Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle: 17 Secretary-Level Appointments at Centre

Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle – 17 Secretary-Level Appointments at Centre

New Delhi: In a major bureaucratic reshuffle at the Centre, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved 17 Secretary-level appointments and in-situ upgradations involving senior officers across key ministries, departments and national institutions. The changes bring fresh leadership to important portfolios including the Development of North Eastern Region, Panchayati Raj, Higher Education, School Education and Literacy, Mines, Labour and Employment, Urban Development, Human Rights, Minority Affairs and Skill Development, while also providing for succession to posts falling vacant due to the superannuation of incumbent officers. The wide-ranging exercise includes the movement of serving Secretaries to new assignments, elevation of senior officers to Secretary-level positions and in-situ upgradation of four officers to the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India, marking a significant realignment of senior administrative leadership at the Centre. The names of the officers are :

1. Shri Katikithala Srinivas IAS (Gujarat 1989) presently Secretary- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has been appointed as Secretary- Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.
2. Shri Vineet Joshi IAS (Manipur 1992) presently Secretary- Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education has been appointed as Secretary- Ministry of Panchayati Raj vice Shri Vivek Bhardwaj IAS upon his superannuation on 31.07.2026.
3. Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar IAS (Rajasthan 1994)  presently Secretary- Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has been appointed as Secretary- Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education vice Shri Vineet Joshi, IAS (MN:92) upon his appointment as Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
4. Shri Piyush Goyal IAS (Nagaland 1994) presently Secretary- Ministry of Mines has been appointed as Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) ( rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India)
5. Shri T K Anil Kumar IAS (Karnataka 1996)presently Additional Secretary- Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development has been appointed as Secretary- Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education.
6. Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani IAS (Odisha 1996) presently Additional Secretary- Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying ( rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India). The officer will take over as Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying vice Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar, IAS (RJ:94) upon his appointment as Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.
7. Ms. Archana Varma IAS (Assam Meghalaya 1996), Mission Director, National Water Mission, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti as Mission Director, National Water Mission, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti ( rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India) by temporarily upgrading the post to Secretary level. The officer will take over as Secrebry, Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs vice Ms. Ansuli Arya, IAS (BH:89) upon her superannuation on 30.09.2026.
8. Shri Keshav Chandra IAS (AGMUT 1996), presently in the cadre has been , as Secretary- Ministry of Mines vice Shri Piyush Goyal, IAS (NL:94) upon his appointment as Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
9. Ms. D Thara IAS (Gujarat 1996), Additional Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs as Secretary- Department of Capital Development, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs .
10. Shri B Rajender IAS (Bihar 1996), presently in the cadre, as Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Department of Personnel & Training ( rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India) by temporarily upgrading the post to Secretary level vice Shri Sriram Taranikanti, IAS (TR:92) upon his superannuation on 31.07.2026.
11. Shri Chandra Bhushan Kumar IAS (AGMUT 1996) presently in the cadre has been appointed as Secretary- Ministry of Labour & Employment vice Ms. Vandana Gurnani, IAS (KN:91) upon her superannuation on 31.07.2026.
12. Shri Satendra Singh IAS (Jharkhand 1996) Additional Secretary- Cabinet Secretariat has been appointed as Secretary- Department of Urban Development, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.
13. Shri Suchindra Misra IDAS (1992)  Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry has been appointed as Secretary, National Commission for Minorities, Ministry of Minority Affairs ( rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India)
14. Shri Mritunjay Kumar Narayan IAS (Uttar Pradesh 1996), Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs has been appointed as Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs. ( rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India).
15. Shri Santosh Kumar Yadav IAS (Uttar Pradesh 1996), Chairman, National Highways Authority of India, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has been appointed as Chairman, National Highways Authority of India, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways ( rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India).
16. Shri Rajeev Singh Thakur IAS (Rajasthan 1996), Adviser, NITI Aayog has been appointed as Adviser, NITI Aayog ( rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India).
17. Shri Dllip Kumar IAS (Punjab 1996) Director General (Training), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship has been appointed as Director General (Training), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship ( rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India).

Indian Bureaucracy News wishes them the very best.