Vineet Joshi IAS appointed as Secretary- Ministry of Panchayati Raj
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.
Shri Vineet Joshi, an officer of the 1992 batch of the Indian Administrative Service from the Manipur cadre, has built a notable administrative career with a strong focus on education, institutional management, public administration and governance. His professional journey has included senior responsibilities in the Government of India, leadership of major national education institutions and service as Chief Secretary of Manipur.
An accomplished academic, Shri Joshi holds a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, where he secured a first-class qualification. He subsequently completed an MBA in International Business from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi, where he was awarded the Gold Medal. He later earned a Ph.D. in Quality Management from the same institution. His academic background combines technical education, management and specialised research in quality systems, providing a strong foundation for his work in education and institutional administration.
Shri Joshi began his administrative career in Manipur, where his early assignments included responsibilities in Youth Affairs and Sports and Public Works. He subsequently served as Additional Deputy Commissioner and held other responsibilities in the state administration. His early experience gave him exposure to infrastructure, district administration and public service delivery.
He later served as Joint Secretary in the Government of Manipur and subsequently took up responsibilities at the Government of India. His central deputation included service as Private Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports and later in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. He subsequently served as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, with responsibilities related to Women and Child Development.
A significant phase of Shri Joshi’s career began with his association with the Central Board of Secondary Education. He served as Secretary of CBSE before becoming its Chairman in 2010. His tenure at CBSE placed him at the centre of one of India’s largest school education institutions and involved responsibilities connected with examinations, curriculum-linked systems, school administration and institutional governance.
Following his tenure at CBSE, Shri Joshi returned to important responsibilities in Manipur and later served as Commissioner and Principal Secretary in the Higher and Technical Education Department. He also held responsibilities in the Finance and Planning Department and served as Principal Secretary in the School Education Department. These assignments provided him with broad exposure to education policy, financial management and state-level administration.
At the Union Government level, Shri Joshi served as Director General of the National Testing Agency. He subsequently continued as Director General and later returned to the Department of Higher Education as Additional Secretary. His association with the National Testing Agency placed him in a critical area of national education administration, involving the management of large-scale examination systems and institutional processes.
In July 2023, Shri Joshi was appointed Chief Secretary to the Government of Manipur. The position placed him at the apex of the state administration, where his experience in education, finance, infrastructure and public administration contributed to the coordination of governance across the state.
Since December 2024, Shri Vineet Joshi has been serving as Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. The assignment places him at the centre of national policy formulation and implementation in higher education, an area that has witnessed significant institutional and policy developments in recent years.
With a career spanning more than three decades, Shri Vineet Joshi has worked across state administration, education, examination systems, finance, public works and senior central government responsibilities. His academic achievements, including an IIT degree, an MBA with a Gold Medal and a Ph.D. in Quality Management, complement a career marked by institutional leadership. His progression from state administration to heading major national education institutions and serving as Chief Secretary reflects the breadth of experience he brings to public governance.
Indian Bureaucracy News wishes Shri Vineet Joshi the very best.