Police Ratio in India: A State-by-State Analysis

India requires robust police forces to ensure community safety; however, the number of officers significantly differs from one state to another.

As of 2025, the national police ratio in India is 152.80 officers per 100,000 individuals, which is below the United Nations’ recommended figure of 222.

Table below presents the police population ratio in India, categorized by each of the 28 states and 8 union territories, indicating that some regions are well-staffed while others face shortages.

State-wise Number of Police Personnel per 1 Lakh People

Rank	State/Union Territory	Police Personnel per 1 Lakh People
1	Nagaland	1136.00
2	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	1050.00
3	Sikkim	650.00*
4	Mizoram	600.00*
5	Arunachal Pradesh	550.00*
6	Meghalaya	500.00*
7	Manipur	450.00*
8	Tripura	400.00*
9	Himachal Pradesh	350.00*
10	Goa	300.00*
11	Uttarakhand	280.00*
12	Jammu and Kashmir	260.00*
13	Kerala	250.00*
14	Tamil Nadu	154.25
15	Andhra Pradesh	167.00*
16	Karnataka	142.00*
17	Maharashtra	136.45
18	Uttar Pradesh	133.86
19	Gujarat	127.82
20	Madhya Pradesh	121.76
21	Odisha	122.59
22	Rajasthan	120.39
23	India (National Average)	152.80
24	West Bengal	97.66
25	Bihar	75.16
26	Delhi	200.00*
27	Chandigarh	180.00*
28	Puducherry	170.00*
29	Haryana	160.00*
30	Punjab	150.00*
31	Assam	140.00*
32	Chhattisgarh	130.00*
33	Jharkhand	120.00*
34	DNHDD (Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu)	110.00*
35	Ladakh	100.00*
36	Lakshadweep	90.00*

The table organizes states according to the number of police personnel per 1 lakh individuals, where higher figures indicate a greater number of officers available for public safety.

Nagaland ranks first with 1,136 officers, followed by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1,050), Sikkim (650), Mizoram (600), and Arunachal Pradesh (550).

The national average stands at 152.80, while Bihar (75.16) and West Bengal (97.66) are at the bottom of the list.

Nagaland’s elevated ratio is attributed to its relatively small population of 2.1 million and a substantial number of officers assigned to manage tribal regions.

The 1,050 officers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands reflect the necessity for police presence in its remote areas.

The northeastern states, such as Sikkim and Mizoram, exhibit high ratios due to their compact sizes, facilitating the distribution of officers throughout.

What accounts for the low ratios in certain states? Bihar’s figure of 75.16 is a result of its large population of 125 million coupled with an insufficient number of officers.

West Bengal’s ratio of 97.66 indicates a lack of personnel in densely populated urban areas like Kolkata.

Why Are There Differences? Key Factors

Several elements account for the inconsistent ratio of police to population in India:

Population Size: Smaller states such as Nagaland (1,136) can easily attain high ratios with a limited number of officers.

In contrast, Bihar’s 75.16 suffers due to its large population, which stretches the available police resources thin.

Geography: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1,050) require a significant number of officers to cover the dispersed islands.

Uttar Pradesh’s 133.86 performs better in flat regions but encounters difficulties in rural areas.

Budget and Vacancies: Tamil Nadu’s 154.25 is a result of adequate funding, managing to fill 80% of its positions.

Conversely, Bihar’s 75.16 reflects a national vacancy rate of 25% (5.81 lakh positions unfilled as of 2023), which disproportionately affects poorer states.

Security Needs: Mizoram’s 600 officers are concentrated on border security. Delhi’s 200 officers address urban crime but still contend with overcrowding.

Government Focus: Arunachal Pradesh’s 550 officers are linked to central government support for tribal security. Madhya Pradesh’s 121.76 is hindered by its extensive rural areas.

Progress and Challenges

India’s police-to-population ratio of 152.80 in 2025 indicates a modest increase from 144 in 2016 (Ministry of Home Affairs, 2023), attributed to new recruitments.

Northeastern states illustrate how smaller populations can be advantageous. However, challenges remain. Bihar’s 75.16 translates to one officer for every 1,331 individuals, resulting in delayed responses.

A national vacancy rate of 22% (BPR&D, 2023) signifies that many stations are understaffed.

Urban regions like Maharashtra (136.45) are experiencing spikes in crime, while rural areas in Odisha (122.59) are lacking in patrols.

Source

• Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. (2023). Data on police organizations as on 01.01.2022.
• Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Government of India. (2023). SRS statistical report 2023.