HYDERABAD: Hundreds of youngsters hailing from various parts of the State, aspiring to become DSPs, are worried over the mandated minimum height requirement of 167.6 cm and 152.5 cm set by the authorities for men and women respectively.
While the minimum height required to become an IPS officer, which is higher than the DSP rank, is only 165 cm (men) and 150 cm (women), this new mandate has thrown a spanner in their dreams. Though the aspirants have, on several occasions, submitted representations to ministers and top brass of the Police Department, urging them to look into the height issue, nothing much has changed till now.
After multiple representations, the State Home Department wrote to the DGP in February 2019 and again in January 2021, requesting the top cop “to examine the request made by the aspirants and take further suitable necessary action, as deemed fit”. According to sources, the government has already decided to fill vacancies of 88 DSP (Civil) positions and also DSP (Jails) through a special appointment. But if the authorities proceed the recruitment process with the same height specifications, several aspirants will be left in the dark, opined the aspirants.
It may be mentioned here that for posts equivalent to the rank of DSP, the minimum height requirement for men and women is 165 cm and 150 cm respectively in at least twenty States, including the neighbouring Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and all northeastern States.
Further, the eligible height for recruitment to Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Assistant Commandant (DSP cadre) conducted by the UPSC, is also in line with the IPS recruitment.