Police Commemoration Day — What you must know for the UPSC exam

On Police Commemoration Day, we salute the courage of our police personnel and recall the supreme sacrifice by them in the line of duty. Their steadfast dedication keeps our nation and people safe. Their bravery and commitment in times of crisis and in moments of need are…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 21, 2025

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also lay a wreath at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi today (October 21). In this context, let’s know about the history behind Police Commemoration Day, along with the Smart Policing initiatives.

Key Takeaways :

1. Observed on October 21 every year, the Police Commemoration Day remembers the sacrifices of ten policemen who died in Chinese firing in 1959.

2. Chinese troops opened fire and threw grenades at a party of 20 police personnel. Ten were killed in the incident, which left seven others injured, who were later taken as prisoners. Three weeks later, China returned the bodies of the ten personnel which were later cremated with full police honours at Hot Springs in North Eastern Ladakh.

3. Police personnel had been responsible for manning the 2,500 mile long border of India with Tibet until the autumn of 1959.

4. A memorial was erected at Hot Springs and members of Police Forces from different parts of the country trek to Hot Springs to pay homage to the martyrs. 

5. Since the year 2012, the Police Commemoration Day Parade is being held at the National level at the Police Memorial, Chanakyapuri.

Smart Policing Initiative

‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, and various initiatives have been undertaken to modernise police forces.

1. SMART Policing: To meet the emerging challenges and to deliver effective and timely responses, the police in India have adopted the concept of SMART Policing.

— Notably, SMART word as an acronym with particular reference to policing was coined by the Prime Minister in 2014 during the DGsP/IGsP conference. To meet the emerging challenges and to deliver effective and timely responses, the police in India have adopted the concept of SMART Policing.

— It encompasses the entire range of policing activities e.g cybercrime prevention, drug de-addiction, capacity building with latest equipment, countermeasures against left wing extremist and protection of vulnerable sections of society.

2. Assistance to State & UTs for Modernization of Police (ASUMP) Scheme: The erstwhile Scheme of Modernisation of State Police Forces (MPF), ASUMP’s objective is to strengthen police infrastructure at the cutting-edge level by equipping it with the latest technology, weaponry, communication equipment, etc., along with the construction of police infrastructure such as police stations.

— Under the ASUMP scheme, the States/UTs may have a theme of one component (i.e., equipment for ‘cyber policing’, communication equipment, advanced weaponry, etc.) for modernisation in each year, so that after completion of that component, an inference can be drawn that the State/UT has achieved the minimum required standards.

3. ‘CyTrain’ portal: It is a Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) platform, developed for capacity building of police officers/judicial officers through online courses on critical aspects of cybercrime investigation, forensics, prosecution, etc.

4. Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC): Financial assistance under the CCPWC Scheme has been provided to the States/UTs for their capacity building, such as setting up of cyber forensic-cum-training laboratories, hiring of junior cyber consultants and training of Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs’) personnel, public prosecutors and judicial officers.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: National Police Memorial

1. On Police Commemoration Day 2018, the National Police Memorial in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, was dedicated to the country in honour of police personnel’s sacrifices and their critical role in maintaining national security and integrity.

2. The Memorial gives Police Forces a sense of national identity, pride, unity of purpose, common history, and destiny, besides reinforcing their commitment to protect the nation even at the cost of their lives. 

3. It comprises a Central Sculpture, a Wall of Valour and a museum. The Central Sculpture, which is a 30 feet high granite monolith cenotaph, stands for strength, resilience, and selfless service of Police personnel. 

4. The Wall of Valour on which the names of martyrs are engraved stands as a steadfast acknowledgement of the bravery and sacrifice of Police personnel who have laid down their lives in the line of duty since Independence.

5. The museum is conceptualised as a historical and evolving exhibition on policing in India. It is open to the public on all days except Mondays. 

Post Read Question

Consider the following statements:

1. ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are state subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.

2. CyTrain’ portal is a Massive Open Online Courses platform for capacity building of police officers and judicial officers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

(Sources: What is Police Commemoration Day?, pib.gov.in)

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