How To Become An IPS Officer After 12th Class?

Procedure To Become IPS Officer After 12th Standard

Everyone wants to become something in their life and live their livelihood. When a student passes out their 12th standard, there are thousands of career lines and tracks. For a student, it is one of the most difficult tasks to choose a relevant career for their future. Some like to become engineers, doctors, lawyers, and politicians, whereas some want to join the Indian commissioned services. 

Commissioned services are grade-A government jobs, which help in maintaining law and order in the nation at the national level. IPS (Indian Police Service) is one of the most crucial sectors that govern the police force and maintains law and order. Those who are looking for how to become an IPS officer after 12th, are in the right place. Here in this article, we will help you to choose the right path to achieve your destination of becoming an IPS officer. 

How Much Time It Takes To Become An IPS Officer? 

To become an IPS officer a student needs to be qualified to graduate from any recognized university which usually takes about 3 years. And after clearing the UPSC CSE examination, the aspirants after the selection had to go through a training period of two years. This also includes the foundation course at LBSNAA, 11 months of basic course at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), and district training for 6 months as well. If you are asking how to become an IPS officer after 12th and consider it an easy task, you are wrong. It takes hardware and time to become an IPS officer. 

All over, after the 12th a student needed to wait around 5-6 years to become a commissioned officer in the Indian police. The time can be extended if the candidate is unable to qualify for the UPSC CSE (Union Public Service Commission Civil Service Examination).

Rarest of all human quality is consistency. 

BY Jeremy Bentham

Can I Become An IPS Officer After 12th? 

Well! It is not possible to directly become an IPS officer after completing your 12th standard. There are some needs and requirements a candidate must have met, we will discuss all of these requirements in brief. The following eligibility conditions must be qualified: 

General 

The candidate must be a citizen of India and there are some exceptions like if you are a refugee from Tibet, you must be a permanent citizen of India and must have arrived in India before January 1, 1962. Nepal should be the theme of nationality and all other migrants from the countries including Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and others who have permanent residence in India. These qualifications are for the question of how to become an IPS officer after 12th. 

The minimum age required to apply for the UPSC examination is 21 years and the maximum age is around 32 years. The candidate must have a bachelor’s degree from a UGC-accredited university. There are some exceptions in age as well, the applicants from Jammu and Kashmir and Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs can take 5-year relaxation in the maximum age limit. 

Not only graduation, but if you have accomplished any of the professional courses from authoritative organisations such as ICAI, ICSI, CMA, and so on. Applicants from the final year of higher studies can also apply for the examination. 

When it comes to the physical requirements the applicant must be 150 cm tall in the case of women and 165 cm tall in the case of men. The minimum chest girths for both men and women are 84cm and 79cm. The eyes should be less than plus 4.00D in case of hyperopia and minus 4.00D in case of Myopia. 

Number Of Attempts 

There are a limited number of attempts offered to the candidates; the applicants from the general category have only 6 attempts between their age limit of 21 to 32 years whereas the applications from the reserved category and in some special cases get 9 attempts and relaxation if about 5 years after completing 32 years of age. 

Which Degree Is Best To Become An IPS Officer? 

Some students have doubts about how to become an IPS officer after 12th and the best degree for IPS examination. Well! Candidates with any kind of degree or professional course are eligible for the UPSC CSE examination but when it comes to the best degree graduation is considered the most relevant degree. Especially when you have history, geography, politics, science and technology, and many other subjects during your degree. 

As these subjects have a major weightage in the examination, if you are studying these subjects during your graduation, the knowledge will work like an aid and help during your preparation. But if you are pursuing a technical line degree and have none of these subjects then it will be difficult for you to cover the entire syllabus on time. 

You must understand that it’s not only how to become an IPS officer after 12th, the preparation can also be started during school time because the majority proportion of questions asked in the UPSC examinations is from history, geography, economics, and politics from the 6th to 12th standard. That is why if you have studied them well during school days it will be easy for you to recall them during your preparation for becoming an IPS. 

What To Study To Become An IPS Officer?

The IPS examination is considered one of the toughest examinations in India, it is conducted by a government organisation UPSC. There are three stages of the examination i.e. Preliminary, mains, and personal interview. You will find here the steps you need to follow if you’re curious about how to become an IPS officer after 12th class.

These stages are mentioned below: 

Preliminary Examination

The initial stage of becoming an IPS officer is the Preliminary examination which consists of 400 marks and is divided into two examinations of 200 marks each. Here both the exams are objective type and have multiple-choice questions. After qualifying for the preliminary examination the applications are eligible to attend the mains examination. 

Mains Examination

This is the lengthy examination of descriptive type. It consists of the major subjects and optional subjects. One can only appear in the mains after qualifying for the preliminary examination. Mains examination is the most important and has to be prepared well if you are looking for how to become an IPS officer after 12th. 

Personal Interview

The candidates who have qualified for the preliminary and mains examination are now called for the personal interview round. The interview round is conducted by the senior officials of UPSC, here the general knowledge, subject knowledge, mental ability, and critical thinking skills of the applicant are deeply examined. 

The interview round carries 275 points and is also a scoring round, the allover rank of the candidate is determined by combining the marks obtained in the mains and interview round. A team of eminent personalities from different fields conducts the interview and is headed by a chairperson. The questions asked are tricky and will target logical thinking and aptitude skills. 

Here, how to become an IPS officer after 12th is clear to you but there are other questions in the mind of students like what to study to qualify the exam. Well! To qualify the exam knowledge of major subjects like history, geography, politics, science, technology, and many others subjects is necessary. For the preliminary examination-1, the syllabus is mentioned below: 

• General Science
• Indian Polity and governance 
• Environment 
• Indian and World Geography 
• History – Ancient, Medieval, Moand dern History along with Post-Independence History
• Economic and Social Development 

And the syllabus for preliminary examination 2 is mentioned below: 

• Basic numeracy
• Interpersonal Skills and Communication Skills
• Decision-making skills and problem-solving skills
• General mental ability 
• Basic English Comprehension Skills

After the candidate successfully qualifies the preliminary examination, he is eligible for the mains. The mains examination consists of a total number of seven examinations, each of the examinations in the mains categorised in 250 marks. And the total of all the examinations is 1750 marks, the preliminary examination is just qualifying whereas the mains is a scoring stage and can determine the ranking. 

• Paper 1: Essay (can be written in the medium of the candidate’s choice)

• Paper 2: General Studies – 1 (Indian Heritage & Culture, History & Geography of the World & Society)

• Paper 3: General Studies – 2 (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations)

• Paper 4: General Studies – 3 (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Security & Disaster Management)

• Paper 5: General Studies – 4 (Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude)

• Paper 6: Optional Subject – Paper 1

• Paper 7: Optional Subject – Paper 2 

There are hundreds of crash courses and online classes available on the internet for each subject. You can also buy books and study materials from the bookstore to start preparing to become an IPS. Consistency and dedication are the keys to success. Hope you know how to become an IPS officer after 12th. After the candidate clears both examinations, the final round i.e. Interview round will be held which is considered as the toughest round of the UPSC CSE examination. 

It is always Advisable to have a Plan-B. So, check out The Best Job Oriented Course After 12th.

How To Become IPS Officer After 12th Science?

Do some people have questions like can we become an IPS officer after 12th Science? Well! The answer is yes! Any student from any stream and subject background can become an IPS officer. There is only a single academic qualification required i.e. graduation. Whether you graduated from Medical or Non-medical background can apply for the UPSC examination. 

The only shortcoming you are supposed to face is a lack of knowledge and subject knowledge. As the UPSC examination is more concentrated on a humanities background and has a high weightage of subjects like History, Geography, and literature. So, as a Science background student, it is difficult for you to cover the vast syllabus adequately. Whereas the students who have already studied these subjects can revise quickly. 

There is no such stream barrier in becoming an IPS officer, any student who has completed graduation from any recognized university is eligible to sit in the UPSC examination. If you are looking for how to become an IPS officer after 12th with a Science background then you need to work hard to develop the GS (general science) portion. 

How To Become IPS Officer After 12th Commerce?

Indian Police Service examinations require candidates to hold a Bachelor’s degree from a UGC-recognized university or an equivalent qualification. In other words, it does not matter what course you take. However, since you have completed your 12th standard with a commerce stream, you can study further for a bachelor’s degree such as B.com, BBA, or BCA. You can apply for the IPS examination after you complete your bachelor’s degree.
Although choosing commerce and preparing for an IPS officer position is a wise option, UPSC has subjects like management and economics. These subjects will help you during your career and training. Thus, you will have enough time to manage both your college studies and UPSC preparation.

How To Become IPS Officers After 12th Arts?

Taking an arts subject would be a worthwhile option if you are preparing for the civil services since you’ll have enough time. Subjects such as history, political science, geography, public administration, management, economics, etc., can tremendously help you prepare for civil services by providing foundational knowledge. A degree in the Humanities or Arts can be one of the best paths to becoming an IPS officer

What To Do For IPS Officer?

To become an IPS officer a student must have qualified as per the eligibility criteria determined by the UPSC. The brief of these criteria is mentioned in the article. After completing your 12th standard you are required to pursue graduation or higher studies. The degree can be of any course but the university must be recognized. 

If you have crossed the age limit of 21 years and are in the last year of your degree then you are also eligible to give the UPSC CSE examination. Union Public Service Commission is the governing body that regulates Civil service examinations and other major grade-A exams. There are three stages of the examination i.e. Preliminary, Mains, and personal interview. 

After qualifying for all these rounds you are called for the physical and medical examination. There are some standards that every candidate should meet to become an IPS. After all the stages of the selection procedure, the merit list will be public in a few days or months. The selected candidates are then requested to approve their documents and other formalities. Then finally they will be called for the orientation and training period at LBSNAA. 

After completing the training period of 2 years the IPS candidates are permanently commissioned into the Indian police as officers. That is the journey of becoming an IPS officer. 

How To Become IPS Officer Step By Step?

If you have a question, How to become an IPS officer after 12th and looking for the step by step guidance then you are at the right place. First of all, before moving ahead you should know who is an IPS officer: 

What is an IPS officer?

All Indian services have a subdivision named Indian Police Service (IPS) which assigns high-level government jobs to the officers, these officers are sent to regulate Central Armed Police forces and state Central police forces. After India got independence in 1947 necessary to maintain peace and order which is why IPS (Indian Police Services) was established in 1948. The full authority of Indian police forces is under the control of the Ministry of Home affairs. 

Qualifications Needed To Become An IPS Officer? 

To become an IPS officer the candidate has to clear the UPSC examination which consists of three stages i.e. Preliminary, Main, and Interview. But to appear in the UPSC examination the candidate has to meet some eligibility criteria, these qualifications are: 

• The candidate must be a citizen of India. 
• The candidate must have qualified their graduation from any recognized university. 
• The candidate must have crossed 21 years of age. 

First of all, after completing your 12th standard you can choose any stream of your interest; it can be arts, business, science, or any other field. And after you meet all the qualifications, you can apply for the UPSC examination. But you are recommended to choose the following subjects while pursuing graduation because these subjects have major weightage in the UPSC examination: 

• Geography (up to 12th)
• Sciences (up to 10th)
• Political Science (up to 12th)
• History (up to 12th standard)
• Economics (up to 12th)

Step To Step Guidance 

There are five major steps included in How to become an IPS officer after 12th, these steps are: 

• Apply for the UPSC examination, first of all, a candidate is required to apply for the UPSC examination and choose the IPS as the priority. The notification of the examination is circulated among the public by various means and media. Fill out the form and start preparing for the examination. 
• The next and most important step is to prepare for the examination, the UPSC CSE is considered the toughest examination in India. So, prepare well as per the syllabus of the examination and focus more on topics with higher weightage in the exam. 
• Another step is to attend the prelims examination, which is just qualifying in nature. The preliminary examination consists of MCQ-type questions. 
• Now, after you clear the preliminary examination, you are eligible to attend the main exam. Which is a paragraph writing examination. The exam is descriptive. 
• After clearing the main examination, the candidates are called for a personal interview. The interview is conducted by the senior officers and other staff members of UPSC. 

How To Become IPS Officer Without UPSC? 

A lot of people have dreamed of becoming an IPS officer but a few of them can achieve their goals. This is because the selection procedure for IAS is difficult and includes a written examination, an interview round, and medical and physical tests. A few candidates can qualify for these rounds. UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) is the governing body that conducts the Civil services examination every year. 

But if you want to become an IPS officer without UPSC then you have to qualify for the investigation bureau examination conducted by SSC. After getting selected for a lower rank at IB, one can become an IPS officer after a series of promotions which takes years. So, it is highly recommended for a candidate to clear the UPSC CSE examination to become an IPS officer. Hope you got the answer, on how to become an IPS officer after 12th without UPSC. 

IPS Officer Salary 

IPS officers are considered one of the most luxurious and prominent government officials in India. They are given a good sum of money as their allowances. In the initial stage, the salary of an IPS officer is around Rs 56,100 (which includes DA, HRA, etc). The salary has increased in the past few years due to the recommendation of the 7th pay commission. The major reason for the students to ask how to become an IPS officer after 12th is the salary and perks offered to the officers. Below mentioned is the salary given to the IPS officers as per their ranks: 

• The Director-General of Police is the highest rank as an IPS officer and receives a salary of about 2,25,000.00 INR. 

• The Additional Director General of Police is also a senior rank in Indian Police services, the round-off salary is around 2,05,400.00 INR. 

• The Inspector-General of Police has been given a salary of around 1,44,200.00 INR. 

• The Deputy Inspector General of Police has been given an in-hand salary of around 1,31,100.00 INR. 

• The salary of a Senior Superintendent of Police or an SSP is 78,800.00 INR. 

• The salary of an ASP or Additional Superintendent of Police is around 67,700.00 INR. 

• The Deputy Superintendent of Police is given a  salary of around 56,100.00 INR after deducting all the formalities. 

Note that the salary of an IPS officer is not fixed, it can be less or even more depending on the posting, department, and other factors. Officers posted in dangerous zones, Naxal areas, high altitudes, forests, and deserts are given more allowances as compared to the officers posted in cities or towns. 

Conclusion 

Every student has a dream to settle in their life and one of the most important aspects of a well-settled life is the career and profession. If you are in a well-regulated and renowned post as a government official, you will get a good salary as well as a reputation. To achieve the same, some students want to become IPS officers. But they do not know how to become an IPS officer after 12th. This article will help you to get the brief knowledge about becoming an IPS officer after 12th. 

The three stages of the UPSC examination are said to test the overall personality of a candidate. The first two stages will test the academic skills and knowledge of the candidate whereas the personal interview round will ask for practical and decision-making skills. They are not meant for knowledge, the interviewer wants an officer who can handle the worst situation with the best possible option. 

This isn’t only about how to become an IPS officer after 12th, the candidate must be mentally and physically stable to become an IPS officer. Other services like the IAS (Indian Administrative Service) and IFS (Indian Foreign service) accept candidates with physical disabilities but to become an IPS, physical fitness is the most important aspect. All the standards including your BMI, height, eye eyesight, and many more must be up to the mark. 

Frequently Asked Questions By IPS Aspirants