Indian Bureaucracy Exclusive | Inside the 41 Secretary Empanelment 2026 – Complete List With State Influence

Indian Bureaucracy Exclusive, New Delhi | Inside the 41 Secretary Empanelment 2026

41 IAS Officers Empanelled for Secretary Rank in 2026 — Full List with Cadre-Wise Breakdown & Current Postings Names, Current Roles & Which States Dominate

March 02, 2026 | In a significant late-night development, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) in its order dated 28.02.2026, cleared empanelment of 41 senior IAS officers for appointment as Secretary or Secretary-equivalent to the Government of India – one of the highest operational rank in the Indian bureaucracy pyramid. The move places these officers to head Union ministries and departments, marking a career milestone typically reached after more than three decades in public administration.

Empanelment to Secretary rank follows a structured evaluation of performance, integrity and administrative experience, and is not based on seniority alone. Officers elevated to this level move from leading State governments as Additional Chief Secretaries or serving in senior Union roles as Additional Secretaries to becoming administrative heads of central departments. In India’s governance framework, a Secretary to the Government of India reports directly to the Cabinet Secretary and the political executive, and plays a central role in drafting, implementing and supervising national policy.

This round is dominated by the 1995 batch of the IAS, along with officers from the 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994 batches, reflecting the typical 30–35 year service window for elevation to the top tier. Cadre representation is broad-based with Uttar Pradesh and AGMUT account for six officers each, Tamil Nadu has four, while Maharashtra, Punjab and Assam-Meghalaya contribute three each. Several other State cadres are represented by one or two officers. More than half of those empanelled are already serving on Central deputation in key ministries and national institutions, suggesting continuity in federal administration as they transition into Indian Bureaucracy’s highest bureaucratic roles.

Ranked above Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary in the hierarchy, a Secretary to the Government of India serves as the administrative head of a department, shaping flagship policies and reporting directly to the Cabinet Secretary and the Union leadership. The transition signifies a decisive shift from state-level governance to the nerve centre of policymaking in New Delhi, where decisions carry nationwide impact.

A ready reference with a quick snapshot of State-wise empanelment is given below, followed by a detailed list of officers along with their present postings.

1. Uttar Pradesh – 6 Officers.
2. AGMUT – 5 Officers.
3. Tamil Nadu – 4 Officers.
4. Maharashtra, Assam–Meghalaya and Punjab – 3 Officers each.
5. Gujarat, Odisha, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka – 2 Officers each.
6. Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tripura, West Bengal – 1 Officer each.

Uttar Pradesh (6 Officers)

1. Shri Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan IAS (Uttar Pradesh 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Registrar General And Census Commissioner Of India – Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Shri Santosh Kumar Yadav IAS (Uttar Pradesh 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Chairman – National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
3. Shri Alok Kumar (Alok Kumar II IAS) (Uttar Pradesh 1993), presently Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) – Go UP, MSME and Export Promotion; ACS – Infrastructure & Industrial Development & NRI Department, Lucknow, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
4. Ms Leena Johri IAS (Uttar Pradesh 1994), presently Additional Chief Secretary – Women & Child Development, Uttar Pradesh, and Director General – Rashtriya Poshan Mission, Lucknow, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
5. Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar IAS (Uttar Pradesh 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
6. Shri Sanjay Prasad IAS (Uttar Pradesh 1995), presently Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) – Chief Minister and Protocol, Uttar Pradesh, with additional charge of ACS -Information, Home, Gopan, Visa Pass Port, Vigilance, and Estate Department Lucknow, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Tamil Nadu (4 Officers)

1. Shri S Gopalakrishnan IAS (Tamil Nadu 1991), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Director General – National Productivity Council (NPC), New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Shri M A Siddique IAS (Tamil Nadu 1995), presently Managing Director – Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), Chennai, a Principal Secretary level position, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
3. Shri Hitesh Kumar S Makwana IAS (Tamil Nadu 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
4. Ms R Jaya IAS (Tamil Nadu 1995), presently presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – Ministry of Tribal Affairs, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Maharashtra (3 Officers)

1. Shri Surendra Kumar Bagde IAS (Maharashtra 1993), presently is on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MH&UA), New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Ms Manisha Verma IAS (Maharashtra 1993), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Director – National Advisory Council, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
3. Ms Radhika Rastogi IAS (Maharashtra 1995), presently Principal Secretary – Appeals and Security, Maharashtra Home Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Punjab (3 Officers)

1. Shri Dilip Kumar IAS (Punjab 1995), presently Principal Secretary – NRI Affairs, Punjab, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Shri Jaspreet Talwar IAS (Punjab 1995), presently Principal Secretary – Employment Generation and Training, Punjab, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
3. Shri Alok Shekhar IAS (Punjab 1994), presently Additional Chief Secretary – Jails, Punjab, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Assam-Meghalaya (3 Officers)

1. 1. Shri Sanjay Lohiya IAS (Assam-Meghalaya 1994), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – Ministry of Mines, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
   2. Ms Archana Varma IAS (Assam-Meghalaya 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Mission Director – National water Mission, Department of Water Resources,
      River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
   3. Shri Shakil P Ahamed IAS (Assam-Meghalaya 1995), presently Chief Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya and State Vigilance Commissioner, Meghalaya, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Gujarat (2 Officers)

1. Ms D Thara IAS (Gujarat 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs,New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Ms Anju Sharma IAS (Gujarat 1991), presently Additional Chief Secretary – General Administration Department (Personnel), Gujarat, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Odisha (2 Officers)

1. Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani IAS (Odisha 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor – Ministry of Panchayati Raj, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Shri Sanjay Rastogi IAS (Odisha 1991), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor – Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Bihar (2 Officers)

1. Shri Keshav Kumar Pathak IAS (Bihar 1990), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Special Secretary – Cabinet Secretariat, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Dr B Rajender IAS (Bihar 1995), presently Additional Chief Secretary – General Administration Department, Bihar, Patna, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Himachal Pradesh (2 Officers)

1. Shri Bharat Harbanslal Khera IAS (Himachal Pradesh 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Shri Rawther Dawood Nazeem IAS (Himachal Pradesh 1995), presently Additional Chief Secretary – Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Himachal Padesh, with additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary – Transport, Himachal Pradesh, and Additional Chief Secretary – Industries, Himachal Pradesh, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Karnataka (2 officers)

1. Shri T K Anil Kumar IAS (Karnataka 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development, Newl Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Shri M Maheshwar Rao IAS (Karnataka 1995), presently Managing Director – Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Bengaluru, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Jharkhand (1 Officer)

1. Shri Satendra Singh IAS (Jharkhand 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – Cabinet Secretariat, New Delhi is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Madhya Pradesh (1 Officer)

1. Shri Aniruddhe Mukerjee IAS (Madhya Pradesh 1993), presently President – Revenue Board, Madhya Pradesh, Additional Chief Secretary – Public Assets Management Department, Madhya Pradesh, with additional charge of Managing Director (MD) – MP State
   Asset Management, Company, Bhopal is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Nagaland (1 Officer)

1. Shri Abhishek Singh IAS (Nagaland 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Additional Secretary – National Egovernment Division (NEGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Rajasthan (1 Officer)

1. Shri Rajeev Singh Thakur IAS (Rajasthan 1995), presently on Central Deputation and posted as Adviser – NITI Aayog, Government of India, New Delhi, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Telangana (1 Officer)

1. Shri Sanjay Kumar IAS (Telangana 1995), presently Special Chief Secretary – Panchayati Raj Engineering Department, Telangana, and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Department, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

Tripura (1 Officer)

1. Shri Ashutosh Jindal IAS (Tripura 1995), presently on Foreign Assignment and posted as Minister – Economic, Economic Wing, Embassy of India, Washington DC, USA, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

West Bengal (1 Officer)

1. Shri Dushyant Nariala IAS (West Bengal 1993), presently Additional Chief Secretary – North Bengal Development Department, with additional charge of Principal Secretary – Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), West Bengal, is empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.

AGMUT (5 Officer)

1. Shri Keshav Chandra IAS (AGMUT 1995), empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
2. Shri Rohit Kansal IAS (AGMUT 1995), empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary and Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
3. Shri Chandra Bhushan Kumar IAS (AGMUT 1995), empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
4. Shri H Rajesh Prasad IAS (AGMUT 1995), empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.
5. Shri Sajjan Singh Yadav IAS (AGMUT 1995), empanelled for holding posts in the rank of Secretary-equivalent positions at the Centre.