New Delhi (02.11.2023): Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) informed that in amended guidelines issued last month only such police officers will be considered for appointment as the Director General of Police of a State, who have at least six months of service left before retirement.
The Empanelment Committee constituted by the UPSC will not consider such officers for the post of DGP who are on central deputation if the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informs the State government that “it will not be possible to relieve the officers.”
The amendments make explicit what have been considered unwritten norms, even as some States have appointed DGPs to such officers who were on the verge of retirement, and a number of States have appointed acting DGPs to avoid the UPSC process. The guidelines were revised to discourage States from appointing “favourite officers” about to retire, in a bid to extend their tenure.
The guidelines, which were amended on September 22 and sent to States on September 26, also allow officers with 25 years experience to be appointed as a DGP, against the earlier requirement of a minimum 30 years of service. The number of shortlisted officers cannot exceed three, but may consist of less than three officers in “exceptional circumstances”.
Officers will not be included in the panel unless they themselves are willing, the guidelines say.
The amended UPSC guidelines come in the wake of several States, including BJP-ruled States, choosing to appoint acting DGPs instead of regular DGPs, bypassing the requirement to go through the UPSC-selected panel of eligible officers. States such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have all appointed “in-charge” DGPs, or DGPs with “full additional charge”. In fact, Uttar Pradesh has not had a full-time DGP since 2022.
