The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has cleared a significant round of top-level bureaucratic appointments, approving the posting of 14 senior IAS officers as Secretaries to the Government of India. This major reshuffle reflects the government’s focus on strengthening leadership across key ministries and departments by placing highly experienced officers in pivotal positions.
These appointments bring a mix of domain expertise, administrative acumen, and proven track records of service, ensuring that crucial policy areas receive strong guidance and effective execution. The newly appointed Secretaries will be steering departments that play an instrumental role in shaping the nation’s governance, economic reforms, infrastructure development, social welfare, and international engagement.
The decision of the ACC not only highlights the government’s commitment to maintaining efficiency and accountability within the administrative machinery but also underscores the importance of continuity in governance through capable leadership. With these changes, the officers are expected to contribute to policy innovation, faster decision-making, and improved service delivery to citizens.
This round of appointments marks an important step in aligning senior leadership with national priorities, the names of the officers are:
- Ms. Alka Upadhyaya IAS (Madhya Pradesh 1990) presently Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has been appointed as Secretary- National Commission for Minorites, Ministry of Minority Affairs .
- Shri Rajit Punhani IAS (Bihar 1991) presently Secretary- Ministry of Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer- Food Safety & Standards Authority of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare . - Ms. Debashree Mukherjee IAS (AGMUT 1991) presently Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti has been appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship .
- Shri Vijay Kumar IAS (AGMUT 1992) presently Chairman- Inland Waterways Authority of India, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has been appointed as OSD- Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (rank and pay of Secretary ). Shri Vijay Kumar will take over as Secretary- Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on 30.09.2025.
- Shri V L Kantha Rao IAS (Madhya Pradesh 1992) presently Secretary- Ministry of Mines has been appointed as Secretary- Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti .
- Ms. Sukriti Likhi IAS (Haryana 1993) presently Chairperson- National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention has been appointed as OSD- Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence (rank and pay of Secretary ) on 01,10.2025. Ms. Sukriti Likhi will take over as Secretary- Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence on 31.10.2025.
- Ms. Ranjana Chopra IAS (Odisha 1994) presently Special Secretary & Financial Adviser, Ministry of Culture has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (rank and pay of Secretary ) on 01.10.2025. Ms. Ranjana Chopra will take over as Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs on 31.10.2025.
- Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar IAS (Rajasthan 1994) presently Additional Secretary- Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has been appointed as Secretary- Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying .
- Shri Niraj Verma IAS (Assam Meghalaya 1994) presently Administrator, Universal Service Obligation Fund, Department of Telecommunications has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty, Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice (rank and pay of Secretary ). Shri Niraj Verma will take over as Secretary- Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice on 31.08.2025.
- Shri Atish Chandra IAS (Bihar 1994) presently Additional Secretary- Prime Minister’s
Office has been appointed as Special Secretary- Prime Minister’s Office by temporarily
upgrading the post held by him to Special Secretary level (rank and pay of Secretary). - Shri Piyush Goyal IAS (Nagaland 1994) presently CEO- NATGRID, Ministry of Home Affairs has been appointed as Secretary- Ministry of Mines .
- Shri Sanjay Garg IAS (Kerala 1994) presently Additional Secretary- Department of
Agricultural Research & Education and Secretary. Indian Council of Agricultural Research has been appointed as OSD- Bureau of Indian Standards, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (rank and pay of Secretary ). Shri Sanjay Garg will take over as Director General, Bureau of Indian Standards, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution on 31.10.2025 . - Ms. Roli Singh IAS (Rajasthan 1994) presently Additional Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare has been appointed as Chairperson- National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention(rank and pay of Secretary ).
- Ms. Trishaljit Sethi IPoS (1990) presently Director General (Training), Ministry of Skill
Development & Entrepreneurship has been appointed as Secretary, Central Vigilance
Commission(rank and pay of Secretary ).
INdianBureaucracy.com wishes all the Officers the very best.