Patna: Most retired police officers disapprove of any attempt to minimise the minimum educational qualification required for constables, as RJD chief Lalu Prasad promised on Wednesday to do if his party returns to power.

The minimum qualification for appointment as a police constable is Plus Two, and Lalu promised to bring it down to Class IV pass.

"That would be a retrograde step," said former Bihar director-general of police (DGP) Neelmani. "Today there is a talk of bringing more educated persons in the police force. Today the police constable has multifarious tasks which means interacting with different sections of the society. Throughout India the minimum qualification for constables is being raised. In Andhra Pradesh they are inducting technically qualified persons as constables so that they can deal with cyber crime."

Many others in the police force dubbed Lalu's promise a farce. "In Uttar Pradesh, the policeman assigned to district magistrates is not only for security; they also take video footage of programmes of the DM," pointed one inspector-general-rank officer.

Some cops also took potshots at Lalu.

"The man failed to educate his sons and made them ministers," remarked an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer serving in the state.

The minimum qualification for constables in the 1960s was Class VII pass. In the 1980s the Congress regime raised it to matriculation and Nitish Kumar raised it to Plus Two. Now even home guards, who are not regular government employees, are expected to be matriculate pass.

However, not all experts mocked Lalu.

"Nowhere in India does a constable investigate a crime," said former DGP D.P. Ojha. "Lalu's remarks may be a counter Nitish's statement favouring reservation in the private sector. Grade IV government post are the hope for the uneducated masses to enter government service. If that is blocked where will they go? The government should at least ensure education for all." The focus should be to make the police independent of political pressure, he added.