A single DPC to finalize promotions for 2023–24; 48 SAS officers considered for 16 IAS posts.
Madhya Pradesh is set to promote 21 officers from state services into the All India Services (AIS) to address the acute shortage of IAS and IPS officers. Out of these, 16 officers from the State Administrative Service (SAS) are in line for elevation to the IAS, while 5 from the State Police Service are expected to join the IPS cadre. The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC), convened by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is scheduled to meet in early June, with final approvals likely by the second week.
AIS Shortage in Madhya Pradesh
The state is grappling with a significant shortfall in its AIS strength:
IAS: Sanctioned – 459 | In position – 393 | Vacant – 66
IPS: Sanctioned – 319 | In position – 271 | Vacant – 48
IFS: Sanctioned – 296 | In position – 215 | Vacant – 81
This brings the total AIS vacancies in the state to 195, prompting an expedited promotion process.
IAS Promotions: 48 SAS Officers Considered for 16 Posts
A panel of 48 SAS officers has been created for 16 IAS posts, combining pending promotions from both 2023 and 2024 in a single DPC round. The delay in 2023 promotions led to this consolidated approach. While names from non-SAS backgrounds were initially considered, objections raised by SAS officers led to their exclusion.
Prominent Names from the IAS Panel
2006 Batch:
Anil Jhaore – Addl. Collector, Vidisha
Savita Jhania – CEO, Harda
Santosh Kumar Tagore – CEO, Shajapur
Jigendra Singh Chauhan – CEO, Jhabua
Nanda Bhanot Kushare – CEO, Agar
Sarika Agarwal – Labour Dept., Indore
Kasam Maulani – Dy. Secy., School Education
Neera Jhaore – Addl. Collector, Indore
Rakesh Kushare – Dy. Secy., Technical Education
Shelly Kamat – Joint Commissioner, Litigation, Indore
2007 Batch:
Ashish Kumar Pathak – Commissioner, Ujjain
Ila Tiwari – CEO, Bhopal
Rohan Saxena – CEO, Niwari
Kavita Bagla – Joint Commissioner, Jabalpur
Sapna Anuj Jain – Addl. Collector, Burhanpur
Minissha Pandey – Dy. Commissioner, Shahdol
Other Names (2007–08 Batches):
Sapna Lauvanshi – Dy. Commissioner, Indore
Neeta Rathore – CGM, Jabalpur
Shailendra Singh Solanki – Addl. Director, Indore
Rani Pasi – Dy. Secy., Lokayukta
Ranjana Deora – Dy. Secy., AYUSH
Madhavi Nagendra – Dy. Secy., Women & Child Development
Varsha Solanki – Dy. Secy., Environment
Priyanka Goyal – Addl. Secy., Secondary Education
Abhishek Dubey – CEO, Zila Panchayat, Guna
IPS Promotions: 5 Officers to be Elevated
A panel of 15 officers has been shortlisted for 5 IPS vacancies, mostly from the 1997 and 1998 batches. The DPC for these promotions is expected in early June. However, promotions of two officers may be withheld due to pending inquiries.
Leading Names from the IPS Panel (1998 Batch):
Rajesh Kumar Mishra – SP Lokayukta, Gwalior
Malay Jain – PSO to DGP
Amit Saxena – Zonal SP, Special Branch, PHQ
Manisha Pathak Soni – Addl. SP, Railways, Indore
Suman Gurjar – SP, PTS, Tighra (Gwalior)
Sandeep Mishra – Addl. SP, Damoh
Sabyasachi Saraf – AIG, Selection, PHQ
Samar Verma – Addl. SP, Jabalpur
Excluded due to pending inquiries:
Sitaram Sasatya – Addl. SP, Tikamgarh (1997)
Amrit Meena – AIG, PHQ (1997)
Non-SAS Officers Miss Out Again
Once again, officers from non-SAS state services will not be inducted into the IAS, as the Madhya Pradesh government has not established a policy for their inclusion. The last such promotions occurred in 2016. Of the four officers promoted then, three have retired, and the fourth is set to retire in July 2025. Meanwhile, Rajasthan has recently submitted a proposal to promote four non-SAS officers, which is currently under review by the Centre.
Promotion Process: Step-by-Step
The state government sends a list of eligible officers to UPSC.
UPSC nominates a member to the DPC.
The DPC (with the Chief Secretary) finalizes recommendations.
Recommendations are forwarded to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Final appointments are made through an official government notification.
The upcoming DPC meetings in June are expected to play a crucial role in addressing the state’s leadership gap in both administrative and police services.
