Tue, Jan 20, 2026
MHA Data Reveal Trend Of Young IPS Officers Avoiding Central Deputation
According to officials, Central intelligence agencies are facing an acute shortage of IPS officers at the level of Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG), as nearly 50% of posts remain vacant
Jan 20, 2026 · 2 min read
Recent analysis reveals a worrisome trend of young Indian Police Service (IPS) officers showing little interest in taking up assignments in central intelligence and investigative agencies or forces. According to internal data of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, hundreds of sanctioned posts at various senior levels remain vacant, adversely impacting national security, intelligence gathering, and investigative capacity.
This is due to nearly 50% vacancies in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
According to officials, Central intelligence agencies are facing an acute shortage of IPS officers at the level of Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG). In the IB, 83 posts are sanctioned for SPs (IPS), but more than half of these posts (47) remain vacant. At the DIG level, the IB has 63 sanctioned posts, but only 25 posts are filled, and the rest remain vacant, which is again more than 50%.
In the CBI, 42 of the sanctioned 78 posts for SPs remain vacant, and five of the sanctioned 34 posts are yet to be filled at the DIG level. Such a crisis is witnessed in other Central Police Organisations (CPOs) and agencies as well, officials said.
Posts Remain Vacant
In case of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), eight of the 39 SP posts are vacant. Of the 14 IPS posts in the National Police Academy (NPA), six posts are vacant.
Among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the BSF currently has eight vacancies against 26 sanctioned DIG posts. In the CISF, nine of the 31 DIG posts are vacant.
According to the officials, this is indicative of the fact that the IB and the CBI are no longer the first choice of many young IPS officers.
Central Deputation Reserve (CDR) Quota
Yet, the Central Deputation Reserve (CDR) quota for IPS officers has been increased, the officials said. Last year, 678 IPS posts were sanctioned under the CDR, which has now been increased to over 700. However, 212 of the sanctioned posts remain vacant.
IPS officers have been increasingly avoiding demanding and field-intensive jobs, a senior BSF officer said. “IPS officers get the opportunity to command districts as SPs in their respective states. They don’t want to leave that authority," the officer further said.
When officers are promoted to the DIG rank, many seek headquarters postings. DIG posts in the CAPFs and other organisations are considered field postings, often involving deployment in remote or border areas, according to a CAPF officer.
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