Patna, Jan. 2: With law and order showing a marked improvement and work culture getting better by the day during the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state, Indian Police Service (IPS) officers are no more averse to work in Bihar. At least seven newly recruited IPS officers of 2009 batch have opted for Bihar cadre.
“These directly recruited (probationer) IPS officers are expected to report to the state police headquarters by the end of this month,” said additional director-general of police (headquarters) P.K. Thakur.
With seven more IPS (probationer) officers opting for Bihar cadre, the shortfall of directly recruited IPS officers in superintendent (SP) rank would come down. On an average, six directly recruited IPS offices have opted for Bihar cadre after change of guard in Bihar in November 2005.
The figures available with the state police headquarters suggested that seven directly recruited IPS officers of 2008 batch had opted for Bihar cadre. They joined in January 2010 after undergoing rigorous training at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad.
In 2008, four IPS officers of 2007 batch had joined Bihar. A year ago, six IPS officers each of 2005 and 2006 batch, respectively, had opted for Bihar cadre.
The scene was quite different five years ago. While 30 directly recruited IPS officers opted for Bihar cadre after Nitish came to power in November 2005, only five officers had joined Bihar between 2001 and 2004-05.
Bihar was allotted only one IPS officer each in 2001 (2000 batch), 2002 (2001 batch), 2003 (2002 batch) and 2005 (2004 batch). Two IPS officers of 2003 batch were allotted Bihar cadre, who joined in December 2004.
In 2006, Bihar did not get any directly recruited IPS officer despite a shortfall of such officers in the state.
The top brass of the state administration, however, blamed the previous government for dearth of direct recruited IPS officers in the state.
A senior police officer said: “Earlier, the state’s priority was different. Instead of exerting pressure on the ministry of home affairs for sending direct recruited IPS officers to Bihar, it believed in promoting state cadre officers only. Moreover, many IPS officers were not interested in joining Bihar because of deteriorating law and order situation and political interference in day-to-day functioning.”
“Had the earlier government demanded its due quota from the Centre, the situation would have been different today,” the officer said.
After pressure was put on the Centre, the ministry of home affairs increased the state quota of IPS officers. The strength of the Bihar cadre IPS officers in different ranks has been increased to 231 from 190. Of them, 161 posts are to be filled up with directly recruited IPS officers.
The remaining 70 posts have to be filled up with officers of the state police service.
Recently, the Union Public Service Commission cleared the names of 19 Bihar Police Service (BPS) officers for promotion to IPS cadre. Still 13 posts have to be filled up with the officers of the state police service.
“The state police headquarters is trying to fill up the vacant posts with state service officers,” a senior officer said.
