Madhya Pradesh is set to witness the retirement of over 20 IAS officers in 2025, including Chief Secretary Anurag Jain and several other senior bureaucrats. Alongside Jain, key officials due to retire include Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sheonarayan Misra, ACS (Backward Classes and Minority Welfare) Ajit Kesari, Tribal Research and Development Institute Director Vinod Kumar, Agriculture Production Commissioner Mohammed Suleman, and Jai Narayan Kansotiya, Director General of RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration and Management.
Anurag Jain, a 1989-batch IAS officer who assumed the role of Chief Secretary on September 30 last year, is expected to retire on August 25. However, reports suggest that he may be granted an extension, as he remains a favoured candidate of the central government. Prior to his current appointment, Jain was on central deputation from 2020.
In addition to these senior officials, other officers scheduled to retire this year include Ram Rao Bhonsle, Akshay Kumar Singh, Omprakash Shrivastava, Abhay Kumar Verma, Shail Bala Anjana Martin, Sandeep Kumar Mawkin, Virendra Singh Rawat, Ashok Kumar Chouhan, Sanjay Gupta, Rajesh Kumar Kaul, Krishna Deo Tripathi, Bhavana Walimbe, and Niyaz Ahmed Khan.
This wave of retirements is expected to exacerbate the existing shortage of IAS officers in the state. Madhya Pradesh currently has 393 officers against an authorised cadre strength of 459, resulting in a deficit of 66 officers. The shortfall is further intensified by around 40 officers being on central deputation. This dual challenge has forced the state government to assign multiple departments to individual officers, raising concerns about administrative efficiency and the possibility of governance lapses.
The authorised strength of IAS officers is determined by the central government in consultation with the states. While states can propose additional posts, final approval rests with the center. As retirements near, senior officers often explore post-retirement roles in government bodies, though such positions are typically secured by those with strong connections.
