Police ranks and insignia of India

A display of the various ranks of the Indian police and their respective uniform at the National Police Memorial and Museum in New Delhi.

Police services in India comprises the Indian Police Service (IPS), DANIPS, and Pondicherry Police Service recruited by the central government, along with various State Police Services (SPS) recruited by state governments. As policing is a state subject, the structure and organisation of police forces vary across states. In most state police forces, ranks below Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) are considered subordinates, while DSP and above are supervisory ranks.[1] These officers are organised in a structured hierarchical order.

Ranks of law enforcement in India

The ranks, posts, and designations of all police officers vary from state to state as police and law and order is a state matter. But, generally the following pattern is observed:[2][3][4]

Gazetted officers
Indian Police Service cadre officers rank insignia[5][6][7]
Insignia
Rank Director General of Police Additional Director General of Police[a] Inspector General of Police Deputy Inspector General of Police Superintendent of Police (Selection Grade)[b] Superintendent of Police Additional superintendent of police Assistant Superintendent of Police Assistant superintendent of police (Probationary for two years) Assistant Superintendent of Police (Probationary for one year)
Abbreviation DGP ADGP IGP DIGP SP (SG) SP Addl.SP ASP ASP ASP
  • Note 1: The rank insignia of DGP, Spl.DGP, Addl.DGP is the same.
  • Note 2: The equivalent rank to the ASP (Asst.SP) in State Police Services is the deputy superintendent of police (DSP/DySP).
  • Note 3: The commissioner of police is a post typically held by DIG and above rank officers.


State Police Services rank insignia[8]
Insignia
Rank Superintendent of police[c] Additional superintendent of police[d] Deputy superintendent of police[e]
Abbreviation SP Addl.SP DSP/Dy.SP
  • Note: Gazetted officers in State Police Services (SPS) begins from DSP and above.[9]
  • In the Indian Police Service (IPS), rank starts from Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), which is equivalent to DSP in state services.


Indian Police non-gazetted officers rank insignia[10][11]
Insignia No insignia
Rank Inspector of Police Inspector / Circle Inspector[f] Assistant Police Inspector[g] Sub-Inspector Sergeant (Kolkata Police) Assistant Sub-Inspector Head Constable[h] Senior Constable[i] Police constable
Abbreviation INSP INSP / CO API SI Sgt ASI HC SC PC
  • The rank of Sergeant is used in India only in the Bihar Police and the Kolkata Police
  • The One Five Pointed Star for the rank of Inspector is used by Police forces of 7 states viz. West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland and Tripura. This is because Inspectors of Police in these 7 states are Gazetted Officers. However, the Kolkata Police uses the Four Pointed Star of the Order of Bath for the ranks of Inspector and Assistant Commissioner of Police instead of Five Pointed Star. For the ranks of ASI, SI/Sergeant and Deputy Commissioner of Police, the usual Five Pointed Star is used
  • Colour pattern and size of chevrons may vary according to the different rules of several distinct Indian State Police services.


State/UT Armed Police Cadre

  • Leadership positions of State Armed Police are typically held by officers from the Indian Police Service (IPS) cadre. Their hierarchy includes DIG, IGP, ADGP, and DGP – same as in civil police
  • Rank titles and designations vary across Indian states. The rank of '''Lance Naik''' is **not present in all states** and may be found only in select armed battalions or paramilitary-pattern forces.
State Armed Police Cadre Rank Structure
Gazetted Officers
Commandant Deputy Commandant / Second-In Command Assistant Commandant / Company Commander
Equivalent: Superintendent of Police Equivalent: Additional superintendent of police Equivalent: Deputy superintendent of police
Non-Gazetted Officers (NCOs) and Enlisted Ranks
No Insignia
Inspector (Armed) / Platoon Commander Sub-Inspector (Armed) / Section Commander Assistant Sub-Inspector (Armed) Head Constable / Havildar Lance Naik/Naik (Intermediate rank) Armed Police Constable/Rifleman
Equivalent: Inspector Equivalent: Sub-Inspector Equivalent: Assistant sub-Inspector Equivalent: Head constable Equivalent: None (intermediate post; varies by state) Constable

Organisational structure and roles

Overview

Law enforcement in India is a state subject, and police organisation varies across states, though a general structure is followed nationwide.

Flags and stars on official cars of senior IPS officers.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs oversees internal security and policing and controls the Indian Police Service (IPS). The Ministry is administratively headed by the Home Secretary, a senior IAS officer. IPS officers are recruited either through the national Civil Services Examination or by promotion from State Police Services after state-level selection. The Indian Police Service cadre officers provide leadership to law enforcement and security agencies at both state and federal level.

Each state’s Home Department handles law and order, internal security, and police administration. It is headed by a Principal Secretary or Additional Chief Secretary, who supervises administration of state police and related agencies.

State police structure

Every state police force is headed by a Director General of Police (DGP), assisted by Additional or Special DGPs for key divisions like Law & Order, Crime, or Intelligence. Large forces are divided into zones, ranges, and districts, while metropolitan areas function under the Commissionerate system.

Commissionerates are led by a Commissioner of Police (CP), assisted by Joint and Deputy Commissioners. In larger metropolitan areas the Commissioner is a higher ranked IPS officer. A Commissioner of Police is typically an officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector General or above; the exact rank is determined by the state government based on requirements.

Outside commissionerates, the hierarchy generally follows:

  • Law & Order command: Additional Director General (ADGP)
  • Zone: ADG/IGP
  • Range: IG/DIG
  • District: SP/SSP
  • Subdivision: DSP/ASP (SDPO or Circle Officer)
  • Police Station: Inspector or Sub-Inspector (SHO)

In some states, police circles exist between subdivisions and police stations, headed by an Inspector designated as a Circle Inspector. A Circle Inspector supervises multiple police stations within the circle, and multiple police circles together constitute a police subdivision, which is headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police.

Armed Police

State Armed or Reserve Police units are headed by officers of ADG rank. Each battalion is commanded by a Commandant (SP rank), assisted by a Deputy Commandant and Assistant Commandants (DSP rank).

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Rank insignia of DGP is similar to Additional DGP.
  2. ^ The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) is a post, not a rank, typically held by an SP (selection grade or junior grade) in states like Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab.
  3. ^ In an armed police battalion, the equivalent rank is "Commandant.
  4. ^ In an armed police battalion, the equivalent rank is Deputy Commandant
  5. ^ In an armed police battalion, the equivalent rank is Assistant Commandant.
  6. ^ Inspector or Circle Inspector with One Five-Pointed Star insignia exists in West Bengal Police.
  7. ^ This rank exists only in the Maharashtra Police.
  8. ^ Shoulder insignia rank only used in the Maharashtra Police.
  9. ^ This rank is also known as senior constable, constable grade-I, and exists only in some state police forces.

References

  1. ^ "Police Acts" (PDF).
  2. ^ "Police Ranks" (PDF). Maharashtra Police. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 Feb 2024. Retrieved 14 Feb 2024.
  3. ^ "Governance of Andhra police". Kerala Police. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Police Ranks and Badges". Odisha Police. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Police Ranks and Badges". Odisha Police. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  6. ^ "Police Ranks" (PDF). Maharashtra Police. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  7. ^ "Governance of Kerala Police". Kerala Police. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  8. ^
  9. ^ "Nuh Police, Government of Haryana". mewat.haryanapolice.gov.in. Haryana Police. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Police Ranks" (PDF). Maharashtra Police. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  11. ^ "Police Ranks and Badges". Odisha Police. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
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