Punjab Govt sends panel of 14 IPS officers to UPSC for selection of new DGP
Chandigarh, April 7, 2026: In a significant move toward the permanent appointment of the state’s Police Chief (DGP), the Punjab Government has submitted a panel of 14 senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Key Contenders and Batch Details
According to sources, officers from the 1992 batch are considered the top contenders for the post. Current DGP Gaurav Yadav also belongs to this batch. Based on seniority, the following names are prominent:
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Parag Jain (1989 batch): The most senior officer on the list, currently serving as the head of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
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Dr. Sharad Satya Chauhan (1992 batch): Set to retire in March 2028, he has recently been appointed as the Chief of the Vigilance Bureau.
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Harpreet Singh Sidhu (1992 batch): Set to retire in May 2027, he returned to the state last year after a central deputation with the ITBP.
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Gaurav Yadav (1992 batch): The current officiating DGP, his retirement is scheduled for April 2029.
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Kuldeep Singh (1992 batch): Currently serving as Special DGP.
Other IPS Officers in the Panel
The list also includes several high-ranking officers from subsequent batches:
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1993 Batch: Gurpreet Kaur Deo, Dr. Jitendra Kumar Jain, and Shashi Prabha Dwivedi.
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1994 Batch: Sudhanshu Shekhar Srivastava, Praveen Kumar Sinha, Amardeep Singh Rai, V. Neeraja, Anita Punj, and Dr. Naresh Kumar.
Background of the Appointment Process
The last DGP appointed through the formal UPSC selection process was V.K. Bhawra. However, he was asked to proceed on leave in June 2022, shortly after the high-profile murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala. Since then, Gaurav Yadav has been heading the Punjab Police as the officiating DGP.
The submission of this panel follows the Supreme Court's guidelines, which require states to appoint a permanent DGP from a shortlist of three names provided by the UPSC based on the state's recommendations.