Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on September 1, 2026, promoted senior IPS officer Ashok Kumar Singh (IPS:1995:UP) to the rank of Director General of Police (DG).
The promotion has been made against the vacancy created following the retirement of Mutha Jain Ashok (IPS:1995:UP), who was serving as DG, Fire Services. Singh has been elevated to a post carrying Pay Matrix Level-16.
Before his promotion, Ashok Kumar Singh was serving as Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Police Services Recruitment & Promotion Board (PSR&PB), Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow.
The elevation brings the 1995-batch officer to the apex level of the state police hierarchy after more than three decades of service across important field, administrative and central deputation assignments.
Who Is Ashok Kumar Singh?
Ashok Kumar Singh (IPS:1995:UP) is a direct-recruit Indian Police Service officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre who has completed more than 30 years of service.
He was born on April 4, 1968, and hails from Itaadi village in Bhabua block of Kaimur district, Bihar. He is the son of Late Sitaram Singh.
Singh completed his primary education in his native village before pursuing his intermediate education at Sainik School Tilaiya in Hazaribagh.
He later graduated with Physics Honours from Ramjas College, University of Delhi, before joining the IPS as part of the 1995 batch.
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Career Spanning Field Policing and Senior Command
During his long career in the Uttar Pradesh Police, Singh has served in a wide range of field and administrative assignments.
In the early part of his career, he held Superintendent of Police (SP) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)assignments in different districts of Uttar Pradesh, gaining extensive experience in district-level policing and law-and-order management.
He subsequently moved into senior command positions, serving as Inspector General (IG) and later Additional Director General (ADG) in the state police.
He was promoted to the rank of ADG in 2019.
Over the years, he has handled several specialised and strategically important responsibilities within the UP Police.
Served as ADG Dial 112
Among Singh’s significant assignments was his role as ADG, Dial 112, where he was associated with the state’s emergency response system.
Dial 112 serves as the integrated emergency response mechanism of the Uttar Pradesh Police, making the assignment an important one in terms of emergency policing, response coordination and technology-enabled public services.
His experience in this role added to his administrative and operational exposure at the senior level.
Headed Police Recruitment and Promotion Board
Before his elevation to DG rank, Singh was serving as ADG, Police Services Recruitment & Promotion Board (PSR&PB), Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow.
The assignment placed him in charge of an institution responsible for recruitment and promotion-related processes within the state police system.
He has also handled responsibilities connected with the UP Traffic Directorate, including road safety and traffic management-related matters.
These assignments have given Singh experience beyond conventional law-and-order policing, covering recruitment, personnel management, emergency response and traffic administration.
Seven-Year Central Deputation with SSB
A major phase of Singh’s career was his seven-year central deputation from 2012 to 2019 with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
During his tenure with the force, he held important operational and leadership responsibilities.
He served as DIG, Operations & Intelligence at the SSB Central Headquarters, where he handled responsibilities linked to operations and intelligence.
He was subsequently posted as Inspector General (IG) at the SSB Frontier Headquarters in Patna, Bihar.
The central deputation gave him experience in handling responsibilities within a Central Armed Police Force and broadened his exposure beyond the state police organisation.
Empanelled for DG-Equivalent Posts
Singh’s elevation to DG rank follows his empanelment for DG-equivalent posts under the Government of India.
He was reportedly empanelled for DG-equivalent positions by the Union Government’s Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) in June 2026.
His subsequent promotion by the Uttar Pradesh government on September 1 has now formally placed him in the DG rank at Pay Matrix Level-16.
The promotion was approved with the sanction of the competent authorities, including the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.
Brave Role During 2011 Moradabad Clashes
Singh’s career also includes an incident in which he displayed considerable courage while serving in the field.
On July 6, 2011, violent clashes broke out in the Asalatpura Bagha area under Mainather Police Station in Moradabad. During the incident, a police outpost came under a fierce attack.
Singh was reportedly severely injured while defending the police post from the front lines.
His conduct during the incident, including his leadership and composure under extremely difficult circumstances, earned appreciation within the police force.
The episode remains one of the notable examples of his field-level courage during his policing career.
Police Medals and Recognition
Singh’s long service has also been recognised through police service medals.
He was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2012.
He was subsequently awarded the Police Service Medal in 2020.
These honours add to his record of more than three decades of service in the police organisation, during which he has worked in district policing, specialised policing, senior command, central deputation and administrative assignments.
From ADG PSR&PB to DG Rank
Ashok Kumar Singh’s promotion marks another important milestone in the career of the 1995-batch IPS officer.
From district-level policing assignments in the early years of his service to senior positions in Uttar Pradesh and a seven-year central deputation with the SSB, Singh has accumulated experience across several critical areas of policing.
His assignments as ADG, Dial 112, ADG, Cyber-related responsibilities, Traffic, and Police Services Recruitment & Promotion Board, along with his experience in SSB Operations and Intelligence, have given him a broad administrative and operational profile.
With his promotion on September 1, 2026, Singh has now entered the DG rank, filling the vacancy created following the retirement of fellow 1995-batch UP-cadre IPS officer Mutha Jain Ashok.
Ashok Kumar Singh: Career at a Glance
- Name: Ashok Kumar Singh
- Batch: 1995
- Cadre: Uttar Pradesh
- Date of Birth: April 4, 1968
- Home State: Bihar
- Native Place: Itaadi village, Kaimur district
- Education: Physics Honours, Ramjas College, University of Delhi
- Current Rank: Director General of Police
- Previous Post: ADG, Police Services Recruitment & Promotion Board, UP
- Earlier Roles: SP/SSP, IG, ADG, Dial 112, Traffic Directorate
- Central Deputation: SSB, 2012–2019
- SSB Roles: DIG Operations & Intelligence; IG, SSB Frontier Headquarters, Patna
- ADG Promotion: 2019
- DG Promotion: September 1, 2026
- Pay Level: Level-16
- Police Medal for Meritorious Service: 2012
- Police Service Medal: 2020
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