Lucknow, Jun 13 (IANS): As many as 1,477 engineering graduates have turned cops in Uttar Pradesh.

This is the first time when so many candidates from technical background have been selected in the police force.

Significantly, 125 selected candidates are BCA degree holders, while 43 have done BBA.

In its biggest drive to recruit sub-inspectors and officers of equivalent ranks, the state government has selected 9,534 candidates, of which 1,477 are techies.

Of the total posts, 9,027 will join as sub-inspectors in civil police, 484 as platoon commanders in PAC, and 23 as fire sub-station officers in the Fire department.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Avanish Awasthi said: "In keeping with Yogi Adityanath's 100-day campaign to provide employment to the youth in the police department, the target of recruitment to 10,000 posts has been completed before the scheduled time."

He added that the state would also get 1,805 women sub-inspectors which would be a historic achievement in terms of women empowerment as well as women's safety and interests.

"Recruitment of a total of 500 candidates on compassionate grounds has also been made," he added.

Director General of the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board (UPPRPB), R.K. Vishwakarma said that earlier a maximum of 1,000 or 1,500 posts of sub-inspectors were created, but for the first time 9,534 posts had been filled.

"As many as 12.5 lakh candidates had appeared for the online examination held from November 12 to December 2, 2021. The results were declared in April and document verification was done in May," he said.

"For the first time, we have got SIs who are qualified in the technical field and are very young. Around 60 per cent of those recruited are in the age group of 21-25 years.

"We have also started the recruitment of 829 SIs in civil police and of 1,329 clerical posts. The selection process for 40,000 other posts is also under way," he added.

Uttar Pradeh Police have recruited 1.75 lakh cops in all its wings on different ranks since Yogi first took office in 2017.

As many as 46 defunct PAC units were restored on the Chief Minister's directives and all the required resources were arranged for its efficient working.