DIG Full Form

The police department was introduced to protect people from social dangers and prevent people from committing crimes and maintain discipline among individuals. The main aim of the police department is to abide by the rules and lead people to follow the rules. They work with courage, uprightness, commitment, and a strong sense of service to the people, to lead and command the force. The police department on the whole depicts the administration of laws of a nation. The department attempts to instil principles and standards in the police forces under their direction that will enable them to better serve the public and they instil high levels of honesty, sensitivity to people’s expectations in a rapidly changing social and economic environment, respect for human rights, a broad liberal view of law and justice, and a high level of professionalism. The police department groups their officers based on different rankings and one such higher ranking is the Deputy Inspector General of Police.

Who is a DIG? 

DIG stands for Deputy Inspector General, just one post behind the Inspector General of the police in the Indian police. After working either as the Senior Police Superintendent or the Vice Commissioner of Police, IPS officials are promoted to this selected level (Selection Grade). They wear collar-mounted Gorget patches with a white embroidered outline on a dark blue uniform. A state may have multiple numbers of DIGs.

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Roles of a DIG

The Deputy Inspector General of Police has many roles and their duties of them vary between nations and states. Some of the common roles of DIG are:

• They plan, audit and review the operations performed in the police department
• They must supervise the work of the other police officials 
• They must ensure the efficiency of work among the various police departments
• To guide the sub-inspectors from their training to their appraisal
• Assigning constables their duties
• To retain a close connection with Superintendents and District Magistrates
• They transfer officials below them
• To make changes in the system that are temporary and valid for one year
• DIG guides the police officials below
• To investigate the case that needs more attention
• To pass orders on receiving special reports from higher officials

Their field of investigation includes Keeping the peace, preventing, detecting, and investigating crime, traffic control, counter-terrorism, drug trafficking/smuggling prevention, border policing, VIP protection, and commanding intelligence agencies.

Important Pages

Ranking of Deputy Inspector General of Police

The Deputy Inspector General holds the 4th highest position in the Police department. DIG is a position or rank held by IPS officers who were promoted to this post after successfully serving as Senior Superintendent of Police or Deputy Commissioner of Police. The Director General of Police, Additional Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police have the authority to control the DIG. The DIG has the power to control the Superintendent of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Additional Superintendent of Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police Inspector, Sub-inspector and more. 

Job Relation with District Magistrate

When speaking with the District Magistrate, the Deputy Inspector General represents his Inspector General on his behalf. He resolves the matters under his purview and refers the others to the Police Inspector General for review. The point is sent to the Inspector General of Police, who establishes the ultimate resolution or conclusion if there is any discrepancy between the DIG & District Magistrate’s opinions.

How to become a Deputy Inspector General of Police?

The first step in becoming a Deputy Inspector General of Police is to first join the police department. To become a police officer and enter the police department one must clear the National Civil Services Exam. The civil service exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). After clearing the Civil service examination the candidate is given training by the police department. He then becomes an IPS officer. Then the officer joins as Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) or Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). Based on the experience, talent, skills, performance and considering various characteristics the officer is promoted to Superintendent of Police (SP) then Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and later promoted to become a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).

Eligibility Criteria for DIG

The eligibility criteria for a candidate to become a DIG officer depends on two major criteria. They are: 

• Nationality

First preference is given to Indian citizens. Candidates who settled permanently in India but are from Nepal, Bhutan, or Tibet are also eligible. 

• Educational Qualification

The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university. Must clear UPSC examination. 

Salary of a DIG

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) is taxed based on the Senior Time Scale of the PayScale under the IPS Pay Rules 2016 published in the Government Gazette (pay level 11). According to the Junior time scale, the DIG’s base pay varies from INR 37,000 to 68,000 per month, with a grade pay of Rs.8060. While the Deputy Superintendent of Police’s base pay is INR 56,100. (pay level 10). The Central Government regularly evaluates the Pay Scales.

Benefits of a DIG

Though being a DIG involves a lot of effort, knowledge and experience. A person holding the post of a Deputy Inspector General has the following benefits they are official vehicle, driver, free accommodation, no-cost electricity, lifetime pension, government-aided medical treatments, free telephone connection, security guards, paid holidays, retirement perks, social respect and job security. 

The pay scale of a Deputy Inspector general lies in the pay band 4. They are expected to receive a paycheck of about 37,000 to 67,000 rupees per month. A standard increment of 8000 is provided to the officials. 

Conclusion

A Deputy Inspector General of Police plays a key role in the administration of laws enforced by the Government. They play an important role in the protection of people from injustice. They set and follow a high standard of roles and goals to fulfil their duties.