New Delhi, March 29: Time was when an anti-Naxalite operation would mean police taking on graduates fresh out of college.

In a few years, it could be the police and paramilitary who would be trooping out of university to give today’s Maoists a run for their money.

The Centre plans a National Police University for a more cerebral force that can be more than a match for the technology-savvy modern-day criminal or militant.

The idea is inspired by Mao’s own country, which set up the Chinese People’s Public Security University in 1984 with 12 departments. The Indian version will offer four courses: a three-year degree programme for 10+2 students, a two-year master’s in police sciences for graduates, PhD or MPhil for the brighter students interested in research, and a one-year course on internal security for middle-level IPS or paramilitary officers.

The concept paper, written by BSF additional director-general Mahendra Kumawat, was presented to Union home secretary V.K. Duggal on Monday. It suggests a full-fledged research, development and innovation wing at the university to interest and prepare students for doctoral work.

“Our police personnel, including the IPS officers, lack sound training that can prepare them to deal with the kind of situation prevailing in the world today. Criminals and terrorists have moved far ahead in technology and training,” a home ministry official said.

He said IPS probationers get less than 200 days of effective training at the National Police Academy.

During this time, they have to cover subjects like law, criminology, investigation techniques, forensic science, information technology, the Constitution and management while receiving practical training in a whole set of skills such as ceremonial drill, equestrian, weapons, unarmed combat, swimming, yoga, field craft and map-reading.

Some of the objectives of the university will be to:

• Train and pick the best for the posts of officers in all police forces

• Study policing in advanced countries and tailor their methods to suit Indian needs

• Anticipate the country’s security needs and work out innovative solutions

• Create a world-class library by collecting case studies, films and reports of national and international security-related incidents

• Study and suggest changes to dated laws

• Act as a think tank on police and internal security issues.

“It is a welcome step and should have come many years ago. India lags the advanced countries in criminology, forensic science and interrogation techniques,” said U.N.B. Rao, secretary of the committee drafting the New Police Act.

“In the advanced countries, police officers are trained thoroughly in these subjects and cannot even join the force without excelling in these.”