New Delhi: In a significant administrative reshuffle approved by the Government of India, several senior IAS officers have been appointed to crucial positions across ministries and national institutions. The latest appointments place experienced officers in charge of tourism, civil aviation, personnel administration, information broadcasting and digital examination systems.
The appointments include Bhuvnesh Kumar as Secretary, Ministry of Tourism; Vir Vikram Yadav as Director General of Directorate General of Civil Aviation; Faiz Ahmed Kidwai as Additional Secretary in Department of Personnel and Training; and Abhishek Singh as Director General of National Testing Agency.
Bhuvnesh Kumar Takes Charge as Tourism Secretary
Bhuvnesh Kumar, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has taken charge as Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism.
He replaces Srivatsa Krishna, who has now moved to the Ministry of Minority Affairs as Secretary.
Before this appointment, Bhuvnesh Kumar served as Chief Executive Officer of Unique Identification Authority of India, where he took charge in January 2025.
He simultaneously held the post of Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Academic Background and Technical Credentials
Bhuvnesh Kumar is an engineering graduate in Electronics and Communication from National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra and was a gold medalist during graduation.
Career Across Centre and Uttar Pradesh
Over three decades, he has handled major assignments including:
• Secretary, Tourism Ministry
• CEO, UIDAI
• Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary in MeitY
• Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry in Uttar Pradesh
• Secretary, Finance, MSME and Technical Education
• Divisional Commissioner
• District Magistrate of Hamirpur and Kaushambi
Vir Vikram Yadav Appointed DGCA Chief
Vir Vikram Yadav, a 1996-batch IAS officer of Odisha cadre, has been appointed Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
He succeeds Faiz Ahmed Kidwai in a period when India’s aviation regulator is under heightened scrutiny.
Previous Assignments of Vir Vikram Yadav
Before DGCA, he served as:
• Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• Chairman of Central Pollution Control Board (additional charge)
• Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration
• Principal Secretary in Odisha’s Food Supplies and Works Departments
Educational Background
He holds:
• B.E. in Civil Engineering
• M.Tech in Building Science
He belongs originally to Rajasthan and was born on 31 July 1971.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai Moves to DoPT
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, also a 1996-batch IAS officer, but from Madhya Pradesh cadre, has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training.
His transfer comes after serving as DGCA chief.
This appointment places him in one of the most important personnel administration departments of the Government of India.
DGCA Appointment Amid Aviation Sector Attention
Vir Vikram Yadav’s appointment comes when DGCA is facing attention due to operational and safety issues in aviation, including recent disruptions involving IndiGo.
Chanchal Kumar Becomes Information & Broadcasting Secretary
Senior Bihar cadre IAS officer Chanchal Kumar has been appointed Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
He replaces Sanjay Jaju.
Close Administrative Association with Nitish Kumar
Chanchal Kumar is known for his long association with Nitish Kumar and served as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister for over 15 years.
His Career Includes
• Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
• Managing Director of NHIDCL
• Roles in Railways and Commerce Ministry
• District Magistrate in several Bihar districts
Academic Qualifications
He holds:
• M.Tech in Computer Science from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
• Master’s in International Development Policy from Duke University
Abhishek Singh Appointed DG of National Testing Agency
Abhishek Singh, currently Director General of National Informatics Centre, has now been appointed Director General of the National Testing Agency.
Digital Governance Specialist
A 1995-batch IAS officer of Nagaland cadre, Abhishek Singh is considered one of the government’s leading technology-focused administrators.
Current and Previous Responsibilities
He currently serves as Additional Secretary in MeitY and handles:
• Artificial Intelligence
• Emerging Technologies
• Cyber Security
• Digital Skilling
He previously served as:
• CEO, Karmayogi Bharat
• CEO, MyGov
• CEO, NeGD and DIC
Academic and Global Recognition
He studied:
• B.Tech from IIT Kanpur
• Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School
He also received the 2024 UNDP Future of Government Leadership Award.
Why This Reshuffle Matters
The latest appointments indicate a clear move toward placing experienced officers with technical, digital and administrative depth in sensitive governance sectors such as tourism, aviation, personnel and national examinations.
