Jaipur/New Delhi: With the departure of Rajasthan Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant (IAS:1991:RJ) to the Central Government as Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, bureaucratic circles in both Jaipur and Delhi are abuzz with speculation about who will occupy the state’s top bureaucratic chair next.
Three Rajasthan-based officers in contention
Sources in Rajasthan’s bureaucracy indicate that this time, the Chief Secretary post may go to an officer currently serving within the state.
According to reports, three names are doing the rounds:
- Abhay Kumar (IAS:1992:RJ) – Additional Chief Secretary, Water Resources Department and State Water Resources Planning Department.
- Shikhar Agarwal (IAS:1993:RJ) – Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister.
- Akhil Arora (IAS:1993:RJ) – Additional Chief Secretary, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED).
Notably, Abhay Kumar briefly served as Acting Chief Secretary from June 29 to July 7, 2025, during Pant’s official visit to the United Kingdom. His previous short tenure in the top chair has made him one of the strongest contenders for the role.
Possible surprise from the Centre
However, bureaucratic watchers are not ruling out a surprise move. Given the Centre’s recent pattern of appointing Rajasthan-cadre officers currently on deputation to Delhi, a senior officer could be called back to head the state administration in consultation with the state government.
If that happens, the names being discussed in Delhi’s corridors include:
- V. Srinivas (IAS:1989:RJ) – Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances and Department of Pensions & Pensioners’ Welfare.
- Rajat Kumar Mishra (IAS:1992:RJ) – Secretary, Department of Fertilizers.
- Tanmay Kumar (IAS:1993:RJ) – Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
Among the central deputation officers, Tanmay Kumar is believed to be the frontrunner should the government decide to bring in an officer from Delhi.
Pant’s central posting opens up key transition
Sudhansh Pant’s move to the Centre marks the end of a significant chapter in Rajasthan’s bureaucracy. A 1991-batch IAS officer, Pant has been widely credited with steering key administrative reforms and maintaining coordination between the state and central governments during his tenure. His exit now paves the way for a crucial bureaucratic reshuffle at the highest level in Rajasthan.
