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If you have followed the news. you must have often read about police making arrests on the basis of an FIR (First Information Report). However, do you know what FIR is?

What is an FIR?

An FIR is a written document prepared by the police in India. Pakistan and Bangladesh. Interestingly, it is not defined in the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, or in any other law, but is part of police regulations or rules.

An FIR is generally a complaint lodged with the police by the victim or by someone on his or her behalf about an offence. The informant is given a copy of the FIR free of cost.

After an FIR is filed, the police start investigating the case and can arrest the alleged persons as per law. If there is sufficient evidence to support the complaint, then a chargesheet is filed. Or else, a Final Report mentioning that no evidence was found is filed in court.

Filing an FIR

The procedure for filing an FIR is mentioned under Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code. 1973. Anyone can file an FIR either orally or in writing to the police.

People can also lodge an FIR online. Following the filing of an FIR, the police are bound to commence investigation into the case.

Here is the process to file an FIR: One has to visit the nearest police station and inform the police of all the details of the offence either verbally or in writing. If it is a verbal statement, the duty officer writes it down and makes an entry in the General Diary or Daily Diary. If it is a written complaint, one must carry two copies - one for the duty officer and the other for one's personal record.

The police will go through the details after submission of the complaint. Then the information recorded by the police is read over to the complainant.

Then one needs to sign the FIR after verifying that the information recorded by the police is as per the details given.

A free-of-cost copy of the FIR will be given to the complainant with an FIR number, date of FIR and the name of the police station. Both copies of the FIR are stamped bearing a Daily Diary number. It is a proof that the complaint has been received by the police.

These details can be used to access the FIR online for free if the copy is lost.

After an FIR is registered, its contents cannot be changed. However, additional information can be given to the police later on at any point

Zero FIR

The provision of Zero FIR was recommended for the first time in the report of the Justice Verma Committee. It was constituted to make amendments to the Criminal Law in order to speed up trial and enhance punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault against women.

The objective of a Zero FIR is to ensure the victim does not have to run to different police stations to get a complaint registered.

A person can even file a Zero FIR which means a police station can receive a complaint regarding an alleged offence that has been committed in the jurisdiction of another police station. The FIR can then be transferred to the concerned police station for further investigation.

If a person is refused by the officer in charge of a police station to register an FIR, he/she can send the complaint to the Superintendent of Police/DCP concerned.

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I am a student of Class 8 and from the beginning my aim was to become a doctor. But since a few weeks ago thoughts of becoming an IPS officer have also arisen in my mind. What would be a better choice?

Officers of the Indian Police Service (IPS) provide senior level leadership to police forces both in the States and at the Centre. The selection for IPS is through UPSC Civil Services Exam which is conducted every year. Candidates who take the exam will be allotted to IPS depending on their abilities, determination and their rank in the final merit list. Eligibility is graduation in any stream.

To become a doctor, you need to take PCB in 10+2 and then appear for NEET or other entrance exams for selection to a medical college. These two are totally different fields. Keep exploring; you still have four years before you decide for your future career.

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I want be an IPS officer. I had chosen Arts for my Std XI and XII. Which subject should I give more importance to so that I can achieve my goal?

To become an IPS Officer, you have to apply for UPSC Civil services examination. Eligibility for this examination is graduation in any stream.

This examination consists of three rounds: preliminary exam, then main exams and then the interview. In prelim exams, objective questions are asked from general studies and any one subject chosen by the candidate. Main exams consist of nine papers including English, any language included in eighth schedule of Indian Constitution, easy writing, general studies and two papers from two optional subjects.

These examinations require a thorough study of the subjects. So choose subjects of your interest; that way you will grasp the concepts easily and willingly spend more time studying.

 

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I am a student of class VIII. I want to know the rules for becoming a police officer. Do they induct police officers because they are strong? Or do they have to clear a test of intelligence?

Police officers are part of the Indian Police Service (IPS). They should have cleared the Union Public Civil Services exam, the interview and fulfilled the physical fitness requirements. States  recruit police officers for provincial civil services through a similar exam.

 

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I am in my second year. If I want to join the police services, what subjects should I take up, and how should I prepare for the entrance exam?

Recruitment to the Indian Police Services is done by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), over two stages: preliminary, or qualifying stage; and the main stage. This entrance test is common for IAS, IPS and IFS, P&T, and a host of other central government services.

The choice of subject at graduation level or the choice of the optional subject for the examination doesn’t make a difference for selection to the IPS. Many students choose new subjects thinking that certain subjects are more scoring. But it’s usually better to opt for a subject you have been studying all along.

Since you won’t have much time after the results of the preliminary exams are announced, it would be better if you start preparation for prelims and the main examination simultaneously.

 The preliminary exam is objective type, and has two sections: General studies of 150 marks and one optional subject of 450 marks. For general studies, you should read thoroughly NCERT books of history, economics, political science and geography for classes XI and XII. You should read, at least, one newspaper everyday, maintain a diary and make entries in different sections like sports, state, politics, economy and so on. Go through the dairy regularly. In fact, you should begin this exercise from this year itself.

For the optional, select the subject that you would be taking for the main exam. In each topic of that subject, get to the basics, so that you can answer the objective-type questions of the prelims, as well as the subjective queries in the main exam. For the mains, you should develop the habit of writing long answers and improve your written expressions. This is important for the two optional subjects that you will have to take up, as well as English, regional language, as well as the essay that you will have to attempt. Show your answers to a lecturer and get feedback. At the interview stage, your power of judgement and your understanding of the world around you will be assessed

There are chances though, that in the next few years there will be radical changes in the entrance method, following the recommendations of the Alagh Committee to UPSC. It’s possible tat by the time you do apply, the subject-specific tests may have been replaced by psychometric tests.

 

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