CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Police’s proposal to create a dedicated Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) cadre under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) has triggered demands from criminology graduates, who say the draft rules exclude students formally trained in crime-scene management.
The proposal, submitted to the Home Department in November by then DGP (in-charge) G Venkataraman, seeks government sanction for 178 posts — 150 SIs, 21 inspectors and seven DSPs — to strengthen scientific evidence collection. It is aimed at meeting Section 176(3) of the BNSS, which requires “forensic experts” to visit crime scenes, collect evidence and videograph procedures in offences punishable with seven years or more. Police records show that about 20,000 such offences are registered annually across 1,629 stations.
According to the document, the 150 SI posts will be created partly by redeploying 75 vacant SI (fingerprint) posts and adding 75 new ones. With the introduction of the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), much of the fingerprint-matching work has become automated, enabling the vacancies to be repurposed for field-based SOCO roles.
Graduates in physics, chemistry, biology (botany/zoology), biochemistry, microbiology and forensic science are eligible to apply for the post, according to the draft, which also proposes awarding two additional marks to candidates with a degree in forensic science. However, criminology graduates despite specialised training do not figure in the eligibility list.
Retired DGP C Sylendra Babu, who holds a PhD in criminology, backed the call for inclusion. “Criminology graduates should be included in the eligibility list. They have ground-level knowledge of how scenes are examined and evidence is preserved. Excluding them is not correct,” he told TNIE.
Faculty members and former forensic officials also said criminology students receive structured exposure to crime-scene work. A review of the University of Madras MSc criminology syllabus shows training in forensic science, fingerprint classification, recovery and preservation of physical evidence, and field attachments with police units.
“Since the 1990s, criminology syllabus has been designed with these specialised components. Our students fit well into SOCO roles,” said Dr Ramdoss, Head of the Department of Criminology, University of Madras.
Dr Hemalatha, retired deputy director of the Tamil Nadu Forensic Sciences Department, said the curriculum equips students with essential practical skills.
“MSc criminology students study forensic science across two semesters, so they gain a practical understanding of how evidence is collected and analysed. They should be considered for scene-of-crime and investigation roles, especially when they also hold a science degree,” she said.
She clarified that while criminology graduates cannot be equated with forensic experts, a designation generally used for laboratory specialists, they are well-suited for recruitment as SIs (fingerprint) or SOCOs.
The proposal also recommends awarding two additional marks in recruitment to candidates with a degree in forensic science, a provision criminology graduates argue tilts the field further away from them. Recruits selected for the SOCO cadre will undergo six months of training at Tamil Nadu Police Academy.
Students argue that widening eligibility without replacing science graduates would simply recognise an existing pool of trained manpower.
Requesting anonymity, a postgraduate student pursuing criminology said, “Most of us prepare for central and state competitive exams, where competition is fierce. A dedicated SOCO post would finally create a meaningful pathway for students trained in this field.”