The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has cleared the appointment of senior IAS officer Vivek Kumar Dewangan as Secretary of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
A 1993-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Manipur cadre, Dewangan is currently serving in his parent cadre. The appointment was notified by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on September 5.
He will take charge of the new position from the date he assumes office and will continue until his superannuation or until further orders, whichever comes first.
Currently Handling Tribal Affairs in Manipur
Dewangan is presently serving as Additional Chief Secretary in charge of Tribal Affairs and Hills in the Manipur government. His current assignment involves overseeing matters related to tribal affairs and administration in the hill areas of the state.
Over the course of his career, he has held several administrative positions at both the state and central levels. His assignments have covered areas including finance, elections, agriculture, food processing, education, sericulture, cooperation, revenue administration and Panchayati Raj.
He has also worked in district-level positions in Chhattisgarh and Manipur, giving him experience in field administration in addition to his senior policy roles.
Former Chairman and Managing Director of REC
Before returning to Manipur, Dewangan served as Chairman and Managing Director of REC Limited, a public sector company that provides financing for the power sector. He took charge of REC in May 2022 after serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Power.
His tenure at the Centre included important responsibilities in the power and energy sectors. He had earlier served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Power before being promoted to Additional Secretary.
Dewangan’s central government experience also includes assignments in petroleum and natural gas, economic affairs, commerce and industry, law and justice, rural development and education.
At REC, he headed an organisation involved in financing projects covering power generation, transmission and distribution, adding a significant public-sector and infrastructure finance component to his administrative experience.
Engineering and Technology Background
Dewangan has an engineering background. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics from NIT Bhopal and a postgraduate degree in Optoelectronics and Optical Communication from IIT Delhi.
His appointment to the NCSC marks a shift from his recent responsibilities in power-sector finance and state administration to a role focused on the constitutional safeguards and rights of Scheduled Castes.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is responsible for monitoring the implementation of safeguards provided to Scheduled Castes under the Constitution and other laws. It also examines complaints concerning the denial of rights and safeguards and advises the government on issues related to the socio-economic development of Scheduled Castes.
As Secretary, Dewangan will be responsible for the administrative functioning of the Commission and will assist in its inquiries, review of safeguards and coordination with government departments and state authorities.
