New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the Ministry of Home Affairs’ proposal to waive the mandatory “cooling-off” period for central deputation in respect of Sudha Singh, a 2006-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Odisha cadre.
The approval has been granted as a relaxation of the IPS Tenure Policy, allowing the officer to remain eligible for central deputation despite the applicable cooling-off requirement.
ACC Approves Cooling-Off Waiver for IPS Sudha Singh
The ACC approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for waiver of the mandatory cooling-off period for Ms Sudha Singh, IPS (OD:2006).
The decision represents a relaxation of the applicable IPS Tenure Policy and relates to her central deputation.
Sudha Singh is a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Odisha cadre who has spent a substantial part of her career on central deputation, particularly with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
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The latest ACC approval follows her extended association with the CBI, where she progressed from Superintendent of Police to Deputy Inspector General and subsequently to Joint Director.
Who Is IPS Sudha Singh?
Sudha Singh is a career Indian Police Service officer belonging to the 2006 batch of the Odisha cadre.
She entered the IPS as a direct recruit through the UPSC Civil Services Examination. According to available officer-profile information, she joined the service on August 29, 2006.
Her cadre is Odisha, while her home state is listed as Delhi.
Over the course of her career, she has held assignments in both the state and central establishments, with her CBI tenure forming a significant part of her professional profile.
Sudha Singh’s CBI Journey
Singh was inducted into the Central Bureau of Investigation on central deputation in March 2019.
She joined the agency as Superintendent of Police for an initial tenure of four years. Her association with the CBI subsequently continued through successive extensions and promotions.
In August 2021, she was promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General in the CBI.
Her tenure as DIG was later extended for two years up to July 28, 2026. A government record published in 2024 also recorded the extension of her tenure as DIG, CBI for this period.
This long association with the agency took her through several levels of responsibility and eventually led to her appointment as Joint Director.
Elevated to Joint Director of CBI
In March 2025, Sudha Singh was appointed Joint Director in the CBI, marking her elevation to a senior leadership position in the agency.
She was among the senior IPS officers overseeing work at the CBI at Joint Director level.
However, an important subsequent development occurred in August 2026. The ACC approved the appointment of 2008-batch IPS officer Akhilesh Kumar Singh as Joint Director in the CBI in place of Sudha Singh. The appointment followed completion of Sudha Singh’s tenure as Joint Director, which was reported as ending on July 28, 2026.
Therefore, the September 2026 cooling-off waiver should be viewed in the context of her central deputation and eligibility for continued central service, rather than as confirmation that she continues to occupy the same Joint Director post.
What Is a Cooling-Off Period?
A cooling-off period is a prescribed interval applicable to officers following certain periods of central deputation before they can be considered for another central government assignment.
The provision is intended to regulate movement between the parent cadre and central deputation and to maintain the prescribed tenure framework.
The latest decision in Singh’s case is specifically a waiver of the mandatory cooling-off requirement, granted as a relaxation of the IPS Tenure Policy.
The Department of Personnel and Training’s guidance separately explains cooling-off provisions and distinguishes them from “extended cooling-off”, which can arise in certain circumstances involving premature repatriation under the Central Staffing Scheme.
In Singh’s case, the ACC-approved waiver is specifically described as a relaxation of the IPS Tenure Policy.
A Career Spanning State and Central Assignments
Singh’s professional journey has been marked by extensive central experience.
Her CBI career began in 2019 when she joined the agency as an SP. She was subsequently promoted to DIG in 2021 and later elevated to Joint Director in 2025.
The progression reflects nearly a decade of association with the CBI, making the agency a significant part of her IPS career.
The September 2026 ACC decision now provides a specific relaxation from the cooling-off requirement applicable to her central deputation.
Sudha Singh’s Career at the CBI
Ms Singh’s CBI career can broadly be traced through three major stages:
She first joined the agency as an SP in March 2019. Two years later, in August 2021, she was promoted to DIG.
After her tenure as DIG was extended up to July 2026, she was elevated to Joint Director in March 2025. Her Joint Director tenure subsequently concluded, with Akhilesh Kumar Singh appointed to the position in her place in August 2026.
The latest ACC decision therefore comes after a lengthy period of central deputation and follows the end of her CBI Joint Director tenure.
The ACC has now approved the MHA proposal to waive the mandatory cooling-off requirement applicable to her central deputation.
Profile of IPS Sudha Singh
Sudha Singh’s key service details include:
- Service: Indian Police Service
- Batch: 2006
- Cadre: Odisha
- Recruitment: Direct Recruit through UPSC Civil Services Examination
- Date of joining IPS: August 29, 2006
- Home state: Delhi
- Major central assignment: Central Bureau of Investigation
- CBI postings: SP, DIG and Joint Director
- Latest development: ACC-approved waiver of mandatory cooling-off period
Why the Waiver Matters
The ACC’s decision is significant because it provides an exception to the normal cooling-off requirement governing central deputation.
For an officer with an extensive record of central service, such a waiver can facilitate consideration for continued or future central assignments without requiring the officer to complete the otherwise applicable cooling-off period.
The approval, however, does not by itself specify a new posting or designation for Singh. The ACC announcement concerns the waiver of the mandatory cooling-off period in relaxation of the IPS Tenure Policy.
