Rajnath Singh chairs a meet
Home Minister Rajnath Singh.Reuters

Over 1,000 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers are under the scanner of the Home Ministry for non-performance, an official said on Friday. Review of performance and service record of IPS officers is a standard and continuous process and it has been done in the past too, the official told IANS, adding that the number of officers under the lens could go up.

Performance of nearly 2,000 IPS officers had been reviewed in the past three years and 10 of them were recommended for premature retirement from service in public interest, he said.

The review of service records was carried out under Rule 16(3) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, during 2016 and 2018 to check non-performers, the official said.

The rule says that the central government in consultation with the state government concerned may ask an IPS or IAS officer to retire in public interest by giving at least three months' previous notice in writing or three months' pay and allowances in lieu of such notice.

As many as 3,972 IPS officers are working across the country against their total sanctioned strength of 4,940, according to Home Ministry data.