The Prime Minister’s Office has cleared the holding of special examinations by the Union Public Service Commission beginning next year to induct serving government officials into the elite Indian Police Service. The home ministry got the PMO’s approval despite stiff resistance by the UPSC, which had shot it down last year.
The first “emergency” IPS recruitment drive was held soon after Independence when there was a dire need. The PMO, acknowledging a critical shortfall in the IPS ranks, has permitted special recruitment of 650 IPS officers over a 10-year period.
A MHA official told this newspaper that discussions had started with the UPSC to start this “limited competitive” examination from 2012. IPS officers are currently solely recruited through the UPSC’s annual Civil Services Examination. From next year, young officers of Central paramilitary and state police forces would also be eligible for induction into the IPS through this new exam.
The defence ministry had shot down a proposal to make young armed forces officers also eligible to join the IPS through this exam.
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Mulayam: SP may take BJP help in UP ’12
Manish Anand
New Delhi
July 24: The fear of a hung Assembly after the 2012 UP polls is catching up with contenders, with SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav dropping hints Sunday that his party might take the BJP’s help to form a government.
He also indicated the SP considered the Congress its key opponent, and the BJP the “lesser evil”.