The data compiled by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) comes even as the Supreme Court hears a contentious dispute over the deployment of IPS officers in the paramilitary Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

According to data as of July 2026, accessed by The Secretariat, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) are among the worst affected, particularly at the levels of Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG). 

The shortages have raised concerns over the operational capacity of agencies entrusted with criminal investigations, intelligence gathering, and internal security.

“SP-level officers form the backbone of agencies such as the CBI and National Investigation Agency (NIA). They are assigned cases as lead investigating officers (IOs) and the growing caseload makes it difficult for agencies to function at full capacity when a substantial number of these posts remain vacant,” a security expert said.

Vacancies In CBI, IB 

The CBI handles a substantial caseload involving investigations in cases of graft and other criminal offences from across the country. But it has only 34 IPS officers posted at the SP level against a sanctioned strength of 78. This leaves 44 posts vacant, translating into a shortfall of more than 56%.

The situation is similarly concerning in the IB, the country's principal domestic intelligence agency. Against a sanctioned strength of 83 SP-level posts, only 41 are occupied, leaving 42 vacant. The shortfall is compounded at the DIG level, where just 39 officers are posted against 63 sanctioned positions.

The vacancies assume significance as the IB is responsible for collecting and analysing intelligence inputs that help security agencies assess threats and plan responses. A shortage of officers at the supervisory and field levels could place additional pressure on existing personnel, particularly as the agency expands its operational footprint in sensitive areas.

A senior serving intelligence officer pointed to the growing requirements along India's border with Bangladesh in West Bengal, where the IB has expanded its field presence.

“The government has expanded the field formations of the IB along the Bangladesh border in West Bengal, with permanent establishments of the agency now coming up in each bordering district. This requires more officers at the DIG and SP levels. The sanctioned strength needs to be increased accordingly. If the agency continues to face such high vacancies, the manpower crunch will substantially erode its ability to deliver,” the officer said.

Shortage In NIA

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which probes terrorism-related cases and other offences falling within its mandate, is also grappling with a shortage of officers at the SP level. Of the 39 sanctioned posts, 12 remain vacant, leaving nearly one-third of the positions unfilled.

The gaps are particularly consequential because SP-level officers often lead investigations and supervise teams handling complex cases. With the volume of cases handled by the anti-terror investigative agencies continuing to grow, a shortage of officers at this level could affect case allocation, supervision and the pace of investigations.

Despite the shortages at the operational and supervisory levels, the position appears relatively better at the senior-most ranks, from Inspector General to Director General, where comparatively fewer vacancies have been reported.

Security experts, however, caution that a near-complete complement of senior officers cannot compensate for shortages among those responsible for directing investigations, managing field units and translating intelligence assessments into operational action.

Cadre Management

The vacancy pattern also brings the question of cadre management and officer deployment into sharper focus. While sanctioned strength determines the authorised number of posts, the actual availability of officers depends on postings, deputations, and the creation of additional operational requirements.

Executive cadre personnel of paramilitary already feel they play second fiddle to IPS officers. Only 40% of high-level posts are open to them and the majority go to IPS officers. 

The data, therefore, points to a twofold challenge for the government: filling existing vacancies in critical central organisations and reassessing their sanctioned strength in the light of expanding responsibilities. Without addressing both, agencies central to India's internal security and criminal justice framework may continue to face mounting operational pressure.