The government has made it compulsory for Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from the 2011 batch onwards to complete at least two years of central deputation at the Superintendent of Police (SP) or Deputy Inspector General (DIG) level to be considered for empanelment as Inspector General (IG) at the Centre, according to an official order.

This step has been taken to ensure that senior IPS officers have sufficient experience of ground-level work while serving in central positions, an official familiar with the decision stated. The order specifies that "a minimum of two years of central experience at SP/DIG or equivalent level shall be mandatory for empanelment of IPS officers at IG/eqvt. level at the Centre from the 2011 batch onwards."

While Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers deputed to the Centre have long had a similar requirement, no such condition existed previously for IPS officers serving in the Central Armed Police Forces or other central assignments at the IG level. The new mandate is expected to align IPS officers’ career progression with the experience expectations already in place for IAS officers, ensuring that those promoted to senior central roles have firsthand knowledge of central operations and administration.

This move also reflects the government’s emphasis on strengthening institutional expertise at the Centre by ensuring that officers at senior levels bring not just state-level policing experience but also significant exposure to central assignments. By making central deputation experience a prerequisite for IG-level empanelment, the Ministry aims to maintain uniformity in senior leadership standards across services and enhance the effectiveness of policy implementation and administration at the central level.