New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension of tenure for four high-ranking IAS officers serving in upgraded posts at the Secretary and Additional Secretary levels. The decision impacts key administrative roles across ministries, including Culture, Urban Affairs, Consumer Affairs, and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Extended Tenures at Secretary-Level Posts:–
- Arun Singhal (IAS: 1987: UP)
- Current Role: Director General, National Archives of India
- Ministry: Culture
- New Tenure: Extended till 30 April 2025
- Singhal continues to serve in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India.
- Archana Agrawal (IAS: 1990: UP)
- Current Role: Member Secretary, National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB)
- Ministry: Housing and Urban Affairs
- New Tenure: Extended till 1 May 2026
- Agrawal also holds the Secretary-equivalent rank in the central government.
- Pramod Kumar Tiwari (IAS: 1991: AM)
- Current Role: Director General, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
- Ministry: Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
- New Tenure: Extended till 31 October 2025
- Tiwari, like his counterparts, serves in the Secretary rank and pay scale.
Extension at the PMO:
- Arvind Shrivastava (IAS: 1994: KN)
- Current Role: Additional Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)
- New Tenure: Extended till 24 March 2026
- Shrivastava’s post, originally at the Joint Secretary level, was upgraded to Additional Secretary level prior to the extension.
These extensions reflect the government’s continued reliance on experienced senior bureaucrats in steering critical national institutions and policy frameworks.
