Par panel recommends separate exams for IPS

New Delhi: Holding a separate examination for recruitment of IPS officers where their "mental makeup" and "inclination for policing" can be checked has been mooted by a Parliamentary Committee.

Besides, the panel has also recommended to the government making changes in the training modules for the IPS officers to tackle modern day challenges including terrorism and Naxalism.

The Committee, while taking stock of the existing procedure of recruitment of IPS officers, pointed out that sometimes reluctant candidates, who never wanted to join the police in the first place, are in the force by virtue of an option and due to the rank in the merit list they got.

But, the panel said the aptitude or the personality of the officers may not match that required of a police officer.

Citing its earlier report which recommended exploring the possibility of conducting a separate examination for IPS where the attitude and aptitude of the candidate must be thoroughly tested beside their mental makeup and inclination for policing, the Committee said "the Government may impress upon UPSC to conduct a separate examination for recruiting a IPS officer".

"The Committee, reiterating the recommendation made in its 161th report, desires that the Ministry may hold consultation with the Department of Personnel and Training and UPSC and take an early decision for holding separate examination," the Department-related Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said.

The panel, in its report tabled today in Parliament, on the working of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), Hyderabad, recommended lessons on ethical traits and moral behaviour for probationers and serving officers.

The Committee is of the view that since policing does have a bearing on the lives of individuals police personnel, particularly officers, should possess high moral and ethical values so as to arrest the declining trend in quality and standard of public life...

"The Committee, therefore, recommends that the training modules prepared for probationers and also for in-service officers must cover the lessons on ethical traits and moral behaviour," the report said.