New Delhi: The Central Government has approved a series of personnel decisions involving appointments under the Central Staffing Scheme and the premature repatriation of a senior officer to his parent cadre.
The decisions include the appointment of Thiyagarajan S M, a 2011-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, and Praveen Kumar Tiwari, a 2011-batch Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer, as Directors in the Ministry of Cooperation in Delhi. Saurabh, a 2012-batch Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) officer, has been selected for appointment as Director in the Ministry of Steel.
In a separate decision, the competent authority has approved the premature repatriation of Padam Lal Negi, a 1992-batch IDAS officer serving as Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, to his parent cadre with effect from October 30, 2026, on personal grounds.
The appointments are subject to the tenure conditions specified in the respective orders. Officers selected under the Central Staffing Scheme have been directed to be relieved of their current duties so that they can assume their new assignments.
IAS Thiyagarajan S M Appointed Director in Ministry of Cooperation
Thiyagarajan S M, a 2011-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, has been appointed Director in the Ministry of Cooperation, Delhi, under the Central Staffing Scheme.
According to the appointment communication, the competent authority has approved his appointment for a period of five years from the date he assumes charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The order directs the concerned authorities to relieve him of his current duties immediately, with instructions to take up his new assignment in the Ministry of Cooperation.
The appointment will bring the IAS officer into the Central Government’s administrative framework for cooperation-related policy and programme implementation.
The Ministry of Cooperation was established to provide a separate administrative focus to the cooperative sector. Its responsibilities include strengthening cooperative institutions, promoting cooperative-led economic development and improving the functioning of cooperative organisations across the country.
Thiyagarajan’s central deputation will provide him with an opportunity to contribute to the ministry’s administrative and policy responsibilities.
Three-Week Joining Deadline Under Central Staffing Scheme
The appointment communication reiterates the requirement that officers join their new posts within the prescribed period.
As stated in the order, directions issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) and conveyed through the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Circular No. 3/4/2004-EO(MM-I), dated August 17, 2005, require an officer to join the post within three weeks from the date of issue of the DoPT appointment order.
Failure to join within this period may lead to the initiation of debarment proceedings under the Central Staffing Scheme.
The condition is intended to ensure that officers selected for central assignments take up their appointments within the stipulated timeframe.
IRTS Officer Praveen Kumar Tiwari Appointed Director in Ministry of Cooperation
Praveen Kumar Tiwari, a 2011-batch officer of the Indian Railway Traffic Service, has also been selected for appointment as Director in the Ministry of Cooperation, Delhi, under the Central Staffing Scheme.
The Ministry of Railways recommended him for central deputation. His appointment carries a combined tenure of five years, extending up to January 29, 2029, inclusive of his ex-cadre deputation and Central Staffing Scheme deputation.
The tenure will be calculated from the date he assumes charge of the new post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The appointment communication directs that Tiwari be relieved of his current duties immediately so that he can take up his new assignment in the Ministry of Cooperation.
His appointment brings an officer from the railway service into a central ministry responsible for cooperative-sector policy and administration.
Combined Deputation Tenure Until January 29, 2029
A key feature of Tiwari’s appointment is the specification of a combined tenure of five years, taking into account both his existing ex-cadre deputation and the new deputation under the Central Staffing Scheme.
The order specifies January 29, 2029, as the end date of the combined tenure, subject to the condition that the appointment may end earlier under further government orders.
As with Thiyagarajan’s appointment, Tiwari is required to join the new assignment within the stipulated timeframe under the applicable ACC directions.
The Ministry of Cooperation will have two newly appointed Directors under the latest set of decisions, subject to their assumption of charge.
Saurabh Appointed Director in Ministry of Steel
Saurabh, a 2012-batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service, has been selected for appointment as Director in the Ministry of Steel, Delhi, under the Central Staffing Scheme.
The Department of Defence recommended him for central deputation.
According to the appointment order, his tenure will be five years from the date he assumes charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The concerned authorities have been instructed to relieve him of his current duties immediately, enabling him to take up the new assignment in the Ministry of Steel.
The Ministry of Steel is responsible for policy formulation, planning and development of the steel sector in India. Its work includes matters concerning steel production, industry development, public sector steel enterprises and coordination with relevant stakeholders.
Saurabh’s appointment will bring an IDAS officer into the ministry’s director-level administrative structure.
Joining Conditions Apply to Saurabh’s Appointment
The appointment communication also reiterates the three-week joining requirement under the Central Staffing Scheme.
As per the ACC directions conveyed through the DoPT circular dated August 17, 2005, an officer is expected to join the new post within three weeks of the issuance of the appointment order.
If the officer does not join within the stipulated period, the process of debarment from the Central Staffing Scheme may be initiated.
The condition is part of the administrative requirements governing central deputation appointments.
Padam Lal Negi to Return to Parent Cadre Before Completion of Tenure
In a separate personnel decision, the competent authority has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Civil Aviation for the premature repatriation of Padam Lal Negi, a 1992-batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service.
Negi is currently serving as Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
His repatriation to his parent cadre will take effect from October 30, 2026, on personal grounds.
The order records that the proposal was submitted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and approved by the competent authority.
Premature repatriation means that an officer is returned to the parent cadre before the scheduled completion of the deputation tenure. In Negi’s case, the decision has been taken on personal grounds, as specified in the order.
As Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser, he has been serving in a senior administrative and financial advisory role within the Ministry of Civil Aviation. His return to the parent cadre will require the ministry to make arrangements for the continuation of the responsibilities attached to the post.
The available order does not specify who will succeed him as Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser.
What the Latest Orders Mean for Central Staffing
The latest personnel decisions cover three appointments at the Director level and one premature repatriation to a parent cadre.
Thiyagarajan S M and Praveen Kumar Tiwari have been selected for positions in the Ministry of Cooperation, while Saurabh will join the Ministry of Steel. Padam Lal Negi’s repatriation will take effect on October 30, 2026.
The Central Staffing Scheme enables the Union Government to draw officers from All India Services and participating organised Group A services for assignments in central ministries and departments. These appointments facilitate the movement of officers across administrative institutions and bring different service backgrounds into policymaking and programme implementation.
The orders also underline the importance of joining deadlines and tenure conditions. Officers appointed under the scheme are expected to take up their assignments within the specified period, while their tenure remains subject to the terms of the appointment and further government orders.
With these decisions, the Centre has made changes to staffing arrangements in the Cooperation, Steel and Civil Aviation ministries.
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