Whispers in bureaucratic circles suggest ambitious IPS officers from UT cadres are increasingly seeking inter-cadre deputations to southern states like Karnataka for “lucrative positions” to bypass home cadre politics and gain influence. A senior UT IPS officer’s recent backchannel attempt for a Karnataka posting was rejected by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), prompting stricter MHA scrutiny on such requests. Predictions indicate this trend could lead to policy tightening by early 2026, emphasising “integrity over opportunism.”