New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) effected a major reshuffle of Secretaries in the Government of India on Tuesday. The move includes new appointments, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) postings in anticipation of superannuations, and in-situ elevations to the rank of Secretary. These changes reflect the government’s strategic effort to strengthen leadership across ministries and departments at a crucial time for policy implementation.
A total of twelve senior officers have received new assignments, including appointments as Secretaries, OSDs, and in-situ elevations, covering ministries such as Information & Broadcasting, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Tourism, Rural Development, and Finance.
Key Secretary-Level Appointments
Administrative Reforms, Personnel, and Pensions:
- Nivedita Shukla Verma (IAS: 1991: UP) moves from Secretary, Department of Chemicals & Petro-Chemicals, to Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel, with additional charge of Secretary, Department of Pensions & Pensioners Welfare.
Information & Broadcasting and North Eastern Region:
- Chanchal Kumar (IAS: 1992: BH) appointed Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, replacing Sanjay Jaju.
- Sanjay Jaju (IAS: 1992: TG) moves to Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, replacing Chanchal Kumar.
Rural Development, Land Resources, and Agriculture:
- Narendra Bhooshan (IAS: 1992: UP) appointed Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development.
- Chandra Sekhar Kumar (IAS: 1992: OR) appointed Chief Executive Officer, National Rainfed Area Authority, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
- Srivatsa Krishna (IAS: 1994: KN) moves from Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, to Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, replacing Chandra Sekhar Kumar.
Chemicals, Petro-Chemicals, and MSMEs:
- Tejveer Singh (IAS: 1994: PB) appointed Secretary, Department of Chemicals & Petro-Chemicals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, replacing Nivedita Shukla Verma.
- Bharat Harbanslal Khera (IAS: 1996: HP) appointed OSD, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the rank and pay of Secretary; he will take over as Secretary upon the superannuation of Subhas Chandra Lal Das.
Tourism and Education:
- Bhuvnesh Kumar (IAS: 1995: UP) appointed Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, replacing Srivatsa Krishna.
- Abhishek Singh (IAS: 1995: NL) appointed Director General, National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education, in the rank and pay of Secretary by temporarily upgrading the post.
Rural Development:
- Rohit Kansal (IAS: 1995: AGMUT) appointed Secretary, Department of Rural Development, replacing Shailesh Kumar Singh, who will superannuate on 31 March 2026.
Finance:
- Sanjay Lohiya (IAS: 1994: AM) appointed Special Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, temporarily upgrading a vacant Joint Secretary post. He will take over as Secretary upon the superannuation of Nagaraju Maddirala on 31 May 2026.
In-Situ Elevations to Secretary Rank
Two senior officers have been elevated in-situ to the rank and pay of Secretary:
- Sanjay Rastogi (IAS: 1991: OR), Director General, National Archives of India, Ministry of Culture.
- Sajjan Singh Yadav (IAS: 1996: AGMUT), Additional Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, appointed as Special Secretary.
Strategic Significance of the Reshuffle
This reshuffle comes at a critical juncture, ensuring leadership continuity ahead of multiple superannuations in key ministries. By appointing officers as OSDs and promoting select officers in-situ, the government strengthens administrative preparedness for policy implementation in sectors such as Rural Development, Finance, Tourism, MSMEs, and Administrative Reforms.
The reshuffle also reflects the ACC’s focus on aligning senior leadership with the government’s strategic priorities, while ensuring smooth transitions and leveraging experienced officers for crucial portfolios.
