AP Police eliminates 5-km run, reduces physical tests in recruitment

Vijayawada, July 23: Andhra Pradesh Police has brought in significant changes in recruitment of constables and sub-inspectors from this year by removing five-km run (2.5 km for women), preliminary qualifying test and reducing the number of physical evaluation tests from five to three.

Instead, the candidates will have to compete in a one-mile (1,600 m) run, with varying time limits for men and women, Director General of Police (Head of Police Force) J V Ramudu said.

As the five-km run often resulted in fatalities and caused fear among the aspirants, the department decided to do away with it. "There is no such test for recruitment of IPS officers and deputy superintendents of police (state cadre).

Physical efficiency will be improved during the course of training. So we will follow the same in the recruitment of sub-inspectors and other cadres," the DGP said.

He issued a notification today for recruiting 3,126 constables (civil) and 1,067 constables (Armed Reserve) as the first step in filling up about 14,000 vacancies in the department.

Ramudu also launched a website of AP State Level Police Recruitment Board through which the aspirants can apply for the posts. Addressing a press conference, the DGP said 33.3 per cent reservation would be provided for women in civil and 20 per cent in armed reserve constable posts.

"This will be a horizontal reservation process and the intake will be proportionate to the number of eligible candidates. We will increase the reservation percentage for women in armed reserve if more of them come forward," the DGP said.

"This is the first notification we are issuing for recruitment in our department after the state's bifurcation. Though there are about 14,000 vacancies, we can't take up the recruitment in one go as we don't have training facilities. Hence, we are going in for a phase-wise recruitment," he said.

Noting that post-bifurcation, division of police personnel and staff between AP and Telangana was not yet complete, Ramudu said, "We have got only 60 per cent of the force so far."

PTI