How to Become a CBI Officer in India?

There are many positions of Indian officers (gazetted) like IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, IRAS, IRPS, Officers of Indian Armed Forces, etc. Among these, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stands as the premier investigating agency of India operating under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. To be qualified for a position as a CBI officer, a student must know the details and requirements of the position in India.  The candidate must also possess certain qualities and qualifications as demanded by the profession. In this blog, we will discuss how to become a CBI Officer in India.

What Does a CBI Officer Do?

A CBI Officer investigates grievous cases and provides leadership and direction in fighting corruption to the Police force across the country. Their major investigation crimes include special crimes, economic crimes, cases of corruption, murder cases, etc. Mentioned below are the duties of a CBI Officer in India. Before planning to become a CBI Officer, candidates must go through the duties of a CBI Officer thoroughly to be well prepared in advance.

• Investigating cases of corruption and bribery
• Investigating cases of infringement of fiscal and economic laws
• Coordinating tasks and working with anti-corruption agencies
• Maintenance of crime statistics

Also Read: How to Become an Income Tax Officer?

CBI Officer Eligibility

To become a CBI Officer in India, candidates must meet the basic eligibility criteria set by the conducting authority.

• Candidates must have completed schooling and the XIIth from a recognised board.
• They must hold a bachelor’s degree from any recognised university.
• Candidates who are appearing for the final year of their graduation can also apply.
• The age limit for the General Category is 20-30, 20-33 years for the OBC Category, and 20-35 for the SC/ST Category.

CBI Officer Requirements

There are additional physical eligibility criteria that candidates must fulfil. Tabulated below are the physical eligibility criteria for men and women, respectively.

Feature	Men	Women
Height	165 cm	150cm
Chest	76 cm with expansion	NA
EyeSight	Distant Vision: 6/6 and 6/9 Near Vision: 0.6 and 0.8	Distant Vision: 6/6 and 6/9 Near Vision: 0.6 and 0.8

How to Become a CBI Officer in India?

In India, every other person wishes to hold a position of authority, and hence, one can say the process is very competitive. In order to become a CBI Officer, a candidate must start preparing from the initial stages. Mentioned below is how to become a CBI Officer in India:

• For those who wish to join CBI as a Group A officer, they must choose the Civil Service Examination conducted by UPSC and then become an IPS officer.
• For those who wish to join CBI as Sub-inspectors, they must go through the SSC CGL examination. They must clear the SSC Combined Graduate Level Exam. The Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGL ) is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) in 4 stages. Once a candidate has completed all 4 stages, they can join as a Sub Inspector in CBI.

Exam Pattern

The exam for becoming a CBI Officer is divided into two phases – prelims and mains.

Prelims

• Paper 1 – General Studies consists of 200 marks in total. The duration of the exam is 2 hours.
• Paper 2 – An aptitude test, where aspirants must score 33% to qualify for the paper. The total marks of this paper are 200, and the exam duration is 2 hours.

Mains

• Candidates who qualify for the first round appear for the mains, General Knowledge, and General English papers are common for all candidates.
• For the other part, candidates can pick 2 subjects of their choice.
• Each optional subject will have 2 papers, and each paper consists of 8 descriptive-type questions.

Preparation Tips

While preparing to become a CBI Officer, candidates must keep the following tips in mind.

• Candidates must adhere to the timetable.
• They must be consistent in their practice.
• Candidates must solve the last 10 years ‘ papers of SSC-CGL.
• They must appear for as many mock tests as possible.
• Aspirants must also keep themselves updated with everyday happenings, and to do so, they should regularly read newspapers. 

CBI Officer Salary

The salary varies depending on the division and category of placement in the CBI. While the salary of a Sub Inspector in CBI is approximately 9,300-34,800 Indian Rupees per month, the salary CBI Inspector is in Grade Pay of 4200 rupees, and the total salary in hand is 44000 Indian Rupees. The CBI has the following divisions.

• Anti-Corruption Division
• Central Forensic Science Laboratory
• Directorate of Prosecution
• Administration Division
• Economic Offences Division
• Special Crimes Division
• Policy & Coordination Division

Average Salary of a CBI Officer in India

The average salary of a CBI officer depends on the rank and post. Here is an average salary overview of a CBI officer in India:

Post	Pay Level	Monthly Salary
Inspector	Level 7	INR 44,900- INR 1,42,400
Sub-Inspector	Level 7	INR 44,900- INR 1,42,400
DSP	Level 10	INR 56,100- INR 1,77,500
SP	Level 11/12	INR 67,700- INR 2,08,700
Joint Director	Level 13	INR 1,23,100- INR 2,15,900

Also Read: Dig Up Different Jobs in Criminology

Career Growth and Promotion

Promotions in CBI are based on performance, experience, and seniority. Here is a typical hierarchy: 

• Sub-Inspector
• Inspector
• Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
• Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP)
• Superintendent of Police (SP)
• Senior SP
• Deputy Inspector General (DIG)
• Joint Director
• Additional Director
• Director, CBI

FAQs

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