UPSC to Hold Key Meeting on August 7 for Odisha’s Next DGP Appointment

06 Aug 2026, 08:44 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

The process to appoint Odisha’s next Director General of Police is set to enter a decisive phase, with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) scheduled to convene its empanelment committee in New Delhi on August 7 to shortlist candidates for the state’s top police post. The exercise comes ahead of the retirement of incumbent DGP Y.B. Khurania on August 16, when his extended two-year tenure comes to an end.

According to official sources, the UPSC panel will examine the records of 11 senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers whose names were forwarded by the Odisha government. After assessing their service profiles, experience and eligibility, the commission is expected to recommend a panel of three officers from which the state government will make the final appointment.

The officers under consideration include Sudhanshu Sarangi of the 1990 batch; Susanta Kumar Nath and R.P. Koche from the 1993 batch; Sanjeeb Panda and Yeshwant Kumar Jethwa of the 1994 batch; Ritu Arora, Saumendra Priyadarshi, Santosh Bala and P.S. Ranpise from the 1995 batch; and Arun Bothra and Sunita Kakran of the 1996 batch. The broader list was submitted after the UPSC advised the state government to send all eligible officers instead of an earlier panel comprising only three names.

The empanelment committee is expected to evaluate each officer on parameters laid down under the UPSC’s established procedure, including service record, leadership credentials and vigilance status, before finalising the three-member panel. The Odisha government will then select one of the recommended officers as the next Director General of Police.

Khurania, who was originally due to retire earlier, was granted an extension to complete the mandatory two-year tenure prescribed for the office of the state police chief. His retirement on August 16 will mark the end of his term, making the upcoming UPSC meeting a critical step in ensuring a smooth leadership transition in the Odisha Police.

The selection assumes added significance as the incoming DGP will take charge at a time when the state police faces several operational priorities, including law and order management, crime control and preparations linked to future electoral responsibilities. At the same time, Odisha continues to grapple with a shortage of IPS officers, with only 132 officers currently in position against an authorised cadre strength of 195.

Once the UPSC completes the empanelment process, the Odisha government is expected to announce the appointment of the new police chief before Khurania demits office, ensuring continuity in the state’s highest policing leadership.