The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has shortlisted three senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers for the post of Kerala Director General of Police.
Shaik Darvesh Saheb, an IPS officer of 1991 batch, who is the existing DGP, is superannuating on June 30.
UPSC shortlists three IPS officers
Kerala government had initially submitted a six-member list including ADGP-ranked officers. UPSC, based on seniority, then shortlisted three IPS officers – Road Safety Commissioner Nitin Agarwal, Intelligence Bureau Special Director Ravada A Chandrasekhar, and Fire and Rescue Services Director General Yogesh Gupta.
Nitin Agarwal, a 1990-batch IPS officer and the senior-most candidate, currently serves as the Road Safety Commissioner. He has previously held the position of Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) before being repatriated to Kerala. Agarwal is due to retire by June 2026.
Ravada A Chandrasekhar, from the 1991 IPS batch, serves as Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Despite being offered the prestigious role of Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat by the central government, Chandrasekhar has expressed willingness to return to Kerala Police if selected. He will retire in June 2026.
Yogesh Gupta, Director General of Fire and Rescue Services, has a tenure that extends until 2030. Recently, Gupta was reassigned from the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau due to differences with the state government.
While UPSC's has suggested three candidates, it is on state government to decide who fits the bill.
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