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About Narcotics Officer

A Narcotics Officer is a person who performs investigations on drugs usage or activity in an area or country. A person hired as a Narcotics Officer undergoes specialised training on laws and regulations associated with drug trafficking and procession. They implement various techniques and uses resources to handle critical cases. Some of the officers also work undercover to find information about drugs supply or usage in various parts across the country. Narcotics officers must have effective communication skills, good physical strength and psychology ability to cope with stress on a regular basis. They are trained to handle firearms and must know self-defence techniques. They assist states to enhance the drug law enforcement efforts. They investigate narcotics-related crimes which include drug trafficking and drug possession with a team of specialised people.

Eligibility to become Narcotics Officer

The minimum qualification required to become a Narcotics Officer in India is as follows:

• The candidate must be a citizen of India.
• The age of candidates age should not be less than 20 years.
• The candidate must hold a graduation degree in any discipline. Preferred courses are criminal justice or criminology
• The candidate must be physically and mentally fit
• The candidates will have to appear for UPSC/ State Civil Services examinations after obtaining the required qualification.

How and When to Start?

Once the candidates clear their UG or PG, they can apply for UPSC Civil Services Exam or recruitment exams conducted by Narcotics Control Bureau or state public service commissions, In India, the Narcotics Control Bureau recruits candidates as a Narcotics Officer. After clearing the required exams, the candidates must clear other tests like a drug test, polygraph test, physical and psychological test. The final selection is based on the overall performance of candidates in all stages of the selection process.

The candidates will have to check the recruitment notifications issued by NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau) from time to time.

Types of Job Roles Narcotics Officer

Some of the posts at which a Narcotics Officer is hired is explained below: -

Junior Intelligence Officer

Junior Intelligence Officer gathers suspicious and minute information from various location. They write down plans and details and may also use devices to report any suspicious activity in an area.

Narcotics Inspector

Narcotics Inspector deals with smugglers and drug dealers. Their main responsibility is to prevent unwanted activities in an area. They prevent the manufacture of psychotropic substance and are well trained to manage an emergency situation.

Employment Sector or Industry for Narcotics Officer

A Narcotics Officer is hired by a local body, state body or a central government. The sectors where they get employed are listed below:

• Government agencies
• Department of Public Safety
• K-9 units
• Narcotics based organisation

Top Recruiting Companies/ Agencies/ Organizations

Following are the top recruiters of Narcotics Officer in India:

• Central Bureau of Narcotics
• Narcotics Control Bureau

Pay Scale/Salary of Narcotics Officer

The pay scale of a Narcotics Officer according to the job role is given below: -

Job Role	Starting Salary	Mid Level Salary	High-Level Salary
Junior Intelligence Officer	Rs 1.80 Lakhs per Annum	Rs 3.00 Lakhs per Annum	Rs 4.20 lakhs per Annum
Narcotics Inspector	Rs 2.40 Lakhs per Annum	Rs 4.80 Lakhs per Annum	Rs 5.50 Lakhs per Annum

The above pay scale is just indicative and the same is expected to change unconditionally.

Books & Study Material to Become Narcotics Officer

Following are some of the books to refer to become a Narcotics Officer -

• Practical Narcotics Investigations by James Henn
• SSC-Intelligence Officer (Narcotics Control Bureau) - RPH Editorial Board

Pros of becoming a Narcotics Officer

Let us now explore the pros and cons of a career as a Narcotics Officer -

• The Narcotics Officer has opportunities to work in the government sector
• It is a reputed job as the person is responsible for the safety and well being of society.
• The job is good for those who need challenging job roles and are physically and mentally strong.

Cons of becoming a Narcotics Officer

• Narcotics Officers deal with dangerous situations often, specifically when they conduct a raid.
• It is a long hour job.
• The candidate must be physically fit and have the abilities to manage stressful situations
• They need to deal with dangerous people in all walks of life