In a significant change to cadre management norms, the Centre has amended the guidelines for the empanelment of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, making it mandatory to have at least two years of central deputation at the level of Superintendent of Police (SP) or Deputy Inspector General (DIG) to be considered for empanelment as Inspector General (IG) or equivalent at the Centre.
The new condition would apply to officers of the 2011 IPS batch onwards, according to a notification issued on January 28 to the states and Union Territories by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

In an effort to solve the ongoing lack of officers at the SP and DIG ranks in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), central police organizations, and critical security-related positions, the Center has chosen to alter the norms.
The ministry has said that, starting with the 2011 batch, "minimum two years of Central experience at SP/DIG or equivalent level shall be mandatory for empanelment of IPS officers at IG/equivalent level at the Center."
The lack of IPS officers ready to serve on central deputation at the SP and DIG levels has been a problem for the Center for a number of years. According to a senior government source, "many officers prefer to stay in the states, where they hold district and range-level postings with significant field responsibilities."According to an official, the government is essentially creating an incentive—and a requirement—for officers to have central experience early in their careers by tying future empanelment as IG at the Center with an obligatory two-year central term at SP or DIG rank.
Last week, the central government revised the cadre allocation policy for the three All-India Services – the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), IPS and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) – introducing a new grouping structure that replaces the earlier zonal arrangement for allocation of cadres to successful candidates of the civil services examination.