Jaipur, June 10 : Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) Utkal Ranjan Sahoo has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC). The official order was issued by Governor Haribhau Bagde.

With this appointment, the post of DGP in Rajasthan has fallen vacant, and a new police chief will soon be named.

U.R. Sahoo, a 1988 batch IPS officer from Odisha, is known for his integrity and clean image. He took over as the DGP of Rajasthan on February 11, 2024, and has now been given a new administrative role.

The RPSC chairman's post had been vacant since August 1, 2024, following the end of Sanjay Shrotriya's tenure. Since then, Kailashchand Meena, a commission member, has been serving as the acting chairman.

After a gap of 10 months, a full-time chairman has finally been appointed. As per rules, the RPSC chairman can serve until the age of 62.

Born on June 20, 1964, UR Sahoo is currently 61 and will hold the post for about one year, until June 2026.

Earlier, Dr Bhupendra Yadav retired as chairman on December 1, 2021. Thereafter, the position saw multiple acting chairmen -- Dr Shiv Singh Rathore (December 2, 2021 - January 29, 2022) and Dr Jaswant Singh Rathi (February 1 - February 16, 2022).

Later, Sanjay Shrotriya was appointed as chairman and served from February 16, 2022, to August 1, 2024.

Sahoo's posting marks the third consecutive appointment of an IPS officer as full-time RPSC chairman. Before Sahoo, Sanjay Shrotriya and Dr Bhupendra Yadav also held the post, both of whom were former IPS officers.

RPSC holds the responsibility for major recruitment exams in Rajasthan, including the RAS and other high-level posts. However, the body has recently faced controversies related to exam paper leaks and interview irregularities, leading to several pending petitions in the High Court.

/IANS