The Committee on Police Training, 1972, provided several recommendations for recruitment. For constables, it recommended at least a high-school examination. Educational levels were raised in most states. However, in states like West Bengal, with a view to recruiting people owing allegiance to the Party, the Gore committee’s recommendations were cast aside. Its long-term consequences on discipline and efficiency were disastrous.

Policemen who pay heavily to join will become venal from day one, extracting money from the public to recover their investment. Criminals in uniform will crowd the force. Now, after 26/11, the Centre has asked the states and paramilitary forces to fill up vacancies. The UP story must not be repeated.

Fortunately, there are silver linings. States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi have streamlined recruitment procedures; they are now free, fair and transparent and, by and large, insulated from extraneous influence. There is no reason as to why this cannot be done elsewhere. Political will is needed. But then, unfortunately, it is politics which lies at the heart of the problem.

This, again, highlights the need for police reforms that can insulate the force from extraneous pressure and incentivise the selection of upright officers of proven integrity for important assignments. Constant interference in transfers, postings and recruitment must end. Otherwise, malpractice and corruption in police recruitments will continue — and deal a deathblow to police integrity and discipline.

The writer is a former director of the National Police Academy, and is currently associated with the Institute for Social Sciences in New Delhi express@expressindia.com