New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the empanelment of two IAS officers from different cadres for senior-level positions in the Government of India. Odisha cadre IAS officer Shalini Pandit (IAS: 2001: OD) has been empanelled for Additional Secretary or equivalent-level posts, while Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer Sufiyah Faruqui Wali (IAS: 2009: MP) has been empanelled for Joint Secretary or equivalent-level positions at the Centre.
The two officers are currently serving in different departments and organisations of the Government of India. Pandit is serving as Joint Secretary in the Department of Financial Services, while Wali is working as General Manager (Region) at the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Bhopal.
Their empanelment makes them eligible for consideration for the respective levels of central government assignments, subject to the applicable appointment procedures.
IAS Shalini Pandit Empanelled for Additional Secretary-Level Posts
Shalini Pandit, a 2001-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, has been empanelled for holding Additional Secretary or equivalent-level posts in the Government of India.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved her empanelment for Additional Secretary-level positions at the Centre on Tuesday, according to the information provided.
Pandit is currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Department of Financial Services. She assumed the position in September 2025 and was appointed for a tenure of five years.
The Department of Financial Services functions under the Ministry of Finance and deals with matters relating to financial institutions, banking, insurance and other areas within its administrative jurisdiction.
Pandit’s empanelment marks her consideration for senior-level responsibilities in the Central Government beyond her current Joint Secretary-level assignment. However, empanelment itself does not constitute an appointment to a particular Additional Secretary post.
Read also: Who Is Harshal Pancholi? 2015-Batch IAS Officer Facing Suspension Recommendation in MP SEIAA Dispute
Shalini Pandit’s IAS Background
Shalini Pandit belongs to the 2001 batch of the Indian Administrative Service and is an Odisha cadre officer.
Over the course of her administrative career, she has served in assignments at both the state and Central Government levels. Her current position as Joint Secretary in the Department of Financial Services places her in a key administrative role within the Union government’s financial services establishment.
With her empanelment for Additional Secretary or equivalent-level posts, she becomes eligible for consideration for assignments at that level in accordance with the Government of India’s appointment procedures.
IAS Sufiyah Faruqui Wali Empanelled for Joint Secretary-Level Posts
Sufiyah Faruqui Wali, a 2009-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has been empanelled for Joint Secretary or equivalent-level posts in the Government of India.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved her empanelment on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Wali is currently serving as General Manager (Region) of the Food Corporation of India in Bhopal, covering the Madhya Pradesh Region. The organisation functions under the Department of Food and Public Distribution.
Her current assignment involves responsibilities within the FCI’s regional administrative structure. The organisation plays a significant role in India’s foodgrain procurement, storage and distribution system.
Her empanelment makes her eligible for consideration for Joint Secretary-level assignments at the Centre, subject to the applicable procedures and availability of posts.
Sufiyah Faruqui Wali’s IAS Background
Sufiyah Faruqui Wali belongs to the 2009 batch of the Indian Administrative Service and is an officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre.
Her current role as General Manager (Region) at FCI, Bhopal, places her within the administrative framework responsible for the organisation’s regional operations in Madhya Pradesh.
The empanelment is a significant career development, making her eligible for consideration for Joint Secretary or equivalent-level responsibilities in the Central Government. As with other empanelments, it does not automatically mean that she has been appointed to a specific Joint Secretary post.
What Does IAS Empanelment Mean?
Empanelment is the process through which officers are assessed and found eligible for consideration for appointments at specified seniority levels in the Central Government.
For IAS officers, empanelment for Joint Secretary or Additional Secretary-level posts is an important step in their Central Government career progression. It indicates eligibility for consideration for positions at the relevant level, but an officer may still need to be selected and appointed to a specific post through the prescribed process.
In the present cases, Shalini Pandit has been empanelled for Additional Secretary or equivalent-level positions, while Sufiyah Faruqui Wali has been empanelled for Joint Secretary or equivalent-level posts.
Their empanelments concern two different levels of senior Central Government assignments and reflect the distinction between eligibility for a level of post and appointment to a particular position.
