The race to appoint Odisha’s next Director General of Police (DGP) has drawn attention not only because of the impending leadership change but also due to the state’s growing shortage of insider IPS officers and persistent cadre vacancies.
The tenure of incumbent DGP Y.B. Khurania is scheduled to end on August 16, following which the Odisha government will appoint a new police chief through the UPSC-mandated selection process. However, the incoming DGP will take charge at a time when the state’s IPS cadre is facing one of its biggest structural challenges.
The latest cadre allocation by the Ministry of Home Affairs has further highlighted the issue. Of the 147 IPS officers allocated across the country from the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, six officers were allotted to the Odisha cadre, but none belonged to Odisha. With no Odia candidate making it to the IPS list this year, the state’s insider-outsider imbalance is expected to widen further.
Also read: Haryana IFS Officer Dr Vivek Saxena Chosen as UNESCO World Heritage Nomination Reviewer
Odisha currently has 132 IPS officers against a sanctioned strength of 195, leaving 63 vacancies, one of the highest shortages among Indian states.
Another major concern is the complete absence of promotions from the State Police Service (SPS) to the IPS cadre. Although Odisha has an authorised promotion quota of 59 officers, not a single SPS officer has been inducted into the IPS, leaving the entire quota vacant.
The prolonged delay has also affected directly recruited Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), many of whom have completed the required qualifying service for IPS induction but continue to await promotions.
The shortage is reflected even at the district level, where only seven of Odisha’s 34 police districts are currently headed by insider or Odisha-domiciled IPS officers.
Key contenders for the DGP post
The Odisha government initially forwarded a panel of three Director General-rank officers before expanding it to eleven names for consideration by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Among the leading contenders are:
- Sudhansu Sarangi (1990 batch) – Director General, Fire Services
- Susanta Kumar Nath (1993 batch) – Director General, Prisons
- R.P. Koche (1993 batch) – Director, Intelligence
Sudhansu Sarangi is regarded as one of the frontrunners. Recently empanelled for the rank of Director General at the Centre, he is among the senior-most serving IPS officers in the country. Officers from the 1994 batch, including Sanjeeb Panda and Y.K. Jethwa, are also believed to be in contention.
The UPSC is expected to finalise a panel of three names later this month, from which the Odisha government will appoint the next DGP.
Will Odisha get an insider DGP after 12 years?
The upcoming appointment has revived discussions on whether Odisha will once again have a police chief from the state. The last Odisha-domiciled officer to serve as full-time DGP was Prakash Mishra in 2012. Since then, several officers from outside the state have headed the Odisha Police, drawing criticism over the years.
Senior police officers believe restoring the prescribed insider-outsider balance is essential for effective policing, as officers familiar with the state’s language, culture and local conditions are often better equipped to handle administrative and law-and-order challenges.
Cadre management has also become increasingly difficult due to congestion at senior ranks. Odisha currently has four Director General-rank officers besides the DGP and 23 Additional Director General-rank officers, creating bottlenecks that have delayed promotions throughout the hierarchy.
With leadership transition imminent, the next DGP will be expected not only to oversee law enforcement but also to address long-pending cadre reforms, expedite promotions, and restore balance within Odisha’s IPS cadre.
Also read: UP Mandates Jobs Within 90 Days of Skill Training, Defaulting Firms Face Blacklisting
