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What is the Difference Between IAS and IPS

The Union Public Service Commission conducts the Civil Service Examination once a year for the recruitment of IAS vs IPS and other civil officers etc. Here, We will get to know the What is the difference between IAS vs IPS. There are many similarities as well as many differences in each post in terms of training, duty, responsibility, salary, Allowances, and many more.

IAS vs IPS
 The Indian Administrative Service consists of many posts and the Indian Police Service also consists of many posts. We will also talk about the different types of posts that one gets in the service under IAS Cadre. Let’s begin with the Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service and later we will move to the comparison.

IAS (Indian Administrative Service)

It was formed in 1893 and before it was known as imperial civil services. In recent time, there are 4926 posts of IAS in which 3511 are selected through civil service examinations and 1418 are promoted by state civil services. The duties of IAS officer include law and order management, policy implementation and formulation, advisor to ministers, civil administration, and management bureaucracy whether it is a state or center.

IPS (Indian Police Service)

It was formed in 1948 and before it was known as Indian Imperial Police. The IPS officers are the leaders and commanders of the police staff of state or all Indian central armed forces. These officers do not play any role in law-making but they play a vital role in implanting the laws and checking whether the guidelines are being followed or not. They lead command, research and analysis wing, central bureau investigation, Indian intelligence bureau, border security force, and many other departments. They help in reducing crime, preventing terrorism, and many other illegal activities and they make sure that no laws are being broken.

Know More- How to become an IAS officer after 12th

Indian Administrative Service is IAS and Indian Police Service is IPS both are recruited through the same process that is CSE (Civil Service Examinations) conducted by UPSE ( Union public service commission.) The top rank holders in civil service examinations are allotted IAS post and after the allotment of IAS other top rankers are allotted IPS post.

Difference between IAS and IPS in terms of selection

Mostly the selection process of IAS and IPS  is the same, both are selected through a common exam that is a civil service exam conducted by UPSE and the qualifiers are posted in IAS vs IPS according to their national rank. UPSE selection process happens in three stages:-

  • Preliminary exams (objective type)
  • Mains exam(written)
  • Interview(personality test)

PRELIMS EXAM

Prelims exam contains two paper of multiple choice type paper for 200 marks each from subjects like general awareness, English language, reasoning, numerical aptitude, etc. the prelims paper is of 4 hours of objective type paper.

MAINS EXAM

The students who have qualified prelims exam will be called for the mains exam and the mains round consists of a written exam followed by an interview. The students who will qualify mains exam will be appointed as civil servants.

INTERVIEW

This Interview is also called the personality test. The interview is not that strict as it does not question the general awareness as it is already done in written exams. It is a natural and direct conversation about the events happening around them not in the state but outside the state and country which arouse the curiosity of the educated youth. It is done purposely to know and to reveal the mental abilities of the candidate.

Top Posts in Indian Administrative Service

The IAS officer can become the cabinet secretary of the government of India as it is the highest position in the Indian bureaucratic structure in which only IAS officers can be posted. Chief secretary of the state government is the top post in state bureaucratic structure and the post of union home secretary can also be held by an IAS officer.

Top Posts in Indian Police Service

 After joining the service. An IPS can become the DGP (director general of police) and in the union government an IPS officer can become the director of CBI(central bureau investigation), IIB (Indian intelligence bureau), and also IPS can be posted for national security advisor.

Difference between IAS and IPS Uniform

IAS officers have not been prescribed any special uniform, they wear formal clothes at certain events but IPS officers have to wear a prescribed uniform, IPS officer’s uniform changes with rank and they put the Ashok symbol on their shoulder and an IPS badge also. The public tends to recognize the IPS officer from their uniform.

Responsibilities and Power of IAS and IPS

The IAS and IPS services are very broad and both are posted at powerful posts. IAS is much more powerful than IPS because IPS controls only one department in which they are posted but IAS as a DM has the responsibility of all the departments of the district.  An IAS officer is the head of the police departments and other departments.

As per protocol, IPS officers need to salute the IAS officer if he is senior to him, it is also a protocol for IPS officers to take off their uniform hat after he is seated.

After some years of service, some IAS officers are posted as District Magistrate (DM). DM has the authority of taking decisions at the District level. They are the presiding authority of all the district level committees and meetings. DM’s are also responsible for the district’s police departments. All the decisions related to the district like curfews etc are taken by the IAS officers. Approval of DM is also required for the transfer of some police officers.

IPS is posted as SSP ( Senior Superintendent of Police), they are more concerned for the law and order of the district but for certain warrants, they need approval from the DM’s.

Difference Between IAS and IPS Training

All the newly selected IAS and IPS officers join the LBSNAA ( Lal Bahadur Shastri national academy of administration) Mussorie for a period of three months for the foundation course. After the foundation course, the IAS officers stay at the LBSNAA and other officers join their specialized training institutes, IPS officers join SVPNPA (Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel national police academy) Hyderabad for the rest of their training.

It takes two years for IAS officers to complete their training but IPS officers undergo training for two and a half years. The topper of the IAS training at LBSNAA receives the president’s gold medal and the topper of the IPS training at SVPNPA receives Prime Minister’s Baton.

Proper use of resources and manpower is the main concern of the IAS trainees but the training of IPS officers is comparatively more difficult than IAS officers, training IPS officers needs more physical power, which includes parades, horse riding, ornaments training, and other important things for law enforcement.

Salary difference between IAS and IPS

Top rank holders are appointed as IAS and the next best alternative is IPS given to the candidate. The pay of IAS is comparatively higher than IPS officers and there is only one IAS in the area but there are numbers of IPS officers as per the requirement.

The salary of IAS vs IPS officers have improved since the recommendation of the seventh pay commission. The salary of IPS ranges from 56,100 to 2,25,000 per month depending upon the seniority. The salary of IAS ranges from 56,100 to 2,50,000 per month. The salary of IAS is higher than the IPS.

Difference between IAS vs IPS Allowances

Apart from the salary, the IAS officers also get the allowances like house rent allowance (HRA), Travel allowance (TA), Dearness Allowance (DA), these allowances will be an extra addition to your salary.

If you are living in official accommodation then HRA will not be credited into your account. The salary of IAS officers increases with the increase in the experience of the officers. The house rent allowance is 8 to 24% of the basic salary.

Scope of Duty of IAS and IPS in their respected field

The scope of the duty of IAS officer as DM of all the departments of the district and an IPS can work in his department while being SSP. At first, the IPS officer is posted as ASP, the prime duty of the IPS officer is to maintain peace and harmony and an IPS is more concerned for the order passed to him by the DM, they take care of the laws and orders of the city. The duties of IAS vs IPS officers are wider in scope, they do not compete for powers rather they complement each other. At the time of emergency, It is the DM who coordinates at the district level.

I hope you got the answer to What is the difference between IAS vs IPS. All this information, Our team has collected from Articles, news, and some blog posts, etc. Both the posts are highly respectable in society and it is also very hard to be one.

FAQs For IAS vs IPS

Who is more powerful IAS or IPS?

In terms of Duty and responsibility, Posts under the Indian Administrative are more powerful and have more responsibility than IPS Officer. IPS officers are responsible to control and command the Police Personnel only and IPS also has to report to the DM of the District that comes under IAS.

Difference between IAS and IPS Salary and Allowances?

There are no such differences in terms of salary and allowances of the IAS officer and IPS officer. They get pretty much similar salaries and allowances. On average, They get around 56,100/- per month to 2,65,000/- per month depending upon the post and seniority, etc.

Which is better IAS or IPS?

It is hard to explain which particular is better but the IPS officer works under the IAS officer. An IPS officer has less responsibility than an IAS officer. In terms of salary, allowances, and other benefits both are pretty much similar. As per my opinion, IAS is better than IPS.

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Dasharath Maurya

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