Former UP DGP Prashant Kumar Appointed Chairman of UPESSC: Profile, Policing Legacy, Legal Mandate and Major Teacher Recruitment Challenges Ahead
In a major administrative move, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has appointed former Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar as the Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC). The decision places a key education-sector institution under the leadership of a retired senior police officer widely known for his firm stance on law and order, decisive administration, and close working relationship with the present state government.
A Trusted Officer Gets a New Mandate
Prashant Kumar, a 1990-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, retired from the post of DGP of Uttar Pradesh in May 2025. Since his superannuation, there had been persistent speculation that the Yogi Adityanath government would entrust him with another high-profile responsibility. His appointment as UPESSC Chairman confirms that expectation and signals the government’s intent to bring administrative discipline and speed to the long-delayed teacher recruitment process.
As per the appointment order, his tenure as Chairman will be three years, or until he attains the age of 65 years, whichever occurs earlier.
Appointment Under Amended UPESSC Law
According to an official circular issued by Girijesh Kumar Tyagi, Special Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh, the appointment has been made under Section 4 of the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission Act, 2023, as amended by the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
The notification clearly states that Prashant Kumar will assume charge as Chairman from the date of appointment, with the above-mentioned tenure conditions applying.
Vacancy After Resignation of First Chairman
The post of UPESSC Chairman had remained vacant following the resignation of the commission’s first head, Professor Kirti Pandey, who stepped down on 22 September, citing personal reasons.
Subsequently, the state government issued advertisements inviting applications for the post, initially fixing 21 October as the deadline. The Higher Education Department later reopened the process in November, extending the final date for applications to 10 December, before finalising Prashant Kumar’s appointment.
UPESSC: A Structural Reform in Teacher Recruitment
The Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission was conceived as a landmark reform. In November 2023, the state Cabinet approved the creation of an integrated recruitment body aimed at ensuring transparent, merit-based selection of teachers across all levels—higher education, secondary, primary and upper-primary institutions, including government and government-aided establishments.
Earlier, recruitment responsibilities were fragmented. The UP Higher Education Services Commission handled college-level appointments, while the UP Secondary Education Service Selection Board conducted selections for secondary schools. UPESSC was formed to unify these processes and eliminate delays, duplication and administrative bottlenecks.
Policing Career: Acting DGP With a Strong Law-and-Order Image
Prashant Kumar served as Acting DGP of Uttar Pradesh from 31 January 2024 until his retirement on 31 May 2025. His tenure was marked by aggressive anti-crime operations and a no-nonsense approach to organised crime and mafia networks. During his policing career, he oversaw nearly 300 police encounters, resulting in the neutralisation of several notorious criminals.
A native of Siwan district in Bihar, Prashant Kumar joined the IPS in 1990 in the Tamil Nadu cadre, before being transferred to the Uttar Pradesh cadre in 1994. Over the years, he held several strategically important assignments, including:
Additional Director General of Police, Meerut Zone
Director General (Law and Order)
Director General, Criminal Branch
While serving as ADG, Meerut Zone, he played a pivotal role in cracking the high-profile kidnapping case of Dr. Shrikant Gaur, a doctor associated with Delhi’s Metro Hospital.
Highly Decorated Officer With Strong Academic Credentials
Prashant Kumar belongs to a rare group of police officers who have been awarded the President’s Police Medal four consecutive times, in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, recognising his courage, leadership and sustained performance.
In addition to his operational career, he pursued higher education with notable seriousness. His academic qualifications include:
MSc in Applied Geology / Applied Zoology
MBA in Disaster Management
MPhil in Defence and Strategic Studies
This blend of operational experience and academic depth has earned him a reputation as an intellectually strong and administratively efficient officer, and one of the most trusted bureaucratic figures in the Yogi Adityanath government.
Family Background
Prashant Kumar is the son of late Lallan Prasad. His wife, Dimple Verma, is a former IAS officer and is currently serving as a Member of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA).
Government Order Text
The official order states:
“In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 4 of the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission Act, 2023, as amended by the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, the Governor is pleased to appoint Dr. Prashant Kumar, son of late Lallan Prasad, former Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh (retired), as the Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission, Prayagraj.”
Major Challenges Before the New Chairman
Prashant Kumar assumes office at a time when several high-stakes recruitment issues have been pending for years, directly affecting lakhs of teaching aspirants across Uttar Pradesh.
UP Teacher Eligibility Test (UP-TET)
The UP-TET has not been conducted for the past four years. The 2021 examination had to be reconducted after a paper leak, with results declared in April 2022. Following a Supreme Court directive making TET mandatory for council teachers, demand for the exam has intensified. Although tentative dates were proposed earlier, organising the examination at short notice remains a major challenge.
Assistant Professor Recruitment
Recruitment to 5,073 posts in aided colleges and secondary schools has been pending. Written examinations for 910 Assistant Professor posts in aided colleges have already been held, but interviews are yet to begin. Candidate objections regarding written results must be addressed first. Nearly one lakh applicants, who applied by August 31, 2022, have been awaiting progress.
TGT and PGT Examinations
Another pressing task is conducting recruitment examinations for 3,539 TGT and 624 PGT posts, amounting to 4,163 vacancies across 4,512 aided secondary schools. More than 13.33 lakh candidates applied, and repeated postponements have caused widespread anxiety and frustration.
Initiating Fresh Recruitments
Beyond clearing backlogs, the commission must also initiate new teacher recruitment cycles by seeking updated requisitions from departments. With the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on the horizon, timely recruitment is politically and socially significant.
Four Immediate Priorities for UPESSC Chairman
The new chairman faces four urgent responsibilities:
Conducting the long-pending UP-TET examination
Finalising and releasing Assistant Professor recruitment results
Holding delayed TGT and PGT recruitment exams
Launching fresh teacher recruitment processes across departments
