IFS officer Juhi Jalota formally assumed charge as Deputy Passport Officer and Head of Office at the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Chandigarh, on Monday. She replaces IFS officer Priyanka Mehtani (2015 batch), who had been leading the office since 2023.
Her appointment comes under the regular transfer cycle of the Ministry of External Affairs’ Consular, Passport, and Visa (CPV) Division. The Chandigarh RPO plays a crucial role in handling passport-related services for the Union Territory of Chandigarh as well as multiple districts in Punjab and Haryana—a region known for high passport demand due to significant overseas migration.
As the head of the office, Jalota will oversee passport issuance, renewals, police verification coordination, and grievance redressal mechanisms.
Role and Importance of Chandigarh RPO
Passport offices function as the public-facing arm of the MEA, ensuring timely and transparent delivery of travel documents and related services. The Chandigarh RPO caters to several key districts, including Ludhiana and Patiala in Punjab and Panchkula, Ambala, and Hisar in Haryana.
Given the large number of residents seeking education, employment, and permanent settlement abroad, the office handles a substantial volume of applications. Efficient management and streamlined service delivery remain central to its functioning.
Academic Background and Diplomatic Career
Originally from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Juhi Jalota later settled in Ludhiana after marriage. She holds a BTech degree from DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jalandhar, and briefly worked in the private sector in Delhi before committing to civil services preparation.
She secured All India Rank 122 in the Civil Services Examination 2017 in her third attempt, choosing philosophy as her optional subject. Although she initially aspired to join the Indian Police Service, she was allotted the Indian Foreign Service.
During her diplomatic career, she has served in Madrid as Third Secretary and later in Buenos Aires, handling consular, cultural, and information-related responsibilities. At the MEA headquarters in New Delhi, she worked as an undersecretary in the South Division, dealing with Malaysia and the Philippines, and also served as the Central Public Information Officer for RTI matters in the division.
Her current posting marks a transition from international assignments and policy roles to a direct public-service position at the regional level. Such tenures in passport offices form an important component of the IFS career structure, offering hands-on administrative and citizen-facing experience.
