News Analysis India

Tag: IPS

  • 1,365 vacant posts in IAS, 703 in IPS: Govt 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: There are 1,365 vacancies in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and 703 in the Indian Police Service (IPS), Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

    Besides these, 1,042 vacancies exist in the Indian Forest Service (IFS) and 301 in Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply.

    “Occurrence and filling up of vacancies is a continuous process. It is the endeavour of the central government to fill up vacant posts expeditiously,” he said.

    The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examinations (CSE) for filling up of vacancies on direct recruitment basis in civil services, including IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS, every year, he said.

    “To fill up vacancies in IAS and IPS promotion quota, selection committee meetings are held by Union Public Service Commission with state governments,” the minister said.

    The government has increased the annual intake of IAS officers to 180 through the CSE till CSE-2022, Singh said.

    “Intake of IPS through the CSE has been increased to 200 from CSE-2020. Intake of IFS has been increased to 150 in 2022. Department of Revenue has reported 301 vacancies for filling through CSE-2023,” he added.

    NEW DELHI: There are 1,365 vacancies in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and 703 in the Indian Police Service (IPS), Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

    Besides these, 1,042 vacancies exist in the Indian Forest Service (IFS) and 301 in Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply.

    “Occurrence and filling up of vacancies is a continuous process. It is the endeavour of the central government to fill up vacant posts expeditiously,” he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examinations (CSE) for filling up of vacancies on direct recruitment basis in civil services, including IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS, every year, he said.

    “To fill up vacancies in IAS and IPS promotion quota, selection committee meetings are held by Union Public Service Commission with state governments,” the minister said.

    The government has increased the annual intake of IAS officers to 180 through the CSE till CSE-2022, Singh said.

    “Intake of IPS through the CSE has been increased to 200 from CSE-2020. Intake of IFS has been increased to 150 in 2022. Department of Revenue has reported 301 vacancies for filling through CSE-2023,” he added.

  • CRPF, ITBP gets new chiefs

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers Sujoy Lal Thaosen and Anish Dayal Singh have been appointed as the new director generals of the CRPF and CRPFrespectively, a government order said Saturday.

    Thaosen, a 1988-batch officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, is currently working as the director general (DG) of the border guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and holding the additional charge of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.

    The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) DG post fell vacant on Friday after IPS officer Kuldiep Singh (1986-batch) retired.

    Anish Dayal Singh, a 1988-batch officer (Manipur cadre), is currently serving as a special director in the Intelligence Bureau.

    Thaosen’s scheduled retirement is in November this year, while Singh will superannuate in December 2024.

    The order for their appointment was issued by the Personnel Ministry after sanction from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the prime minister.

    NEW DELHI: Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers Sujoy Lal Thaosen and Anish Dayal Singh have been appointed as the new director generals of the CRPF and CRPFrespectively, a government order said Saturday.

    Thaosen, a 1988-batch officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, is currently working as the director general (DG) of the border guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and holding the additional charge of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.

    The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) DG post fell vacant on Friday after IPS officer Kuldiep Singh (1986-batch) retired.

    Anish Dayal Singh, a 1988-batch officer (Manipur cadre), is currently serving as a special director in the Intelligence Bureau.

    Thaosen’s scheduled retirement is in November this year, while Singh will superannuate in December 2024.

    The order for their appointment was issued by the Personnel Ministry after sanction from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the prime minister.

  • Centre withdraws incentives, special allowance to IAS, IPS officers working in north-east regions

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Centre has withdrawn incentives and special allowances given to IAS, IPS and IFoS officers working in the northeastern regions with immediate effect, an official order said.

    A special allowance payable to the officers belonging to north-east cadres of all India services while they are actually working in the north-east region @ 25 per cent of their basic pay (in addition to other allowances) has also been withdrawn, the order said.

    The government had on February 10, 2009 issued an order for this particular grant, called a “special allowance for officers belonging to north-east cadres of all India services”.

    There are three all-India services (AIS) — Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

    Officers of these services work in cadre which is state/states or group of states/Union Territories.

    The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in a brief order dated September 23, 2022, said the government, after review of the various incentives/special allowances being granted to the AIS officers working in the northeastern region, has decided to withdraw with immediate effect incentives/special allowances granted to them through four of its orders issued between 2007 and 2017.

    Official sources said improvement in law and order situation in the northeastern states (which have been considered as the difficult areas postings) is one of the probable reasons behind the government’s decision to withdraw the benefits.

    The government exchequer would be saving some money as well from this recent measure, they said.

    In addition to the February 10, 2009 order, the directives issued on January 22, 2007, February 16, 2009 and on September 5, 2017 also stand withdrawn.

    The order issued in January 2007 mentions provisions related to post-retirement housing.

    According to the February 16, 2009 order, the income tax exemption already available to tribal all India service officers of the northeast while posted in the northeast, would be entitled to reimbursement of the equivalent amount of income tax payable by them while on central deputation.

    Whereas, the September 5 order has relaxations related to inter-cadre deputation of the AIS officers –- from other cadres to northeast cadres and from northeast cadres to other cadres.

    NEW DELHI: The Centre has withdrawn incentives and special allowances given to IAS, IPS and IFoS officers working in the northeastern regions with immediate effect, an official order said.

    A special allowance payable to the officers belonging to north-east cadres of all India services while they are actually working in the north-east region @ 25 per cent of their basic pay (in addition to other allowances) has also been withdrawn, the order said.

    The government had on February 10, 2009 issued an order for this particular grant, called a “special allowance for officers belonging to north-east cadres of all India services”.

    There are three all-India services (AIS) — Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

    Officers of these services work in cadre which is state/states or group of states/Union Territories.

    The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in a brief order dated September 23, 2022, said the government, after review of the various incentives/special allowances being granted to the AIS officers working in the northeastern region, has decided to withdraw with immediate effect incentives/special allowances granted to them through four of its orders issued between 2007 and 2017.

    Official sources said improvement in law and order situation in the northeastern states (which have been considered as the difficult areas postings) is one of the probable reasons behind the government’s decision to withdraw the benefits.

    The government exchequer would be saving some money as well from this recent measure, they said.

    In addition to the February 10, 2009 order, the directives issued on January 22, 2007, February 16, 2009 and on September 5, 2017 also stand withdrawn.

    The order issued in January 2007 mentions provisions related to post-retirement housing.

    According to the February 16, 2009 order, the income tax exemption already available to tribal all India service officers of the northeast while posted in the northeast, would be entitled to reimbursement of the equivalent amount of income tax payable by them while on central deputation.

    Whereas, the September 5 order has relaxations related to inter-cadre deputation of the AIS officers –- from other cadres to northeast cadres and from northeast cadres to other cadres.

  • Like IAS, IPS, railways to allow juniors, peers to evaluate officials for promotion

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Taking a cue from the Centre’s 360-degree evaluation system for senior IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service officers, the railways has now introduced a procedure that also allows peers and juniors to evaluate their reporting officers.

    In a letter dated August 18, the Railway Board said it has decided to create a “multi-source” feedback of officers while generating their Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR).

    For creating a database, a link has been enabled online in the SPARROW system and will be effective from APAR 2022-2023.

    “For each official, every year a link shall be sent to the reporting authority of the official and all the subordinates for whom the official is the reporting authority. The feedback submitted will be anonymously recorded in the database of official. There shall be no way to trace back the feedback to the superior or subordinate who has submitted it.”

    “All are requested to give fair remarks/gradings without any prejudice. The whole exercise will be strictly confidential,” the order stated.

    A section of officials say the APAR system will not only make a difference in the work culture in the Indian Railways but will also lead to Voluntary Retirement (VRS) of some officers.

    Around 20,000 officials will come under the scanner for this APAR, an official said.

    Sources indicate that this system could be further extended to receive feedback from non-railway persons like contractors and vendors who work with the rail officials.

    The sources say that after the feedback are recorded, a three- or four-member committee will decide whether the officer should be promoted or not.

    The officials also pointed out that while the system is in place for officers, it is not clear who will evaluate the committee members.

    Many officials have also questioned the change, the latest in a slew of major deviations from its 114-year-old administrative structure at a time when the national transporter was undergoing a major makeover.

    Recently, the railways created an eight-cadre Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) under which the rules for becoming a member or chairman of the General Manager Railway Board have been changed.

    It was in 2015 that the Narendra Modi government introduced a 360-degree appraisal system meant to supplement the existing system of ACRs.

    The Annual Confidential Report (ACR) is based on the submissions of an expert panel which would review officers’ full-service records and all previous annual reports along with reports from the vigilance department.

    Under the process, a panel of experts would collect views from the candidate’s colleagues, both senior and junior, as well as from people outside the government.

    The panel would collect the views of these people described as “stakeholders” on a prescribed form.

    Both their feedback and the people themselves would remain anonymous.

    NEW DELHI: Taking a cue from the Centre’s 360-degree evaluation system for senior IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service officers, the railways has now introduced a procedure that also allows peers and juniors to evaluate their reporting officers.

    In a letter dated August 18, the Railway Board said it has decided to create a “multi-source” feedback of officers while generating their Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR).

    For creating a database, a link has been enabled online in the SPARROW system and will be effective from APAR 2022-2023.

    “For each official, every year a link shall be sent to the reporting authority of the official and all the subordinates for whom the official is the reporting authority. The feedback submitted will be anonymously recorded in the database of official. There shall be no way to trace back the feedback to the superior or subordinate who has submitted it.”

    “All are requested to give fair remarks/gradings without any prejudice. The whole exercise will be strictly confidential,” the order stated.

    A section of officials say the APAR system will not only make a difference in the work culture in the Indian Railways but will also lead to Voluntary Retirement (VRS) of some officers.

    Around 20,000 officials will come under the scanner for this APAR, an official said.

    Sources indicate that this system could be further extended to receive feedback from non-railway persons like contractors and vendors who work with the rail officials.

    The sources say that after the feedback are recorded, a three- or four-member committee will decide whether the officer should be promoted or not.

    The officials also pointed out that while the system is in place for officers, it is not clear who will evaluate the committee members.

    Many officials have also questioned the change, the latest in a slew of major deviations from its 114-year-old administrative structure at a time when the national transporter was undergoing a major makeover.

    Recently, the railways created an eight-cadre Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) under which the rules for becoming a member or chairman of the General Manager Railway Board have been changed.

    It was in 2015 that the Narendra Modi government introduced a 360-degree appraisal system meant to supplement the existing system of ACRs.

    The Annual Confidential Report (ACR) is based on the submissions of an expert panel which would review officers’ full-service records and all previous annual reports along with reports from the vigilance department.

    Under the process, a panel of experts would collect views from the candidate’s colleagues, both senior and junior, as well as from people outside the government.

    The panel would collect the views of these people described as “stakeholders” on a prescribed form.

    Both their feedback and the people themselves would remain anonymous.

  • Tapan Deka to be new IB chief, RAW chief Goel gets year’s extension

    By IANS

    NEW DELHI: IPS officer Tapan Kumar Deka was on Friday appointed the new chief of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) while Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Samant Kumar Goel got one year’s extension of tenure.

    A 1988 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre officer and an expert on northeast affairs, Deka currently heads the IB’s operations desk and has been tracking terrorists and religious radicalisation for the past two decades.

    “The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Tapan Kumar Deka, IPS, Special Director, Intelligence Bureau, as Director Intelligence Bureau vice Arvinda Kumar IPS, upon completion of his tenure on 30.06.2022 for a tenure of two years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” said a notification from Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

    RAW chief Goel, a 1984 batch IPS officer of the Punjab cadre, got second extension for one year.

    “The appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension in service of Samant Kumar Goel, IPS (PB:84) as Secretary, Research & Analysis Wing for a period of one year beyond his present tenure i.e. up to 30.06.2023,” said the notification.

  • ‘You’re responsible not only for 130 crore humans but also 32 lakh sq km’: Doval to IPS probationers

    By Express News Service

    HYDERABAD: “It is not only 130 crore human beings, but also 32 lakh sq km of land and the managing of the 15,000 km long border for which you are responsible. The border has got peculiar problems of its own. Whether it’s the border with Pakistan, China, Myanmar or Bangladesh, we have got different types of security-related issues, which are addressed by the central police organisations,” said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, while addressing IPS probationers of the 73rd batch during the Dikshant Parade at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) in Hyderabad on Friday.

    “Your responsibilities will include not only policing for which you have been trained well. You are not only required to enforce the rule of law in civil society, you are also supposed to protect and maintain order in the length and breadth of this country, in the 32 lakh sq km of land,” he said. 

    An alumnus of the SVP NPA, trained here 52 years ago, Doval said that the quintessence of democracy does not lie in the ballot box but in the laws made by the people who are elected through those ballot boxes. “You are the ones who are the enforcers of those laws. Laws are not as good as they are made. Laws are as good as they are implemented and executed and the service that the people are able to get out of it. If you fail to enforce them in the letter and spirit in which they were made they are as bad or as good as they were made.” 

    “So, the success of democracy and enforcement of the laws given by the people through their elected representatives lies in the efficiency, commitment, values, attitude and the performance on the ground of the police forces. Their implementation is more important than their legislation. No nation can be built if the rule of law has failed. People cannot feel safe and secure if law enforcers are weak, corrupt and partisan. I found that many of these values were enshrined in the oath you just took. Enforce the law with that spirit,” Doval advised the trainees. 

    Speaking about the new frontiers of war — what is known as fourth generation war — he said, “Wars have ceased to become an effective instrument for achieving political or military objectives. They are too expensive and unaffordable and at the same time, there is uncertainty about their outcome. But it is the civil society that can be subverted, that can be divided, that can be manipulated to hurt the interest of a nation.” 

    He went on to add, “And you are there to see that they stand fully protected. So, the service of the people is the greatest service not only from the point of view of nation-building, but also from the point of view of national security. And police have to work closely with other organizations for which they require a mental attitude that together we are going to work together and serve this nation.” 

    He said technology is another frontier which they have to excel in and he is sure that with some of the country’s very specialised organisations having state of the art technologies for the service of the nation, police officers will be able to upgrade their technological capabilities. These are all vital elements in nation-building, Doval said, stressing the importance of technology.

    Calling on the officers to think about the future and find their solutions today, Doval said, “Wherever you go, you will find a lot of talk about reforms. Reforms are learning from the past and not making the same mistakes. I want the younger generations to not only be thinking of reforms. You have got to be transformative and bring about the change in the force and in your capabilities keeping in view the coming challenges.”

    This academy has trained 5700 officers since 1948, many of whom excelled, bringing laurels and honour to the service and the nation. They were great names and were a source of inspiration, serving in state and central forces in nation-building, said Doval.

    “They lead about 21 lakh brave men and women — the strength of the police forces in the states and Centre — and 35,480 of those bravehearts, under their leadership have sacrificed their lives. We would also like to remember those 40 martyred IPS officers who like you and me passed out from this academy. All of them played a seminal role in nation-building and you have a great role ahead,” added Doval remembering those who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

    He also urged the officers not to forget that “You are for India and India is for you. Every other identity gets subsumed in this Indian identity. The interest of India should be supreme and the constitution of India and the values, traditions that this our family represents.”

    Earlier, after reviewing the parade commanded by Darpan Ahluwalia of the Punjab cadre, Director Atul Karwal presented the training report and Doval distributed trophies to the winners.

  • Vacancies in police services excluded from quota for those with benchmark disability: Centre to HC

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Centre has informed the Delhi High Court that from the vacancy positions received for four police services including IPS, for the Civil Services Exam (CSE)-2020, a total of 251 seats have been excluded from the ambit of reservation meant for Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD).

    The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has also told the court that the Indian Police Service (IPS), Railway Protection Force (RPF), DANIPS, and Puducherry Police Service (PONDIPS) are exempted from the provision of Right of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act which states that reservations be made for PwBD.

    “The vacancy positions received for IPS, RPF, DANIPS and PONDIPS for the CSE-2020, a total of 251 seats have been excluded from the ambit of reservation meant for PwBD,” DoPT said in an affidavit.

    The court was hearing two pleas by the disability rights organisations which have alleged that seats for visually impaired and people with multiple disabilities have not been reserved in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act of 2016.

    A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh said, “Looking into the decision of the respondent (DoPT) on granting exemption and the latest affidavit of respondent, the interviews going on at UPSC for the posts listed here, the result of selection will be subject to the outcome of these two writ petitions.”

    The court listed the matter for final hearing on October 1.

    The affidavit, filed through central government standing counsel Manish Mohan, said there has been no departure from the existing precedent or practice indicating the vacancy position in the notice for CSE-2020 and it does not suffer from any irregularity or illegality.

    It referred to August 18 office memorandum issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs stating that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in consultation with the Chief Commissioner for persons with Disabilities, having regard to the nature and type of work, exempted all categories of posts under the IPS from the provision of Section 34(1) of the RPwD Act, 2016.

    Similar office memorandums have been issued in respect of DANIPS, RPF and PONDIPS.

    The high court had earlier sought response of the Centre, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and DoPT on the plea seeking quashing of the notice announcing the civil services preliminary exam and to grant an interim stay on declaration of the results on the ground that inadequate number of seats have been reserved for persons with visual and multiple disabilities.

    Petitioner organisation, Evara Foundation has contended that due to inadequate number of advertised vacancies for visually impaired and those having multiple disabilities, fewer candidates belonging to these two categories would qualify for the main examination.

    It has also said that the number of seats reserved for visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing and locomotor disabilities is not in accordance with the RPWD Act.

    The foundation has sought a direction to UPSC and the Centre to “amend the impugned notification by earmarking not less than 8 seats for blind/low vision and multiple disabilities category each in the impugned notification”.

    It has also sought “equal bifurcation of the vacancies (meant for disabled) among the categories of persons with disabilities minimum one percent each in terms of law”. Besides that it has also sought directions to the UPSC and Centre to fill up all the backlog vacancies of persons with disabilities arising since 1996 till date.

    Another plea by NGO Sambhavana, through advocate Krishan Mahajan, has alleged that in the exam notice only expected approximate vacancies for the disabled are mentioned and not the four per cent mandatory reservation mandated under the law.

    It has contended that the UPSC exam notice only mentioned “expected approximate vacancies” — a category that does not exist under the law. The NGO has further claimed that there is a mathematical error in calculating the 4 per cent reservation in the expected vacancies numbering 796.

    It has said that four per cent reservation of 796 would come to 31.8 or 32 vacancies, whereas according to the notice the number is 24.

    The petition has also claimed that even the subsequent distribution of the vacancies at the rate of one per cent per category of disability — deaf, blind, locomotor and multiple disabilities — is also not mathematically accurate.

    On this, the Centre said four per cent vacancies for PwBD candidates are to be calculated individually for each Service depending upon the 100 point roster cycle.

    “Accordingly, four per cent of the remaining number of tentative number of vacancies after reducing the tentative number of vacancies for IPS, RPF, DANIPS and PONDIPS, that is, 796-251= 545, comes out to be 22 after rounding off to nearest integer. Thus, 24 vacancies reserved for PwBD candidates at the stage of tentative vacancies would emerge to comply with the provision of ‘not less than four per cent of the total number of vacancies’,” it said.

    It added that the calculations claimed by the petitioners for PwBD candidates, on 796 tentative vacancies notified for UPSC for CSE-2020 is completely erroneous, wrong and baseless.

  • Framing cops on sedition charges on government changes worries top court

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the emerging trend of police officers facing sedition charges following change of guard in their respective state governments.

    Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said this must stop, while granting protection to Chhattisgarh IPS officer Gurjinder Pal Singh after a a sedition case was filed against him.

    The CJI said as long as a police officer sides with the party in power, things are smooth. However, if the party loses power, sedition and other charges are slapped against them by the new party in power.

    The observation came when the the court was hearing Singh’s plea after a sedition case was filed against him under Section 124A of Indian Penal Code based on a complaint by the Anti-corruption Bureau.

    Singh had filed the petition challenging an order of the Chhattisgarh High Court which refused to quash the FIR for sedition against him. The top court, while issuing the notice, also granted him protection from arrest for four weeks.

    The police had registered a sedition case against Singh, based on a written complaint filed by the Anti-corruption Bureau after preliminary findings into complaints that he had allegedly amassed disproportionate assets.

     The anti-graft body reportedly seized alleged documents from Singh that were suggestive of a conspiracy against the government.

    The Kotwali Police Station has registered the case under Sections 124-A, 153-A (sedition and treason) of IPC against the 1994 batch IPS officer, who was earlier suspended by the state government on July 5.

    The ACB sleuths carried out raids for three days at 15 premises and properties linked to the IPS officer, following complaints over disproportionate assets.

    The top court is already seized of seven petitions considering the Constitutional validity of Section 124A which criminalises sedition.

    The bench expressed displeasure over the trend of filing of sedition cases just after senior advocate FS Nariman made opening submissions on behalf of Singh, saying “the gentleman has served as the Additional Director General of Police and was acting as the Director of the Police Academy and now the proceedings under section 124A of the IPC have been initiated against him”.

    The bench, which also comprised Justice Surya Kant, directed the Congress-led government not to arrest Singh for four weeks. It directed Singh to cooperate with the agencies.

  • FIR against IPS officer Param Bir Singh, five other cops on charges of extortion

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Mumbai police have registered an FIR against senior IPS officer Param Bir Singh, five other police personnel and two more persons for allegedly demanding Rs 15 crore from a builder to withdraw cases against him, an official said on Thursday.

    Based on the builder’s complaint, the case was registered at the Marine Drive police station in south Mumbai, he said, without specifying more details.

    Two of the builder’s partners, Sunil Jain and Sanjay Punamia, have been arrested in the case, he said.

    According to the complaint, Jain and Punamia had conspired with police officials and demanded Rs 15 crore from the builder to withdraw some cases against him, he said.

    The builder had named former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh along with others in his complaint, the official said.

    Singh was shunted out as Mumbai police commissioner and transferred as the DG-Home Guard in March this year after the arrest of dismissed police officer Sachin Waze in the case of an explosives-laden vehicle found near the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.

  • BJP MP asks Centre to relax IPS minimum height requirement for Arunachal Pradesh candidates 

    By PTI
    ITANAGAR: BJP Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao has asked the Centre to relax the minimum height requirement for the Indian Police Service (IPS) for candidates from Arunachal Pradesh.

    He said candidates from Arunachal Pradesh be given the height relaxation as given to people belonging to communities eligible for height relaxation.

    In a letter to Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, Jitendra Singh on Tuesday, Gao, the MP from Arunachal Pradesh East constituency sought the relaxation after an Arunachal Pradesh doctor whose hope of becoming an IPS officer fell short by 2.5 cm.

    Ojing Dameng of Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh was placed second in the provisional list of IPS officers in the Scheduled Tribes category in the Union Civil Services Examination.

    But a medical examination found him unfit for the IPS because he is 162.5 cm tall, which is 2.5 cm less than the required minimum height of 165 cm for male candidates for the IPS.

    Gao claimed the minimum height of 165 cm would deprive aspirants of Arunachal Pradesh from becoming IPS officers.

    Referring to the minimum height of 165 cm for men and 150 cm for women candidates mentioned in Regulation 7(c) Appendix III of AIS, Act 1951, Gao said that as per the regulation, relaxed minimum height standard in case of candidates belonging to Scheduled Tribes and to the races such as Gorkhas, Assamese, Kumaonis, Nagaland are applicable to IPS with the height of men 160 cm and women 145 cm. “it is also to bring into your notice that present day Arunachal Pradesh (which came into existence only in 1972 as a Union Territory) was a composite state under the state of Assam and any citizen of Assam would be an Assamese.

    “And hence, then Assamese in the provision would include tribal of Arunachal Pradesh as well. Also going by the intent of the legislation one can make out that the law is extending relaxation to such races whose average height is distinctly lower wherein Arunachal tribals’ rightfully fit, for that matter the North East tribals,” Gao wrote in his letter.

    He added that in Arunachal Pradesh state police officers are recruited at a minimum height of 160 cms (for men). These officers are later promoted to the IPS.

    “In view of the above and considering the fact that thousands of civil service aspirants from Arunachal Pradesh are competing every year in the UPSC exam and not to deprive them of their opportunities to serve the country. I request to kindly look into the matter as above and issue necessary directions and corrective measures in the interest of people of Arunachal Pradesh “, the BJP MP added.