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:

IAS	IPS
It is the primary civil services in India, an administrative branch of All India Services.	It is an all India Service for policing.
A candidate has to secure a good or top rank in the Civil Services Examination to become an IAS officer.	A candidate has to the clear the IPS exam, which is a part of the Civil Services Examination, to become an IPS officer.
An IAS is a part of the administrative setup. He or she generally handles governmental affairs and public administration.	The main duty of an IPS officer is to maintain law and order and peace in the district where he or she is posted.
An IAS generally holds designations like cabinet secretary, undersecretary, joint secretary etc.	An IPS officer generally holds designations like the superintendent of police, deputy inspector general etc.
An IAS officer can take action against a problem without any complaint being logged.	An IPS officer can take action after a complaint has been logged.
The training of IAS officer is conducted at LDSNAA (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration) in Mussoorie.	The training of IPS officer is conducted at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad.
There is only one IAS officer in a district.	There can be more than one IPS officer in an area or district.
IAS officer of an area is superior to the IPS of that area.	IPS officer reports to the IAS of his or her district or area.