The IB, which gathers internal intelligence, is facing a severe paucity of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers. The deficit appears particularly stark in mid-level ranks that are vital for operational effectiveness.

According to official data on sanctioned posts and vacancies in Central police organisations and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) as of March 2026, the IB’s staffing structure reveals a sharp imbalance.

Senior leadership roles - ranging from Director General and Special Director to Inspector General - are fully staffed. 

But the situation changes significantly at the levels of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Superintendent of Police (SP), where vacancies have reached to nearly 50% of the sanctioned strength.

Out of a total of 203 sanctioned IPS posts in the IB, as many as 81 remain unfilled, indicating an overall shortfall of around 40%. 

The DIG rank alone accounts for 36 vacancies as against 63 sanctioned posts, while at the SP level, 45 positions are vacant out of a total strength of 83.

Why It Matters

These mid-level officers play a critical role in the intelligence gathering architecture. DIGs and SPs are responsible for supervising field operations with regard to human intelligence, handling sensitive inputs and ensuring the swift flow of actionable information across agencies. Their absence, therefore, directly impacts operational efficiency and responsiveness.

Pointing to structural challenges behind the shortage, officials said the IB relies heavily on deputation from state cadres, but state police forces are grappling with manpower constraints and rising law-and-order responsibilities themselves.

This has reduced the pool of officers available for central postings. Additionally, shorter tenures and frequent transfers hinder continuity in intelligence operations, while state-centre dynamics further complicate deputation processes, they added.

The staffing crunch comes amid an increasingly complex internal security environment, marked by evolving threats such as terrorism, extremism, cyber espionage, and organised crime, underscoring the urgency of addressing the gap, the officials said.

NIA Vacancies

In the NIA, India’s main anti-terror probe agency, out of the total 56 sanctioned posts, 18 are vacant. It is facing an acute shortage of middle-level police officers who are meant to be at the core of all the investigations in high-profile case. 

Nine posts of Inspector General rank, amounting to one third of the total permitted number, are unfilled. At the SP level, there are 15 vacancies out of a total sanctioned strength of 39, according to official data for March 9, 2026.

CBI No Exception

Even in the case of CBI, India’s leading anti-corruption probe agency, vacancies are affecting operations.  There are 50 unfilled posts against a permitted strength of 133 in the CBI. 

At the Superintendent of Police level, out of a sanctioned strength of 78, more than 50 percent – 47 to be precise – have not been filled. Officials say vacancies at this level means not having enough officers to lead investigations even as there is no dearth of cases.