Top to Bottom Indian Police Ranks | Indian Police Ranking

1. DGP (Director General of Police)

DGP Insignia

In India, the Director-General of Police (DGP) is a three-star rank and the highest-ranking police officer in Indian States and Union Territories. All DGPs are Indian Police Service (IPS) officers. The DGP is usually the head of the state police force in every Indian state in which case the officer is called State Police Chief, which is a cabinet selection post. It is equal in rank to the Head of Forest Forces for the Indian Forest Service. There may also be additional officers in the state who hold the rank of DGP. Common appointments for such officers include Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Director General of Prisons, Director General of fire forces and civil defense, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police Housing Society, etc. Additionally, officers who hold the rank of DGP may have commensurate appointments in central government organizations such as Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Director SVPNPA, DG Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), etc. The rank insignia of a Director General of Police or Commissioner of Police (in Delhi) is the national emblem over crossed sword and baton. DGP-ranked officers wear Gorget patches on their collar which have a dark blue background with an oak leaf pattern stitched on it, similar to ADGs and IGs.

2. SDGP (Special Director General of Police)

SDGP Insignia

Special Director General of Police (SDGP) is an Indian Police Service rank. Having the maximum possible 3-star police rank just like Director General of Police, SDGP's are considered equivalent to DGP's. The equivalent position or designation is Commissioner of Police of some cities like Kolkata, Chennai, and Vijayawada, special or additional secretary. The insignia of an SDG is the national emblem over a crossed sword and baton. SDG-ranked officers wear Gorget patches on their collar, which have a dark blue background with an oak leaf pattern stitched on it, similar to IGs and ADGs. SDGs are posted as heads of various bureaus similar to ADGs. The rank above it is Director General of Police and the rank below it is Additional Director General of Police. 

3. ADGP (Additional Director General of Police)

ADGP Insignia

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) is an Indian Police Service rank. Though having the maximum possible 3-star police rank just like Director General of Police, ADGP's are considered junior to DGP's. The equivalent position or designation is Commissioner of Police of some cities like Kolkata, Chennai, and Vijayawada, special or additional secretary. The insignia of an ADG is the national emblem over a crossed sword and baton. ADG-ranked officers wear Gorget patches on their collar, which have a dark blue background with an oak leaf pattern stitched on it, similar to IGs. ADGs are now posted as the zonal heads in various Indian states. The rank below it is Inspector General of Police and the rank above it is Special Director General of Police.

4. IG (Inspector General of Police)

IGP Insignia

During the British rule in India, in 1861, the British Government introduced the Indian Councils Act 1861. The act created a new cadre of police, called Superior Police Services, later known as the Indian Imperial Police. The highest rank in the service was the Inspector General.

Currently, in modern India, an Inspector General of Police (IGP) is only an officer from the Indian Police Service. In a state, an IGP holds the third-highest rank in the hierarchy, just below the rank of Additional Director General of Police and above Deputy Inspector General of Police. IG-ranked wears Gorget patches on their collar. Although it has a dark blue background which is similar to DIGs and SSPs, an oak leaf pattern is stitched on the patch; unlike DIGs and SSPs, which have a white line stitched on the patch.

5. DIG (Deputy Inspector General of Police)

DIG Insignia

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) is a rank in the Indian police, just below Inspector General of Police. It is a rank held by Indian Police Service officers who had successfully served as Senior Superintendent of Police or Deputy Commissioner of Police (Selection Grade) and got promoted to this rank. DIG-ranked officers wear Gorget patches on their collar which have a dark blue background and a white line stitched on it, similar to SSPs There is no limit to the number of DIGs a state can have and most states have several DIGs. DIGs are in pay band 4 (₹37,400 (US$520) to ₹67,000 (US$940)) with grade pay ₹8,900 (US$120).

6. SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police)

SSP Insignia

Senior superintendents of police are officers of the Indian Police Service. They are entrusted with the powers and responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues of a metropolitan district of a state or a union territory of India. They are assisted by their junior officers. The senior superintendent rank insignia is the state emblem above two stars and is worn with Gorget patches which have a dark blue background and a white line stitched on it. They wear it on their collar. The rank below is superintendent, while the rank above is deputy inspector general of police who wear Ashoka emblem above three stars. Senior superintendents of police are also the second head in various headquarters. The rank is equivalent to colonel in the Indian Army and to the commandant in the Central Armed Police Forces and Uttar Pradesh Police Armed Constabulary (UP-PAC).

7. SP (Superintendent of Police)

SP Insignia

Superintendents of police are the officers of either State Police Service or Indian Police Service. They are the district head of non-metropolitan districts in India. They are also in charge of a large urban or rural area in a district where a senior superintendent is the district head. They also serve as assisting officers to the additional/special director general of police in various bureaus. They also serve as the staff officers (Staff Officer is the Deputy Assistant of the Director-General of Police who is the police chief of the state). The rank of superintendent is equivalent to the rank of second in command (2IC) and deputy commandant in the Central Armed Police Forces and Uttar Pradesh Police Armed Constabulary (UP-PAC). The superintendent's rank badge is the Ashoka emblem above no star or one star (according to grade pay level). The rank below is deputy superintendent in the State Police Service or assistant superintendent of police in the Indian Police Service and the rank above it as senior superintendent. Superintendents are also the third head of various headquarters. The rank of superintendent is equivalent to the rank of major/lieutenant colonel in the Indian Army.

8. ASP (Additional Superintendent of Police )

ASP Insignia

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) is still in use in India where the officer holding this rank is from Indian Police Service. However, the assistant superintendent of police is a probationary rank (till the second year of the career of an IPS officer) and is worn by officers when under training at SVPNPA. All IPS officers start their careers as Assistant Superintendent of Police. State Cadre Officer cannot hold this rank. They hold Deputy Superintendent of Police rank which is equivalent to this rank.

9. DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police )

DSP Insignia

The rank of deputy superintendent of police or assistant commissioner of police (ACP) in the commissionerate system was created in 1876 as the policy of Indianisation was introduced. It was originally a rank only held by Indians and was equivalent to assistant superintendent (a rank then only held by Europeans). Deputy superintendents are now state police officers who belong to the provincial police forces, either direct entrants at that rank or promoted from the inspector. Assistant commissioners of police, who are members of the provincial forces, can be promoted to the Indian Police Service after limited years of service which varies from 8 to 15 years depending on the state. Deputy superintendents are generally posted as circle officers in a district. In the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the rank is commonly known as circle officer (CO), although this is not technically correct as CO is a post, not a rank. In the state of West Bengal, a DSP is in charge of a sub-division and is most commonly known as a sub divisional police officer (SDPO).

10. IP (Inspector of Police)

IP Insignia

Inspectors of police in India are typically the officers in charge at a police station. In a police station in India, there are constables, the head constable, a sub-inspector and an inspector. They have the three-star insignia to indicate their position and they are high command officers. The inspector's rank is higher than the sub-inspectors rank.

11. SI (Sub-Inspector of Police)

SI Insignia

A sub-inspector (SI) is generally in command of few police personnel (with head constables, the equivalent of corporals, commanding police outposts). He is the lowest-ranked officer who under Indian Police rules and regulations can file a charge sheet in court, and is usually the first investigating officer. Officers subordinate to him cannot file charge sheets, but can only investigate cases on his behalf. He can be the station officer in some of the states like Kerala.

A sub-inspector ranks above an assistant sub-inspector of police (ASI) and below an inspector. Most sub-inspectors are directly recruited into the police and have better educational qualifications than lower-ranking police officers.

12. ASI (Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police)

ASI Insignia

In the police forces of India and Pakistan, an Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) is a non-gazetted police officer ranking above a police head constable and below a Sub-inspector. The rank insignia for an ASI is one star, with a red and blue striped ribbon at the outer edge of the shoulder straps. He/she can be an Investigating officer; but most of the time, an Inspector or a Deputy Superintendent of Police is made the investigation officer. A.S.I. is often the officer in charge of Police Outposts or "phari" and Investigation Centres. Some police station they carry in charge of GD duty. They make a report of incidents for senior officers.

13. Head Constable

Head Constable Insignia

Head constable in the Indian police is equivalent to a sergeant in police forces in other countries. Head constables wear three point-down chevrons on their sleep or three bars on their epaulets.

14. Senior Constable

Senior Constable Insignia

Police constable (abbreviated PC) is the lowest police rank in India, followed by head constable. General law and order being a state subject in India, each state government recruits police constables. A police constable has no shoulder insignia, while a head constable has one strip or one chevron, depending upon the state. All senior officers are Indian Police Service officers appointed through the civil services exam. Since each state has its own police force, the uniforms and insignia of the police vary, though the rank structure is the same. The central paramilitary forces under the Ministry of Internal Affairs also maintain the same ranks as state police even though their jurisdiction varies considerably. Nearly all the police constables wear khaki-coloured uniforms which indicate that he/she is a police officer.