New Delhi: Aiming to provide research back-up for law-enforcement agencies, the union cabinet on Thursday gave in-principle approval to establish a National Police University (NPU) in the national capital.

Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said the proposed university would impart quality education, research and other academic activities in police-related subjects. It would also look at other areas of the physical and social sciences.

According to officials, the land for the university has been identified and it is expected to come up by the end of 2010.

They said the university will be under the direct control of the home ministry.

There are plans to affiliate all existing police training institutes in states and police and paramilitary academies, including the National Police Academy, CRPF Academy, BSF Academy, Internal Security Academy and the National Industry Academy, with the NPU.

The NPU will offer courses on various aspects of policing and security at the graduate, postgraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral levels.

The necessity for an exclusive police university was felt as none of the 300-odd universities in India have a course dealing with policing and international security.

The courses to be offered at the three-year graduate level at NPU will have subjects like organised crime, economic crime, terrorism, investigation, cyber crime, VIP security, law and order.

At the postgraduate level, students will be taught police science which will cover the entire gamut of policing and emerging security scenario.

The university assumes significance as over 2.5 million police personnel are involved in law and order maintenance and security.

The NPU students are expected to get special weightage in recruitment to the police, paramilitary and security forces.

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