Pulwama Now Training Ground For IPS Recruits

Last week, 21 IPS Officer Trainees of the 78th Regular Recruit (RR) Batch underwent a five-day familiarisation module in Kashmir. The training mostly took place at Lethpora in Pulwama.

It gave the young IPS officers firsthand exposure to the security environment and operational practices of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The CRPF facility in Pulwama, about 21 km from Srinagar.  hosts personnel for basic and pre-induction training for Kashmir operations, officials said.

A senior CRPF official said, “Trainees were divided in seven groups and each of them were attached to the force’s units to observe and experience high-intensity grid frameworks, Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) and Tactical Operation Base (TOB) functioning and day operations.”

This was the second batch of IPS trainees to undergo the specialised exercise, designed to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and operational realities.

The IPS training programme is increasingly placing emphasis on practical field exposure, with young officers being familiarised with ground-level security challenges, counter-terrorism operations, and the operational functioning of forces deployed in sensitive theatres.

Experiential Learning

The module provided the young officers an opportunity to understand the complexities of counter-terrorism duties and the challenges confronting security personnel in one of the country’s most sensitive security theatres.

They were also briefed on the administrative, tactical, and operational frameworks governing the deployment of forces in high-intensity security environments.

“The exposure would help strengthen our professional preparedness as we move towards leadership positions involving law enforcement and internal security responsibilities across the country,” one of the trainee officers told The Secretariat, describing the experience as valuable.

The initiative reflects a growing emphasis on experiential learning in IPS training, recognising that handling complex security situations requires not only a sound understanding of policing and law but also familiarity with ground-level operational challenges and the realities faced by forces in the field.

One of the highlights was a live room-intervention demonstration, showcasing the procedures and tactical responses adopted during close-quarter security operations.

The trainees also visited the CRPF's War Room, Social Media Cell, and Madadgaar Cell, where they were introduced to operational coordination, information monitoring, and public assistance mechanisms.

A display of specialised weapons and modern operational equipment acquainted them with the technological and tactical resources available to security personnel operating in challenging conditions.

The five-day exercise concluded with an interactive feedback and debriefing session, during which the trainees shared their observations and discussed the operational lessons drawn from their field experience.

Officials said the initiative was aimed at giving future police leaders a practical understanding of counter-terrorism operations, inter-agency coordination, and command responsibilities in sensitive security environments.

The Kashmir Challenge

Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir largely began in the early 1990s, but it has declined significantly in terms of organised militant strength, local recruitment, and large-scale violence.

The threat is, however, far from over.

It was in Lethpora, Pulwama, that a suicide attack by terrorists claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel on 14 February 2019.

Pakistan-backed terror groups continue to attempt infiltration, sustain overground worker networks, and target security personnel and civilians. The threat of locally supported militancy, radicalisation, drone-assisted arms and narcotics smuggling and attacks by small, mobile terrorist groups remains a major concern.

The security forces have intensified intelligence-led operations, dismantled militant networks, and tightened surveillance along infiltration routes. Their focus has increasingly shifted towards preventing fresh recruitment and dismantling support networks.