NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the cadre-controlling authority for Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, has released the category-wise and state-wise distribution of vacancies to be filled through the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2024.
While the notification provides long-awaited clarity on the availability of posts across cadres, experts believe the sharp decline in vacancies has emerged as the biggest concern for aspirants.
According to the notification, only 147 IPS vacancies will be filled through CSE 2024, a significant reduction from the 200 vacancies notified in the previous allocation cycle. The drop of 53 posts is expected to make competition for one of India’s most sought-after civil services even more intense.
The vacancies have been distributed across 25 IPS cadres nationwide, including state-specific cadres and joint cadres such as AGMUT and Assam-Meghalaya. Of the 147 posts, 74 have been earmarked for the Unreserved (UR) category, 41 for Other Backward Classes (OBC), 22 for Scheduled Castes (SC) and 10 for Scheduled Tribes (ST).
A cadre-wise analysis shows considerable variation in vacancy distribution across states. West Bengal has the highest allocation with 15 vacancies, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 14. Uttar Pradesh has been allotted 12 vacancies, while Assam-Meghalaya and Madhya Pradesh have received 11 vacancies each. Maharashtra accounts for 10 vacancies in the current cycle.
At the other end of the spectrum, some cadres have not been allotted any vacancies. Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh have been assigned zero vacancies, highlighting the uneven distribution of openings across the country this year, sources said.
The notification assumes added significance amid concerns raised by civil services candidates over delays in service and cadre allocation in recent months. Earlier this year, prolonged timelines had created uncertainty among successful candidates, sparking widespread discussion within the UPSC community.
The release of the vacancy distribution is therefore being viewed as an important step towards completing the allocation process.
Although the vacancy list does not determine the final cadre allotment of candidates, it offers the first concrete indication of how many officers are likely to join each cadre. For aspirants targeting the IPS, the reduced vacancy count could directly impact service allocation trends and rank requirements.
With only 147 vacancies available this year, experts believe candidates may need stronger ranks than previous batches to secure a place in the IPS, particularly in their preferred cadres. As competition intensifies, even small differences in rank could prove decisive in determining both service and cadre allocation.