New Delhi: The Central Government has entrusted additional charge of three Secretary and equivalent-level positions to senior officers following the retirement or completion of tenure of incumbent office holders in key ministries and departments.
The appointments are interim arrangements and will remain in force until regular incumbents are appointed to the respective posts.
The vacancies have arisen in the Department of Defence Research and Development, the National Commission for Minorities, and the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Rajesh Kumar Singh Gets Additional Charge of DRDO Chief and Defence R&D Secretary
Rajesh Kumar Singh (IAS: 1989: Kerala), currently serving as Secretary, Department of Defence, Ministry of Defence, has been assigned the additional charge of:
- Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D)
- Chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
He assumes the additional responsibilities following the completion of the tenure of Dr Samir V. Kamat on May 31, 2026.
The Department of Defence Research and Development and DRDO play a pivotal role in India’s defence technology ecosystem, overseeing strategic research, indigenous defence systems and military innovation programmes.
Srivatsa Krishna Given Additional Charge of National Commission for Minorities
Srivatsa Krishna (IAS: 1994: Karnataka), Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, has been entrusted with the additional charge of:
- Secretary, National Commission for Minorities (NCM)
The appointment follows the superannuation of Alka Upadhyaya on May 31, 2026.
The National Commission for Minorities functions as a statutory body responsible for safeguarding the interests of minority communities and monitoring the implementation of constitutional and legal safeguards available to them.
Dr N Kalaiselvi to Hold Additional Charge of Earth Sciences Secretary
Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), has been given the additional charge of:
- Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences
She takes over the responsibility following the retirement of Dr M. Ravichandran on May 31, 2026.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences oversees critical national institutions dealing with weather forecasting, climate science, oceanography, seismology and polar research.
Interim Arrangements Until Regular Appointments
The government has clarified that these are temporary arrangements intended to ensure continuity in the functioning of key departments and organisations until full-time appointments are made.
The three officers entrusted with additional responsibilities are among the senior-most administrators and scientific leaders in their respective domains, ensuring uninterrupted policy implementation and administrative oversight during the transition period.
The appointments come at a time when the Defence Research and Development Organisation, National Commission for Minorities and Ministry of Earth Sciences are handling several important national initiatives, making continuity in leadership particularly significant.
