Gujarat Police raises DGP Commendation Discs to 148, adds civilian honours
Synopsis
Gujarat Police has quietly executed one of its most significant internal reforms in years — raising commendation discs to 148, cutting the service threshold from seven to five years, and, for the first time, giving civilian staff their own formal award. The overhaul reflects a force that has added over 30,000 personnel since 2019 and now wants its recognition system to match its expanded footprint.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Police raised DGP Commendation Discs from 110 to 148 on 29 July 2025 .
A new DGP Commendation Roll introduced for civilian staff — 10 awards annually for clerks, accountants, stenographers and others.
Minimum qualifying service reduced from seven years to five years .
Eligibility now covers traffic management , election duty , administrative work , and national/international sports performance.
New units explicitly covered: Bomb Disposal Squad , Mounted Unit , Dog Unit , Armourers , and Band Staff .
Awards will be presented annually on December 15 , the date Gujarat Police received the President's Colours .
The Gujarat Police on Wednesday, 29 July overhauled its annual recognition framework, raising the number of DGP Commendation Discs from 110 to 148 and introducing, for the first time, a dedicated honour for civilian staff — the DGP Commendation Roll. The revision, announced by Director General of Police (DGP) G. S. Malik in Gandhinagar, reflects the force's expanded headcount, new operational units, and broadened responsibilities over recent years.
Why the Framework Was Revised
The DGP Commendation Disc was first instituted in 2020 to recognise exceptional service. Since 2019, more than 30,000 police personnel and officers have been recruited into the Gujarat Police, substantially enlarging the force. Over the same period, the department expanded through the creation of new police ranges and districts, the establishment of specialised units including the Cyber Centre of Excellence and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force, and the widening of police commissionerate jurisdictions across the state. DGP Malik cited this growth as the primary driver behind the comprehensive revision.
Key Changes to Eligibility and Scope
The revised framework widens eligibility well beyond traditional crime detection and prevention. Outstanding performance in administrative duties, traffic management, election duty, and excellence in sports at the national and international levels will now qualify for recognition. The minimum service requirement has been reduced from seven years to five years, opening the award to a larger pool of personnel.
The scope of the Disc has also been explicitly extended to personnel from the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), Mounted Unit, Dog Unit, Armourers, and Band Staff — branches that were not formally covered under the earlier framework.
A First for Civilian Staff
Among the most significant changes is the creation of the DGP Commendation Roll, a new honour exclusively for civilian employees who underpin the department's day-to-day administration. From this year, 10 Commendation Rolls will be awarded annually to outstanding civilian staff, including junior clerks, senior clerks, deputy administrative officers, accountants, and stenographers. This marks the first time civilian contributors have received a dedicated category of recognition within the Gujarat Police's formal awards system.
Presentation Date and Its Significance
Both the DGP Commendation Disc and the newly instituted DGP Commendation Roll will be presented every year on December 15 — the date on which the Gujarat Police was honoured with the President's Colours, making it a day of particular significance for the force.
What the DGP Said
Reacting to the overhaul, DGP Malik said: 'No exceptional contribution made by any member of the Gujarat Police, whether a police personnel, officer or civilian staff member, will ever go unnoticed. Every outstanding performance will be recognised and honoured on an appropriate platform.' Officials added that the expanded award system was designed to acknowledge the sustained efforts of personnel who serve round the clock and to ensure their contributions receive appropriate acknowledgement.
The revision positions Gujarat Police's internal recognition architecture to keep pace with a force that has grown significantly in both size and mandate over the past five years. How consistently the broader eligibility criteria are applied in practice will determine whether the reform translates into meaningful morale gains across all ranks.
Point of View
But the more consequential change is the reduction of the service threshold from seven to five years — a signal that the force wants to catch high performers earlier in their careers rather than wait for seniority to validate merit. The civilian commendation roll is overdue; in most large police forces, administrative staff are the invisible load-bearing layer, and ignoring them in formal recognition systems has real retention consequences. The real test will be whether the broadened eligibility — now covering traffic, elections, and sports — produces genuinely diverse awardees or simply gives commanders more discretion to reward favourites. Transparent selection criteria, published annually, would make this reform credible rather than merely aspirational.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DGP Commendation Disc in Gujarat Police?
The DGP Commendation Disc is an annual award instituted in 2020 to honour exceptional service by Gujarat Police personnel and officers. The number of discs awarded each year has now been raised from 110 to 148 to reflect the force's expanded size and responsibilities.
What is the new DGP Commendation Roll for civilian staff?
The DGP Commendation Roll is a newly introduced honour exclusively for civilian employees of the Gujarat Police, including junior clerks, senior clerks, deputy administrative officers, accountants, and stenographers. Ten such awards will be presented annually, marking the first time civilian contributors have a dedicated recognition category within the force.
Why did Gujarat Police revise its awards framework in 2025?
The revision was driven by significant growth in the force — more than 30,000 personnel recruited since 2019 — alongside the creation of new police ranges, districts, and specialised units such as the Cyber Centre of Excellence and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force. DGP G. S. Malik cited these changes as necessitating a more inclusive and representative recognition system.
Who is now eligible for the DGP Commendation Disc?
Eligibility has been broadened beyond crime detection to include outstanding work in administrative duties, traffic management, election duty, and excellence in sports at the national and international levels. Personnel from the Bomb Disposal Squad, Mounted Unit, Dog Unit, Armourers, and Band Staff are now explicitly covered. The minimum qualifying service has been reduced from seven years to five years.
When will the commendation awards be presented?
Both the DGP Commendation Disc and the DGP Commendation Roll will be presented annually on December 15, the date on which the Gujarat Police was honoured with the President's Colours.
