New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a six-month extension in the central deputation tenure of Praveen Mal Khanooja, a 1994-batch Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) officer, who is currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG).
According to the order issued on November 6, 2026, his tenure has been extended beyond November 7, 2026, for another six months, up to May 7, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Khanooja has been handling important responsibilities in the petroleum and natural gas sector and has previously served as Director General of the Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the same ministry. He is also serving as a Government Nominee Director on the board of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
Second Extension in Central Deputation Tenure
The latest approval follows an earlier extension granted to Khanooja on March 3, 2025. Under that order, his central deputation tenure as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas was extended up to November 7, 2026.
With the latest decision, he will continue in the position for another six months, subject to further orders.
His appointment as Additional Secretary in the petroleum ministry came in August 2022. Before assuming this responsibility, he served as Director General of the Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell, an attached office of the ministry.
Who Is Praveen Mal Khanooja?
Praveen Mal Khanooja is a senior Indian bureaucrat belonging to the 1994 batch of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS).
Born on October 21, 1969, to Shri Sain Ditta Mal, he has built a career spanning public finance, government auditing, economic intelligence, corporate governance and the energy sector.
His technical and administrative background has enabled him to serve in several important positions across government departments, financial institutions and public sector enterprises.
He currently serves as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, where he is associated with policy and administrative matters concerning India’s petroleum and natural gas sector.
Educational Background
Khanooja has an engineering and management-oriented academic background. He holds a B.Tech degree in Chemical Engineering and an M.Tech degree in Management and Systems.
His educational qualifications have complemented his experience in financial administration, public-sector management and the energy industry.
Early Career: Defence, Railways and Government Audit
After joining the Indian Audit and Accounts Service in 1994, Khanooja served in various capacities within the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) framework.
His early career involved handling several important audit and financial administration responsibilities, including Defence Audit, Railways Audit and State Government Accounts and Audit.
He worked in both field offices and the CAG headquarters, gaining experience in government expenditure, financial oversight, accounting procedures and public administration.
These assignments provided him with exposure to the financial and operational functioning of different government departments and public institutions.
Important Assignments in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Intelligence
Khanooja also served in important financial and economic administration positions during his career.
He worked as Director (Finance) in the Department of Revenue and the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), now known as the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
In these assignments, he was associated with financial and administrative matters concerning the revenue administration system.
He also served as an expert in the State Audit Institution of the Sultanate of Oman, gaining international exposure in public-sector auditing and financial oversight.
Subsequently, he was appointed Additional Director General in the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB), where he worked in the domain of economic intelligence.
His experience across government auditing, revenue administration and economic intelligence formed the foundation for his subsequent assignments in the energy sector.
Director General of Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC)
In November 2019, Khanooja was appointed Director General of the Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC), an attached office of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
PPAC plays an important role in collecting, analysing and monitoring data relating to India’s oil and gas sector. It also provides analytical support to the government on petroleum pricing, supply, consumption and related policy matters.
As Director General, Khanooja was responsible for overseeing the organisation’s activities and its data-driven monitoring of the petroleum industry.
His experience in financial administration and technical education provided relevant exposure to the economic and operational dimensions of the energy sector.
He continued in this assignment before being elevated to the position of Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in August 2022.
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Khanooja assumed charge as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in August 2022.
The ministry is responsible for policy formulation and administration concerning petroleum, natural gas, exploration, production, refining, distribution and related energy-sector activities.
His tenure in the position has been extended multiple times, with the latest six-month extension approved by the ACC on November 6, 2026.
Under the latest order, he will continue serving as Additional Secretary until May 7, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Government Nominee Director on ONGC Board
Apart from his responsibilities in the petroleum ministry, Khanooja also represents the Government of India on the board of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) as a Government Nominee Director.
He initially joined the ONGC board in 2022. Subsequently, he was reappointed for another three-year term beginning September 22, 2025.
ONGC is one of India’s largest public sector energy companies, engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas.
His role as a government nominee director involves representing the government’s interests in the functioning and governance of the public sector enterprise.
Interim Chairman and Managing Director of Engineers India Limited
Khanooja has also held a leadership responsibility at another major public sector enterprise, Engineers India Limited (EIL).
In mid-2026, he assumed charge as the interim Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Engineers India Limited.
EIL is a leading engineering consultancy and project management company serving the petroleum refining, petrochemicals, pipelines, infrastructure and other industrial sectors.
His association with EIL further reflects his involvement in the governance and administration of public sector enterprises operating in India’s energy and infrastructure ecosystem.
With the latest extension, Khanooja will continue as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas until May 7, 2027, adding another six months to his central deputation tenure.
