In a significant overhaul of cadre management norms, the central government has mandated a minimum two-year central deputation for Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to be eligible for empanelment as Inspector General (IG) at the Centre. This new rule, effective for IPS officers from the 2011 batch onwards, requires officers to have served at the level of Superintendent of Police (SP) or Deputy Inspector General (DIG) or equivalent at the Centre to qualify for consideration for IG-level positions.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) communicated this modification to the empanelment guidelines to the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories on January 28. The directive instructs them to inform all IPS officers within their respective cadres about the revised requirements.

The decision to implement this change stems from the government's concern over the persistent shortage of IPS officers willing to serve on central deputation, particularly at the SP and DIG levels. Many officers reportedly prefer to remain in their state cadres, where they often hold district and range-level postings with significant field responsibilities. By linking future empanelment as IG at the Centre with a mandatory central stint, the government aims to incentivize officers to gain experience in central organizations early in their careers.

The move is also intended to address the considerable vacancies within the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Central Police Organizations (CPOs). As of December 23, 2025, a substantial number of SP and DIG-level posts were vacant in these organizations. This new rule is expected to make available IPS officers from various state cadres to fill these crucial positions.

"For several years now, the Centre has been grappling with a shortage of IPS officers willing to come on central deputation at the SP and DIG levels," a senior government official stated. The official added that the new guidelines would create an incentive – and a compulsion – for officers to gain central exposure early in their careers.

The modified guidelines are in line with existing rules for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, which already require a mandatory central stint before empanelment for Joint Secretary-level posts. The government hopes that this change will ensure that officers empanelled to senior positions in the central government possess prior experience working in central organizations. This will also ensure that IPS officers have a varied experience of having served both in their parent cadre and at the Centre early and mid-career, before they aspire for an IG-level deputation with the Union government.

The minimum length of service in the IPS for eligibility for empanelment to hold Inspector General and equivalent level posts at the Centre is 18 years. The 2011 batch of IPS officers is likely to be considered for empanelment in the coming years, giving them time to serve at the SP and DIG level at the Centre if they haven't already. The MHA has also requested the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to upload the communication on the official IPS website.