Richa Verma IAS re-designated as Director – Dept of Higher Education
Ms. Richa Verma IAS (Himachal Pradesh 2012) presently Deputy Secretary in the Department of Higher Education has been re-designated as Director in the Department of Higher Education from 01 .01.2026 for a period up to 24.11.2030 i.e. total admissible tenure of five years under the Central Staffing Scheme. The central deputation tenure of Ms. Richa Verma is w.e.f. 25.11.2025.
Ms. Richa Verma is a distinguished Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer known for her versatile administrative experience across district governance, industrial development, land revenue management, and higher education policy. Belonging to the Himachal Pradesh cadre, she represents a new generation of administrators who combine professional expertise with grassroots-level governance exposure.
Academically, Ms. Verma brings a unique professional background to public service. She holds a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (B.D.S.), having completed her medical education at Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, with clinical training at Pt. B. D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, where she secured First Division. Her grounding in healthcare has contributed to a methodical, evidence-based approach to administration, particularly in areas involving human development and service delivery.
Ms. Verma began her civil services journey with professional training at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, from September 2012 to April 2013. Her early field postings included roles as Assistant Commissioner (UT) in Solan and Assistant Commissioner (Development) & Block Development Officer in Una, where she gained hands-on exposure to rural development, welfare schemes, and local administration. These formative assignments helped her build strong capabilities in grassroots governance and public interface.
Her subsequent tenure as Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) in Dalhousie, Sirmaur, and Nahan further strengthened her experience in land revenue management, law and order, and disaster preparedness—critical areas in a hill state like Himachal Pradesh. As Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, she handled complex district-level coordination, laying the foundation for higher leadership responsibilities.
Ms. Verma went on to serve as Deputy Commissioner of Hamirpur and later Deputy Commissioner of Kullu, two significant district assignments that placed her at the forefront of district administration. In these roles, she oversaw revenue administration, development planning, election management, tourism governance, and disaster response, especially in environmentally sensitive and tourist-intensive regions. Her leadership during these tenures earned recognition for administrative efficiency and responsiveness.
In June 2021, she assumed charge as Chief Executive Officer, Baddi, one of Asia’s largest industrial clusters. This assignment marked a decisive shift toward industrial administration, where she worked closely with industry stakeholders on industrial planning, infrastructure facilitation, and regulatory coordination—an experience that later shaped her roles at the state level.
In April 2023, Ms. Verma was appointed Director, Land Revenue Department, Himachal Pradesh, handling land records modernization and revenue administration. Following a brief period of child care leave, she returned to active service in 2025, taking on multiple leadership roles in the Commerce & Industries Department, including Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (HPSIDC) and Managing Director, Handlooms & Handicrafts, Himachal Pradesh. In these capacities, she has been involved in industrial promotion, MSME support, and preservation and commercialization of traditional handloom and handicraft sectors.
Currently, Ms. Richa Verma serves as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Higher Education, Government of India, New Delhi, on central deputation from November 2025 to November 2029. In this role, she contributes to national-level policy formulation and implementation in the higher education sector, aligning institutional development with human resource advancement goals.
Her career reflects a balanced blend of district administration, industrial policy, and social sector governance—making her a noteworthy name within the Indian Bureaucracy. Her journey is frequently cited in discussions around Indian Bureaucracy Latest News and Indian Bureaucracy Appointments, highlighting her steady rise and multifaceted administrative competence.
Indian Bureaucracy News Network wishes Ms. Richa Verma the very best.