Elaboration |
| Exam Name | UPSC IPS 2023 |
| Full-Form | Indian Police Service Examination |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Once a Year |
| Exam Division | 3 Levels |
| Exam Mode | Offline Mode (Pen & Paper based) |
| Exam Duration | 2 Hours |
| Number of Services | 24 |
| Number of Attempts | 6 |
| Number of Vacancies | 200 (Approx.) |
| Helpdesk Number | 011-23098543 |
| Official Website | www.upsc.gov.in |
The Indian Police Service Exam 2023 test schedules are now available. On February 1st, 2023, the UPSC announced the Civil Services Examination (CSE) announcement. Candidates have until February 21, 2023, to submit applications for the test. The IPS Main Exam will occur on September 15, 2023, while the CSE Preliminary Exam will occur on May 28, 2023.
| Important Events | Dates |
| IPS 2023 Notification | 1st February 2023 |
| IPS 2023 Application Process | 1st February 2023 |
| IPS 2023 Prelims Admit Card | May 2023 (3rd Week) |
| IPS 2023 Preliminary Exam Date | 28th May 2023 |
| IPS 2023 Preliminary Result | August 2023 |
| IPS 2023 Main Exam Date | 15th September 2023 (5 days) |
| IPS 2023 Main Result | October 2023 |
| IPS 2023 Interview/ Physical Screening Test (PST) | November 2023 |
| IPS 2023 Final Result | December 2023 |
Although the number of open police positions for 2023 has not yet been disclosed, 200+ positions are still anticipated to be filled. The Indian Police Services’ vacancy breakdown by year is as follows:
| Year | Number of Vacancies |
| 2021 | 200 |
| 2020 | 200 |
| 2019 | 150 |
| 2018 | 150 |
| 2017 | 150 |
| 2016 | 150 |
| 2015 | 150 |
| 2014 | 150 |
| 2013 | 150 |
The Board stipulates that applicants for certain posts must be graduates. The following are the educational prerequisites for the IPS exam:
According to the UPSC, the applicant must be between the ages of 21 and 32. The applicant must have been born before August 2, 1991, as a result. Any applicant who falls within this age range is eligible to apply for the Indian Police Service Exam 2023, according to the Board.
The minimum age requirement for the IPS Exam is 21, while the maximum age requirement varies depending on the candidate category. The maximum age restriction and age relaxation for various categories are listed in the table below.
| Category | Maximum Age Limit |
| General | 32 years |
| OBC | 35 years |
| SC/ST | 37 years |
Age Relaxation
| Category | Age Relaxation |
| OBC | 3 years |
| SC/ST | 5 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 5 years |
| A person with a benchmark disability (such as someone who is blind or hard of hearing) | 10 years |
Since 1984, the maximum number of attempts has been limited:
| Category | Age Limit | Number of Attempts |
| General | 32 years | 7 |
| OBC | 35 years | 9 |
| SC/ST | 37 years | No Limit |
Candidates who satisfy the physical standards must take the IPS exam’s preliminary test. Those who complete the physical testing will be eligible for a personal interview. The following list includes the IPS Physical eligibility requirements:
The UPSC IPS medical examination will determine a candidate’s suitability. It calls for the following medical criteria to be accomplished:
| Age Limit | Blood Pressure (Maximum) |
| 23 | 123 |
| 24 | 124 |
| 25 | 122 |
| 28 | 124 |
| 30 | 125 |
| 32 | 126 |
| 34 | 127 |
One of the most prestigious exams in the nation is the one for the Indian Police Service. Each year, thousands of students submit applications to appear for the exams for various jobs in the Indian police force. Males and females are both qualified for the post. Of course, they must be citizens of both the state and the nation. Applicants must be qualified for the IPS as well as interested in applying. On the UPSC’s official website, applicants may complete the application.
Every year, the UPSC announces the application for the IPS test. Interested applicants can fill out the UPSC application on the official website. On February 1st, 2023, the commission made the IPS 2023 application form available. UPSC also makes the DAF or the Mains application form available for individuals who pass the preliminary examinations.
The straightforward procedures a candidate must take in order to sign up for the IPS Exam 2023 are listed below.
Step 1: Visit the official website of the Union Public Service Commission, upsc.gov.in.
Step 2: After that, the candidates must register. They should also create a profile on the website by providing details about the person.
Step 3: The candidate need to create a login ID and password. The website will then prompt them to log into their accounts.
Step 4: After you click the link, the website directs you to the online application page.
Step 5: The applicant would have to complete all the blanks. It could contain information like the candidate’s name, residence, level of education, and contact information.
Step 6: The candidate must then scan the required paperwork. They then have to upload them on the website.
Step 7: A new website with payment options will be provided to the candidate.
Step 8: The candidate must click the submit button after finalising the procedure and choosing a payment method.
Step 9: After all procedures have been finished, the applicant must download the page. They should also print it out and store the paperwork for later use.
Step 10: The candidates will then be notified by phone and mail that the process has been completed.
Note: This registration, however, is only for the preliminary exam. Therefore, successful applicants will need to finish the Mains form later. Additionally, they must state on the application that they want to join the IPS.
In 2023, applicants who want to join the Indian Police Service must pay an application fee. They can either do this while they complete the application or later. Depending on the candidate, different application fees apply.
In its Notification, the UPSC disclosed information on the cost of applications. To help you get a better idea, we have given the cost structure in the following section.
| Category | Male | Female |
| General | 100 | Nil |
| SC/ST/PwD | Nil | Nil |
The formal document, the admit card, will only be given to students who enrolled on or before the deadline. Only students who have their IPS Admit Card 2023 with them will be permitted to take the exam. The admit card will be made available to the students online by the authorized authorities, the UPSC. Without this e-admission certificate, the candidate’s admittance will be restricted.
The process to obtain the UPSC IFoS admit card is as follows:
The pupils should be familiar with the precise information on the admission card for scrutiny. The following details will be displayed on the hall ticket:
To adequately prepare for a test, hopefuls must be familiar with the exam’s curriculum. The necessary curriculum for preparing for the IPS Exam (Prelims and Mains) is provided here.
IPS Mains Examination Syllabus: Paper I
IPS Mains Examination Syllabus: Paper II
IPS Mains Examination Syllabus: Paper-III
IPS Mains Examination Syllabus: Paper-IV
IPS Mains Examination Syllabus: Paper-V
IPS Mains Examination Syllabus: Paper-VI and Paper-VII
The following is a list of the elective subjects available to candidates for Papers VI and VII. The candidate may choose any of the subjects listed below.
| Serial No. | Subject |
| 1. | Agriculture |
| 2. | Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
| 3. | Anthropology |
| 4. | Botany |
| 5. | Chemistry |
| 6. | Civil Engineering |
| 7. | Commerce and Accountancy |
| 8. | Economics |
| 9. | Electrical Engineering |
| 10. | Geography |
| 11. | Geology |
| 12. | History |
| 13. | Law |
| 14. | Management |
| 15. | Mathematics |
| 16. | Mechanical Engineering |
| 17. | Medical Science |
| 18. | Philosophy |
| 19. | Physics |
| 20. | Political Science and International Relations |
| 21. | Psychology |
| 22. | Public Administration |
| 23. | Sociology |
| 24. | Statistics |
| 25. | Zoology |
| 26. | Literature of any one of the following languages: Assamese, Bodo, Bengali, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Kashmiri, Manipuri, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Santhali, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu |
The IPS Exam format is intended to evaluate applicants’ general intellectual and comprehension abilities. Prelims, Mains, and Interviews are the three phases of the IPS test. Applicants must know the exam format to develop a tactical plan to achieve high scores in each test stage. The IPS paper pattern for each level is listed below.
General Studies-1 and General Studies-2 (CSAT) are the two papers that make up the IPS Exam for Preliminaries.
The following describes the IPS Prelims test 2023 test format:
| Particulars | Elaboration |
| Exam Stage | Preliminary |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Number of Papers | 2 |
| Type of Questions | MCQ |
| Total Marks | 400 Marks (200 for each) |
| Negative Marking Criteria | Applicable for Wrong answers |
| Exam Duration | 2 Hours |
| Language of Question Paper | Hindi English |
For the IPS prelims, the section-wise exam format is as follows:
| Paper | Name | Exam Type | Marks | Duration |
| Paper I | General Studies | Merit-based | 200 | 2 Hours |
| Paper II | Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT) | Qualifying (Minimum 33%) | 200 | 2 Hours |
Therefore, there are 400 total marks awarded by UPSC for the Prelims exam.
Note: The applicants must show up for both of the preliminary exam’s papers.
The IPS Mains Exam 2023 will follow the following format:
| Particulars | Elaboration |
| Exam Stage | Mains |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Number of Papers | 9 |
| Type of Questions | Subjective (Written) |
| Sub Total | 1750 (Written) |
| Grand Total | 2025 (Including Personality Test) |
| Negative Marking Criteria | Applicable for Wrong answers |
| Exam Duration | 3 Hours |
| Language of Question Paper | Hindi English |
| Paper | Subject | Exam type | Duration | Total Marks |
| Paper A | Mandatory Indian Language | Qualifying (minimum 25%) | 3 hours | 300 |
| Paper B | English | Qualifying (minimum 25%) | 3 hours | 300 |
| Paper I | Essay | Merit-based | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper II | General Studies-I | Merit-based | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper III | General Studies -II | Merit-based | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper IV | General Studies -III | Merit-based | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper V | General Studies -IV | Merit-based | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper VI | Optional Subject – Paper 1 | Merit-based | 3 hours | 250 |
| Paper VII | Optional Subject – Paper 2 | Merit-based | 3 hours | 250 |
The candidate’s admit card will list the designated Exam Centres for the IPS Recruitment 2023. It is advised that applicants carefully read the instructions before selecting the examination centres that are closest to them. Candidates must follow all applicable instructions and bring the relevant paperwork to the testing locations.
Candidates should be aware that the UPSC Authority has the authority to choose any testing location for a candidate. However, the candidates typically get the testing locations of their choice. Candidates will learn their exam locations after getting their admission cards from the official website. Here, all testing locations are listed with their state and union territory. Additionally, we have taken into consideration the new testing locations and various rules for the IPS Recruitment Examination 2023.
The UPSC Authority often adheres to certain regulations while choosing test locations for applicants. The authorities is adhering to the identical kinds of rules for the IPS Recruitment Examination 2023. The guidelines for choosing an exam centre are shown below:
All of the IPS Recruitment test locations in India are listed in this table. All applicants are encouraged to look at the examination venues and pick the one that works best for them. The following table includes information about the testing locations.
| Particulars | Elaboration |
| State/Union Territory | IPS Recruitment Exam Centres |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Port Blair |
| Andhra Pradesh | Anantapur, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Vishakhapatnam |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
| Assam | Dispur, Jorhat |
| Bihar | Gaya, Patna |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
| Chattisgarh | Bilaspur, Raipur |
| Delhi | Delhi |
| Goa | Panaji |
| Gujarat | Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat |
| Haryana | Faridabad, Gurgaon |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu, Srinagar |
| Karnataka | Bangalore, Dharwad, Mysore |
| Kerala | Kozhikode (Calicut), Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur |
| Meghalaya | Shillong |
| Maharashtra | Aurangabad, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Nasik, Pune, Thane |
| Manipur | Imphal |
| Mizoram | Aizawl |
| Nagaland | Kohima |
| Odisha | Cuttack, Sambalpur |
| Puducherry | Puducherry |
| Punjab | Ludhiana |
| Rajasthan | Ajmer, Jaipur, jodhpur, Udaipur |
| Sikkim | Gangtok |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Vellore |
| Telangana | Hyderabad, Warangal |
| Tripura | Agartala |
| Uttar Pradesh | Agra, Allahabad, Aligarh, Bareilly, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Varanasi |
| Uttarakhand | Almora, Dehradun, Srinagar |
| West Bengal | Kolkata, Siliguri |
The UPSC Authority played a key role in designating a few additional testing locations with the release of the exam dates. The convenience and comfort of the applicants for the IPS Examination are the main goals of these new centres. The list of the new testing locations is provided in the sentence that follows.
| State/ Union Territory | UPSC IPS Exam Centre |
| Himachal Pradesh | Dharamshala, Mandi |
| Uttarakhand | Almora, Srinagar |
| Maharashtra | Nasik |
| Gujarat | Surat |
Those who pass the preliminary exam will be invited to the next round, the mains. The following is a list of test locations for the IPS Mains level exam in 2023:
The UPSC Examination Authority would notify the applicants of their designated testing locations well in advance. By paying attention to the following elements, applicants might learn which IPS Recruitment 2023 examination centres have been allotted to them: –
Required Documents for the IPS Recruitment Exam
The candidate to the testing location must bring the following papers.
The candidate must adhere to a number of regulations set out by their exam centre. The recommendations are as follows:
The list below will allow the applicant to determine what the anticipated IPS Cut Off is. The following cut-offs from past UPSC exams were used to create the list:
| Category | Prelims Cut-off (Expected) | Mains Cut-off (Expected) | Final Cut-off (Expected) |
| General | 96-98 | 749 | 964 |
| OBC | 93-97 | 720 | 928 |
| SC | 80-84 | 708 | 901 |
| ST | 76-79 | 702 | 896 |
| EWS | 88-92 | 693 | 912 |
| PWD | 40-62 | 380 to 680 | 657 to 893 |
The UPSC usually releases the Indian Police Service Exam result within a few months from the examination date. There is no fixed date regarding the release of the results. However, after analyzing the pattern of the last two years, candidates can expect the result to come out within 2-3 months.
The UPSC will release the results on the official website of the Union Public Service Commission. The UPSC will release the result as a PDF where the roll numbers of the selected candidates are available.
IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS are the four primary positions in the Indian government for which UPSC CSE seeks candidates. The second most sought-after service in India is IPS, which stands for Indian Police Services. The IPS officer grades and requirements for advancement to the top rank in the Indian Police Service are shown below.
The beginning monthly wage for IPS officers in India is Rs 56,100 (DA, HRA, etc. are additional). This follows the 7th Pay Commission’s advice. The table below shows the salaries for IPS officers according to their ranks.
| Designation or IPS rank in State Police/Central Police Force | Salary as per 7th Pay Commission |
| Director-General of Police | 2,25,000.00 INR |
| Additional Director General of Police | 2,05,400.00 INR |
| Inspector-General of Police | 1,44,200.00 INR |
| Deputy Inspector General of Police | 1,31,100.00 INR |
| Senior Superintendent of Police | 78,800.00 INR |
| Additional Superintendent of Police | 67,700.00 INR |
| Deputy Superintendent of Police | 56,100.00 INR |
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) oversees the Indian Police Service. The following are the functions and duties of the IPS officers:
The state cadres in which the officers recruited or promoted from state police forces remain unaffected. The Civil Services Exam (IPS) cadre is assigned to successful applicants according to their rank, the number of open positions, and their choices. Before this, applicants for the IPS test had to fill out a state-by-state preference list in the Cadre Allocation Policy 2008 document. However, the cadre distribution strategy for IPS officers has been modified recently.
The new cadre policy for All India Services has been in effect since UPSC CSE 2017. It attempts to improve national integration, rationalize vacancies, and boost administrative effectiveness. The IPS cadres are now divided into five zones.
| Zone | Number of Cadres | IPS Cadres |
| I | 7 | AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and UTs) Jammu and Kashmir Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand Punjab Rajasthan Haryana |
| II | 4 | Uttar Pradesh Bihar Jharkhand Odisha |
| III | 4 | Gujarat Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh |
| IV | 6 | West Bengal Sikkim Assam-Meghalaya Manipur Tripura Nagaland |
| V | 5 | AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and UTs) Jammu and Kashmir Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand Punjab Rajasthan Haryana |
There are roughly two years of training or a probationary period for new IPS officers. All new UPSC CSE recruits must complete the three-month-long Foundation Course first section. The IPS probationers attend the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), Hyderabad, after completing the foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie.
The many indoor and outdoor subjects for IPS officers, aside from district training, are:
| Outdoor subjects | Marks Allotted |
| Drill (comprising Ceremonial Drill and Sword Drill) | 100 |
| Drill (comprising Ceremonial Drill and Sword Drill) | 80 |
| Equitation | 40 |
| Field Craft Tactics and Map Reading | 200 |
| First Aid and Ambulance Drill | 20 |
| Physical Fitness | 80 |
| Swimming | 25 |
| Unarmed Combat | 30 |
| Yoga | 25 |
| Indoor subjects | Marks Allotted |
| Police in Modern India | 75 |
| Indian Evidence Act, 1872 | 100 |
| Indian Penal Code, 1860 | 100 |
| Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 | 100 |
| Special Laws | 50 |
| Crime Prevention & Criminology | 75 |
| Investigation-I | 75 |
| Investigation -II | 75 |
| Forensic Medicine | 50 |
| Forensic Science (Theory & Practical) | 75 |
| Maintenance of Public Peace and Order | 75 |
| Internal Security | 75 |
| Police Leadership and Management | 100 |
| Ethics and Human Rights | 75 |
| Information & Communication Technology | 100 |
Check Out Other Exams –
IAS Exam Dates, Fees, Eligibility & Notification
UPSC CSE Exam Dates, Fees, Eligibility & Notification
IRS Exam Dates, Fees, Eligibility & Notification
CSAT Exam Dates, Fees, Eligibility & Notification
The candidate must have at least a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university to take the UPSC exam. Candidates who have written the final year exams of the qualifying exam (bachelor’s degree) and are awaiting results are also eligible to apply. Candidates taking the final exam are also eligible for the UPSC prelims exam. However, when applying for the IPS mains exam, these candidates must provide proof of passing the exam.
Ans. The UPSC Main Examination is designed to assess a candidate’s academic expertise as well as his or her ability to present his or her knowledge in a consistent manner. The UPSC Mains exam assesses candidates’ overall intellectual traits and conceptual understanding. It includes the following papers:
Paper I—General English 300 Marks
Paper II—General Knowledge 300 Marks
Papers III, IV, V, and VI. —Any two subjects to be selected from the list of the optional subjects set.
Each subject will have two papers. — 200 marks for each paper.
Yes, the UPSC exam can be described as difficult due to the aforementioned factors and depends on the individual’s interests and preparation method. However, as previously stated, it is not impenetrable. You can easily pass this exam if you follow a strategy and prepare with direction and the right approach.
The main exam will include nine papers. You will have two 300-point qualifying papers. Qualifying paper marks will not be considered or counted. The remaining seven subjects will be worth 250 points each. Paper I is of 200 marks and you get 2 hours to solve the paper, which is an objective type paper that involves topics like World Geography, Environmental Studies, General Science, Indian History and Movements, Polity, and Economic and Social Development. Paper II is also 2 hours with MCQs, including topics like Passage writing, Communication skills, Decision making and problem-solving, Mental Ability, and English language.
The minimum height for IPS for males in the general category is 165cm, while it is 160cm in the other category. Women in the general category must be 150 cm tall, while women in the other categories must be 145 cm tall. Only those who pass the IPS officer physical exam, even after passing the preliminary exam, are eligible for the Personal Interview.
No, only graduate students can give this exam. After the 12th grade, you can choose any stream that interests you. It can be in the arts, business, science, or anything else. The age requirement is 21 years, Indian citizenship, and graduation. You can only become an IPS officer and join the elitist service if you pass all three stages of the UPSC exam.
Depending on their position, Indian Police Service officers will get a range of salaries. The salary scale for an Indian Police Service or IPS officer is between Rs. 56,100 to Rs. 2,25,000. An Indian Police Service officer does, however, also have various benefits and privileges in addition to their pay.
For instance, it provides perks like dearness, house rent, and travel reimbursements.
The first and most important step toward becoming an IPS Officer is to apply for the civil services examination by filling out the application form released each year by the Union Public Service Commission. After that, make a proper schedule for your preparation or you can join any online classes for a better understanding. Clear all the stages of UPSC along with the interview phage.
To become an IPS officer, you must have a bachelor’s degree in any specialization and pass the UPSC examination. You can complete your 10+2 in the Arts stream with civics. You can also pursue a BA in civics, economics, history, or political science. By improving your basic knowledge in these field you can easy crack the examination.