Difference between IAS and IPS

IAS and IPS are the highly prestigious carrier options in India. IAS stands for Indian Administrative Service whereas IPS stands for Indian Police Service. Both are challenging jobs which not only give you with power and position but also come with duties towards the nation and responsibility towards society. Let us see how IAS differs from IPS!

IAS:

IAS stands for Indian Administrative Service. It is one of the most challenging jobs in India. To become an IAS, a candidate has to qualify the IAS exam, which is conducted every year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit officers for the All India Administrative Civil Service. Millions of students appear for this exam but only around 150 students qualify to join IAS cadres.

Despite the private sector highly paid jobs, IAS is considered one of the most exciting and glamorous careers by the youth of India. Hierarchy-wise, IAS is the highest administrative designation among other similar services like IPS, IFS etc. Its cadre can be employed by the Union Government, the State Governments and public-sector undertakings.

An IAS officer controls the administration of the entire district as a District Collector. Furthermore, he also represents Government of India at international level on certain occasions. The minimum educational qualification required for IAS is a Bachelor's Degree from a recognized university.

IPS:

IPS stands for Indian Police Service. It is one of the most challenging jobs in India. To become an IPS officer, a candidate has to qualify the IAS exam, which is conducted every year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). An IPS officer is the top-ranked officer of the Police Department. He leads the police force both at the State and Central level. Furthermore, an IPS officer is also the head or commander of Indian Intelligence Agencies and Central Police Organizations like Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), etc.

The duties of an IPS officer generally include maintaining law and order, law enforcement, public order, crime investigation etc. In short, his or her primary duty is to maintain the law and order or peace among the public. The minimum educational qualification required to become an IPS officer is Bachelor's degree in any stream from a recognized university.

Some of the key differences between IAS and IPS based on the above information are as follows: