Editing Inspector general (section)

==France==
[[File:Police nationale-inspecteur général.svg|thumb|upright|90px|Shoulder insignia of a police ''inspecteur général'' (France)]]
In the [[French Civil Service]], an inspector general (''inspecteur général'') is a member of a body of civil servants known as ''inspection générale'', generally of a high level, charged with a nationwide mission to inspect some specific services and provide government officials with advice regarding that service. Most ministries have their own inspectorates general, including for instance:
* ''[[General Inspection of Finances (France)|Inspection Générale des Finances]]'' (IGF; Ministry of Finances)
* ''[[IGAS|Inspection Générale des Affaires Sociales]]'' (IGAS; Social Security)
* ''{{ill|Inspection générale de l'administration|fr}}'' (IGA; various administrative departments, e.g. [[Prefectures in France|prefectures]])
* ''Inspection générale de l'Éducation, du Sport et de la Recherche'' (Ministries of National Education, Youth and Sport, and Higher Education and Research)

The ''inspection générale des Finances'' is particularly prestigious as a job appointment after studies at the ''[[École Nationale d'Administration]]''. In recent decades, many of its members have occupied various high positions in lieu of their traditional mission of inspection. The corps has come under increased criticism for this.

Within the [[uniformed services]], "inspector general" can refer to both a rank (especially within the police) and a job title within an inspectorate general, the best known of which are:

* Within the ''Inspection générale des Armées'' (Inspectorate General for the Armed Forces):
** the Inspector General of the [[National Gendarmerie|Gendarmerie]] (''Inspecteur général de la gendarmerie nationale'');
** the Inspector General of the [[French Army|Army]] (''Inspecteur général de l'Armée de Terre'');
** the Inspector General of the [[French Navy|Navy]] (''Inspecteur général de la Marine'');
** the Inspector General of the [[French Air and Space Force|Air Force]] (''Inspecteur général de l'Armée de l'air et de l'espace'');
** the Inspector General of [[Direction generale de l'armement|Armament]] (''Inspecteur général de la Direction générale de l'armement);''
** the Inspector General of the [[French Defence Health Service|Health Service]] (''Inspecteur général du Service de santé des Armées'')
* Within civilian uniformed services:
** the Inspector General of Police (''[[IGPN|Inspecteur général de la Police nationale]]'');
** the Inspector General of [[Civil defense|Civil Defence]] (''Inspecteur général de la Sécurité civile'').

Despite often similar names and an apparently similar structure, different inspectorates general often have significantly differing roles.