Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), Hyderabad. Photo courtesy: svpnpa.gov.in 

Officers of the Indian Police Service (IPS) are selected through the annual Civil Service Exam (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The training of IPS officers is held in three phases over a period of two years.

“The first phase of the training begins in the month of September at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussorie,” said Amod Nagpure, an IPS Officer of the 2013 batch. This phase is called the ‘Foundation Course’ which continues for a period of 3 months. Amod Nagpure, added, “During this phase, officers from different ‘All India Services’ train together. We are addressed as Officer Trainees (OTs) in this phase. We are introduced to various social, political, economic and cultural facets of the country. This mandatory course also familiarizes OTs to topics like esprit de corps, discipline, and etiquette required during their interaction with society at large.”

At the end of three months, IPS trainees join the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad (SVPNPA) for the second phase of training, called the ‘Basic Training Course’. SVPNPA is tasked with transforming young trainees into professional police officers. This phase extends for a period of 11 months. Speaking about this phase, Nagpure said, “As part of the curriculum, OTs study various indoor, outdoor and qualifying subjects. Subjects are taught keeping in mind the role of police officers like law enforcement, crime investigation, prosecution and maintenance of law and order.”

Indoor subjects include knowledge of laws, criminology, police leadership and management. Outdoor subjects include physical fitness, mob control and crowd management. To acquaint OTs about their work milieu, subjects like internal security and human rights are also taught. Weapons, unarmed combat, assault (insurgency) training, field tactics is also imparted to OTs which is qualifying in nature. A two-week long ‘Bharat Darshan’ tour is organised, where OTs are taken around the country.

During their training at SVPNPA, OTs are ‘attached’ to different units of army, air force, navy, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to familiarise them with service environment which helps them in appreciating the role of other organisations in nation building. The passing out parade of OTs is conducted at the end of 11 months. OTs are now known as probationers for the rest of the training period.

Nagpure added, “During the 11 months, we go to our respective state cadre for cadre familiarization course. This is lasts for 15-20 days.”

The second phase, Amod said, was about enhancing knowledge about the state including learning the state language. This training which is for a period of three weeks takes place at State Police Academies. This phase also includes a practical training component where probationers are given responsibility of handling a police station as Station House Officers (SHO). A SHO is usually a sub-inspector who is the officer-in-charge of a police station. As SHOs, probationers must investigate serious offences. They are also attached to district police headquarters to observe and learn on the go about policing. This phase lasts for a period of six months.

After completing six months, probationers are appointed in the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police.

In short, the training aims to fully equip IPS probationers with skills which will help them lead the men in khaki from the front.

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Click here to see an inspirational video about training of IPS officers.