New Delhi, Oct 28: Muslim leaders and intellectuals have decried Central Government’s reported plan to hold direct recruitment of 1400 new IPS officers.
 “The Prime Minster Office (PMO) decision not to hold an open competitive examination for recruiting new IPS officers is against the interests of the Muslim community of the country,” said a joint statement by Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umri, Amir-e-Jamaat Jamaat-e Islami Hind; Justice (retd) Rajender Sachar, former Chief Justice Delhi High Court; Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood, President Zakat Foundation of India; Dr Zafrul Islam Khan; President All-India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat.
 They said that Muslims in Indian Police Service and other all-India civil services are only 3.2 per cent (Justice Sachar Committee Report Table 9.2, page 166) as against national Muslim population of 13.4 % (Census 2001).
 They also said that in the defence forces, Muslim percentage is less than in the IPS and in other civil services.
 “The PMO reported decision violates the constitutional provision of right to equality in employment or appointment under the state (Article 16). It also violates Article 15 that prohibits state discrimination or favoritism on the basis of religion”, they said.
 According to media report, the PMO has recently approved the proposal for recruiting about 1400 new IPS officers, UPSC will conduct a limited departmental examination in which only the Deputy Superintendents of Police and Major/Captain level officers of the defence forces will be allowed to participate.
 “Muslims feel that if such a decision is applied, the percentage of Muslims in IPS will go further down. This is because in the armed forces the percentage of Muslims is even lower than in IPS. The Muslim situation at the level of Deputy  Superintendents of Police is no better.”
 “The PMO’s decision must be rescinded immediately and the new IPS officers must be recruited through open competition to be conducted as usual by the UPSC,” said the statement.

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