Difference between IAS and IPS: Roles, Salary, Power and Authority

In India, the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service are two of the most important civil service positions to have. The acronyms IAS and IPS are also used to refer to them. Both positions have a great deal of weight in society. The IAS and IPS get the esteem and acclaim they so richly deserve in our society.

What is the main difference between IPS and IAS?

One of the primary differences between the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS) is that the former is in charge of formulating national policy while the latter is tasked with upholding public order throughout the country.

As previously said, both positions are highly esteemed and hold significant duties for the well-being, functioning, and preservation of law and order in the jurisdictions they represent.

As a second important distinction, the training centres are distinct. IAS training is held at Mussorie, Uttarakhand, whereas IPS training is held in Hyderabad, Telangana.

• Indian Administrative Service – Lal Bahadur Shastri National Administration Academy
• IPS – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy

Who is the IAS?

After completing the civil service test and serving a six-month trial period, the Indian Administrative Service officer is appointed by the divisional magistrate. Later on, people are promoted to positions such as district magistrate, collector, divisional commissioner, and so on.

What position is assigned to him?

The IAS officer is often assigned to a position at the top of the organisation, where they might perform a variety of duties. The Cabinet Secretary and the Joint Secretary are among the titles. An IAS officer’s key responsibilities include policy formulation and implementation through government agencies.

In addition, the IAS officer is tasked with overseeing all aspects of income generation, collection, and associated concerns. The federal and state courts are also on their list of responsibilities.

Who is the IPS?

The Indian Police Service is composed of highly trained public servants, each of whom holds the position of top police officer in the country. IPS is a federal and state government programme. The UPSC test must be passed with the highest possible score for them to advance.

What is the position assigned to him?

Security, public order, law enforcement, and criminal investigations are all part of the IPS’s scope of activity. At the area zone level, the IPS officer also makes decisions on recruiting, salary marking, and any other allowances, perks, or requirements.

Comparison of IAS and IPS 

Roles

Role of an IAS Officer

The IAS official is like the head of the state, whereas the IPS officer is like the head of the police. The role of the IAS is to monitor policy, whereas the responsibility of the IPS officer is to monitor city life in terms of how well law and order is working.

Role of an IPS Officer

IPS officers examine the whole operation of the police force as a whole. They scrutinise all aspects of everyday criminal records, including investigations, trials, the employment of subordinate officers, and so on.

Appointment Power and Authority

Appointment Power and Authority of IAS Officer

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) encompasses the departments of public complaints and pensions, as well as the personnel and training of numerous government agencies. In addition, it was understood that the IAS officer’s work is primarily administrative, requiring a lot of brainstorming from other departments.

Appointment Power and Authority of IPS Officer

While the ministry of home affairs and the government of India are responsible for the work of IPS officers. IPS officers are appointed by the IAS official, whereas IPS officers are appointed by the subdivision magistrate.

The primary function of an IPS is to implement the administrative accords that have been voted upon and delivered. Both the IPS and IAS officers are under the command of their respective superiors.

Departments

Departments looked after by IAS officers

As a member of the bureaucratic branch, IAS officers have responsibilities that extend across all of India’s services. Vigilance and central police actions are examined by the IAS office.

Departments looked after by IPS officers

Research and analysis are some of the areas that IPS focuses on. central reserve police force and the intelligence bureau are all examples of a wing

Distribution in the Area

Depending on the surrounding terrain, each of India’s cities may have one or more IAS officers. However, in most areas, there is only one IAS officer, but there may be several IPS officers. Each and every sector of the city now has its own police agency.

Salary and Position

IAS and IPS have different levels and pay scales, as well as different departments. Starting at the junior tier, an IAS official progresses to the senior scale.

While both the positions and the income appear to be rising, the pay scale for an IPS officer is significantly lower than that of an IAS official. An IPS officer can earn up to INR 54,000 per month. There are detailed descriptions of the ranks of IPS officers.

Which of the IAS and IPS is the most powerful of the two?

Both the IAS and the IPS are extremely high-ranking positions. In contrast to an IAS, an IPS is responsible for the administration of certain departments, whereas an IAS oversees a broader variety of departments under his or her supervision.

IAS vs IPS: Differences at a glance

Parameter of Comparison	Indian Administrative service	Indian Police service
Controlling Authority	Ministry of personnel, public grievances, and Pension	Ministry of Home Affairs
Appointed by	Sub-divisional magistrate	IAS official
Roles	Policy Formulation and implementation	Maintain Law and order
Ranks	Topmost in hierarchy	Lower to IAS
Salary	Higher	Comparatively low.
Area wise officers	Only One	More than one
Departments that they serve	All government departments	police department

Conclusion

Both the service and the morale boost it provides are highly regarded. The UPSC test is well worth the time and effort they put in studying for and taking the exam.

For the most part, those preparing for the UPSC examinations have their sights set on the IAS job. IPS is solely considered as a backup option for UPC hopefuls. The minimum age requirement for both the IAS and the IPS is 21 years old. The norm is to have a college degree as well.