Chhattisgarh DGP: Arun Dev Gautam gets full-time charge, effective Feb 2025
Synopsis
Chhattisgarh has ended months of interim leadership at its police headquarters — 1992-batch IPS officer Arun Dev Gautam is now the state's full-time DGP, with his appointment backdated to 5 February 2025 and the apex pay scale formally granted. A JNU-educated officer from a UP farming family, Gautam earned his stripes across six of Chhattisgarh's most operationally demanding districts.
Key Takeaways
Arun Dev Gautam has been officially appointed full-time Director General of Police of Chhattisgarh .
The appointment is regularised with retrospective effect from 5 February 2025 , the date he originally assumed charge.
The formal order was issued by the Home Department from Mahanadi Bhawan, Nava Raipur , on 16 May 2025 .
The appointment follows a UPSC panel recommendation.
Gautam has been granted the apex scale with a fixed pay of ₹2,25,000 at Level 17 of the pay matrix.
A 1992-batch IPS officer , Gautam previously served as SP across six districts including Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur , and Surguja .
Arun Dev Gautam, a 1992-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has been officially appointed as the full-time Director General of Police (DGP) of Chhattisgarh, with the state government regularising his appointment with retrospective effect from 5 February 2025 — the date he originally assumed charge. The formal order was issued by the Home Department from Mahanadi Bhawan, Nava Raipur, on Saturday, 16 May 2025.
How the Appointment Came Through
The appointment follows recommendations made by a panel constituted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), New Delhi. Gautam was previously serving as the In-Charge DGP at the Police Headquarters in Raipur, and the formal order effectively converts that interim role into a permanent one. The state government has simultaneously granted him the apex scale, carrying a fixed pay of ₹2,25,000 at Level 17 of the pay matrix.
A Career Built in Chhattisgarh's Toughest Districts
Gautam was initially allocated to the Madhya Pradesh cadre after joining the IPS in 1992. Following the bifurcation of Madhya Pradesh in 2000, he opted for the newly formed state of Chhattisgarh. He built his operational reputation as Superintendent of Police across six districts — Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Jashpur, Surguja, and Koriya — many of which have historically been among the state's most challenging from a law-and-order standpoint.
From a Farmer's Family to the State's Top Cop
Gautam traces his roots to Abhaypur village in the Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, where he grew up in a farmer's family. He completed his early schooling in rural institutions before pursuing higher secondary education at Government Inter College, Allahabad. He graduated from Allahabad University and later moved to New Delhi to earn a Master of Arts in Political Science and an MPhil in International Law from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
What This Means for Chhattisgarh's Law Enforcement
The regularisation of Gautam's appointment brings clarity to the state's top police command at a time when Chhattisgarh continues to manage complex internal security challenges. With a full-time DGP now formally in place, the command structure is expected to function with greater institutional continuity. This comes amid the state's broader efforts to consolidate its security apparatus following years of Naxal-related operations in its forested districts.
Point of View
While constitutionally sound, can be slow, and interim arrangements at the top of a state police force are never ideal for command accountability. Gautam's field credentials across six difficult districts are genuine, but the real test of his tenure will be whether Chhattisgarh's security architecture can move from reactive to structural in its approach to Naxal-affected zones.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new DGP of Chhattisgarh?
Arun Dev Gautam , a 1992-batch IPS officer, is the new full-time Director General of Police of Chhattisgarh. He was previously serving as In-Charge DGP at the Police Headquarters in Raipur before being formally appointed on 16 May 2025.
When does Arun Dev Gautam's appointment as DGP take effect?
His appointment has been regularised with retrospective effect from 5 February 2025 , the date he originally assumed charge as In-Charge DGP. The formal government order was issued on 16 May 2025.
How was Arun Dev Gautam selected as Chhattisgarh DGP?
The appointment followed the recommendations of a panel constituted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) , New Delhi. The Home Department issued the formal order from Mahanadi Bhawan, Nava Raipur.
What pay scale has been granted to the new Chhattisgarh DGP?
The state government has granted Gautam the apex scale , which carries a fixed pay of ₹2,25,000 corresponding to Level 17 of the pay matrix.
What is Arun Dev Gautam's background and career history?
Gautam hails from Abhaypur village in Fatehpur district, Uttar Pradesh, and holds an MPhil in International Law from Jawaharlal Nehru University. He joined the IPS in the 1992 batch, was initially allocated to the Madhya Pradesh cadre, and opted for Chhattisgarh after the state's formation in 2000. He served as Superintendent of Police in six districts including Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Jashpur, Surguja, and Koriya.
