New Delhi: The Union Government has approved the inter-cadre transfer of 2023-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Apurva Sinha from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre to Andhra Pradesh following her marriage to Mukund Singh Chahar, a 2025-batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre.
The transfer, reported on November 4, 2026, has been approved under Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 5 of the IPS (Cadre) Rules, 1954. The provision allows inter-cadre transfers on marriage grounds, subject to the prescribed conditions and concurrence of the state governments concerned.
Sinha, who secured All India Rank (AIR) 163 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022, will now join her husband in the Andhra Pradesh cadre. Her journey from a student of History at Delhi University to the Indian Police Service has also brought attention to her academic background and UPSC preparation.
Who Is Apurva Sinha?
Ms Sinha is a 2023-batch IPS officer who was initially allocated to the Assam-Meghalaya cadre. She secured AIR 163 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022 and subsequently joined the Indian Police Service on August 1, 2023.
She belongs to Madhya Pradesh and completed her schooling in Bhopal. Her academic journey continued at Miranda House, University of Delhi, where she pursued a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History. She later completed her Master’s degree in History from Delhi University in May 2023.
Sinha chose History as her optional subject for the UPSC Civil Services Examination and began preparing for the examination in 2019.
Schooling and Academic Background
Sinha completed her Class 10 and Class 12 education at St. Joseph’s Convent in Bhopal. She reportedly scored 96 per cent in Class 10 and 98.25 per cent in Class 12.
She went on to study History at Miranda House, one of the colleges affiliated with the University of Delhi. After completing her undergraduate studies, she pursued a Master’s degree in the same subject, completing it in May 2023.
Her academic background in History also informed her choice of optional subject in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
UPSC Journey: AIR 163 in CSE 2022
Apurva Sinha began preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2019. She selected History as her optional subject and continued her preparation through the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her efforts culminated in success in the CSE 2022 examination, in which she secured AIR 163. She was subsequently allocated to the Indian Police Service and assigned the Assam-Meghalaya cadre.
Her selection placed her among the successful candidates who entered the police service through the Civil Services Examination 2022 cycle.
IPS Career and Initial Field Training in Assam
Sinha officially joined the Indian Police Service on August 1, 2023.
As part of her initial field training, she was attached to the Jorhat District Executive Force (DEF) in Assam, where she served as an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)/Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP). Her field attachment reportedly began on December 29, 2025.
She was initially allocated to the Assam-Meghalaya cadre. However, following her marriage to Mukund Singh Chahar, an IPS officer belonging to the Andhra Pradesh cadre, she became eligible to seek an inter-cadre transfer under the applicable service rules.
Apurva Sinha’s Inter-Cadre Transfer to Andhra Pradesh
The Union Government has approved Sinha’s transfer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre to the Andhra Pradesh cadre on marriage grounds.
The decision has been taken under Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 5 of the IPS (Cadre) Rules, 1954. The provision allows an officer belonging to an All India Service to seek a change of cadre after marrying another officer of an All India Service, subject to the applicable guidelines and approvals.
Under the standard inter-cadre transfer guidelines, officers who marry fellow All India Services officers may be considered for transfer to the cadre of their spouse. Such transfers are subject to the prescribed conditions, including the concurrence of the state governments concerned. The guidelines also generally restrict allocation to an officer’s home state, except in cases covered by the applicable exceptional provisions.
Following the approval, Sinha will move to Andhra Pradesh, where her husband, Mukund Singh Chahar, is serving as an IPS officer.
Who Is Mukund Singh Chahar?
Mukund Singh Chahar is a 2025-batch IPS officer belonging to the Andhra Pradesh cadre. He secured AIR 191 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 and is originally from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Chahar holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and cleared the Civil Services Examination after six attempts. His UPSC journey included an earlier success in CSE 2022, when he secured AIR 273 and briefly entered the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).
He subsequently continued his efforts to join the Indian Police Service and secured AIR 191 in the 2024 examination cycle. He officially joined the IPS on December 8, 2025.
Chahar is married to Apurva Sinha, who belongs to the 2023 batch of the IPS. His allocation to the Andhra Pradesh cadre became the basis for Sinha’s request to move from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre to Andhra Pradesh.
A Cadre Change on Marriage Grounds
The transfer of Apurva Sinha is an example of the inter-cadre movement permitted under the All India Services framework for officers who marry fellow service members.
With the approval of her transfer, Sinha will move to the Andhra Pradesh cadre and continue her IPS career there. The development brings together the professional journeys of two officers who entered the service through different UPSC examination cycles: Sinha through CSE 2022 and Chahar through CSE 2024.
