Nitish Kumar

Patna, Feb. 8: Chief minister Nitish Kumar’s concern over the dearth of directly recruited IPS officers in the state, at the recently concluded meeting of chief ministers on internal security in New Delhi, seems to have prompted the Centre to allot Bihar cadre to 10 IPS officers of the current batch.

Highly placed sources in the Home department said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has agreed to post 10 IPS officers of the 2010 batch, who are at present undergoing training at the national police academy (NPA) in Hyderabad, in the Bihar cadre.

The state government had requisitioned for 14 direct recruit IPS officers of 2010 batch to meet the shortfall of the sanctioned strength of IPS officers in the state.

At the chief ministers’ meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week, Nitish had raised the issue of shortfall of direct recruit IPS officers in Bihar. The matter assumes significance in the wake of stepped up activities of Naxalites in the recent past.

Sources in the state police headquarters said that at present there are 41 vacancies of direct recruit IPS officers in the state. The total sanctioned strength of the IPS officers is 231. Out of these, 161 are to be filled up with direct recruit officers while the remaining 70 posts are to be filled up with the officers of the state service by promoting them to IPS.

“The shortfall will be reduced to a great extent with the allotment of 10 direct recruit IPS officers of 2010 batch to Bihar cadre,” said director general of police (DGP) Neel Mani.

He said that the MHA had allotted seven IPS officers of 2009-batch to Bihar cadre, who are likely to be posted in the districts for six months’ field training. These IPS officers on probation reported to the state police headquarters on January 18 after completing their training at the NPA.

Out of the seven, three have been allotted home cadre (they belonged to Bihar).

The DGP confirmed that the state police headquarters had submitted a proposal to the MHA demanding 14 IPS officers of 2010 batch keeping in view the acute shortfall of about 41 direct recruit IPS officers as well as retirement of many serving IPS officers. “Several direct recruit as well as promoted officers are likely to retire this year,” he added.

Sources said that altogether 150 IPS officers of 2010 batch are undergoing training at the NPA. Out of them, 10 would be allotted the Bihar cadre. In addition, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has cleared the names of 13 Bihar Police Service (BPS) officers for promotion to IPS. The government had, however, recommended promotion of 19 BPS officers to IPS.

At present, there are 31 vacancies to be filled up with the state cadre officers.

Sources said that the promotion of BPS officers to the IPS cadre was due since 2008. Sources said that there were five vacancies in 2008, eight in 2009 and six vacancies in 2010.

As per the rule, the UPSC first recommends the names of the selected state service police officers to the MHA for promotion. Thereafter, an official notification is issued by the MHA. “The official notification in this regard is awaited,” the DGP said.