New Delhi, July 24: The central government has initiated a significant reshuffle among senior officials. Amid ongoing controversies and protests related to the NEET paper leak case, the Secretary of the Higher Education Department has also been transferred.
The government approved several appointments and transfers of secretary-level officials. The Cabinet Appointment Committee issued orders regarding this on Thursday.
According to the released orders, Katikithala Srinivas (IAS, Gujarat Cadre 1989) has been transferred from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to become the Secretary of the Ministry of Development of the Northeastern Region.
Vineet Joshi (IAS, Manipur Cadre 1992), currently the Secretary of the Higher Education Department in the Ministry of Education, has been appointed as the Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. He will succeed Vivek Bhardwaj, who is set to retire on July 31, 2026.
Naresh Pal Gangwar (IAS, Rajasthan Cadre 1994) has been moved from the Secretary position in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying to become the Secretary of the Higher Education Department in the Ministry of Education.
Piyush Goyal (IAS, Nagaland Cadre 1994) has been transferred from the Secretary of the Ministry of Mines to serve as the Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
T.K. Anil Kumar (IAS, Karnataka Cadre 1995) has been promoted from Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development to become the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy.
Additionally, Sushil Kumar Lohani (IAS, Odisha Cadre 1996) has been appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
Archana Verma (IAS, Assam-Meghalaya Cadre 1995) has been promoted to the Secretary level and appointed to the National Water Mission. She will take over as Secretary of the Department of Official Language in the Ministry of Home Affairs after Anshuli Arya retires on September 30, 2026.
Keshav Chandra (IAS, AGMUT Cadre 1996) has been appointed as the Secretary of the Ministry of Mines.
D. Thara (IAS, Gujarat Cadre 1995) has been made the Secretary of the Capital Development Department in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
B. Rajendra (IAS, Bihar Cadre 1996) has been appointed as the Director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, receiving secretary-level status.
Chandra Bhushan Kumar (IAS, AGMUT Cadre 1995) has been appointed as the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Satendra Singh (IAS, Jharkhand Cadre 1995) has been transferred from the Cabinet Secretariat to become the Secretary of the Urban Development Department.
Suchindra Mishra (IDAS, 1992 batch) has been appointed as the Secretary of the National Commission for Minorities.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has also approved the temporary elevation of four senior officials to secretary-level status based on individual merit.
These include Mritunjay Kumar Narayan (IAS, Uttar Pradesh Cadre 1995), Registrar General and Census Commissioner; Santosh Kumar Yadav (IAS, Uttar Pradesh Cadre 1996), Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI); Rajiv Singh Thakur (IAS, Rajasthan Cadre 1995), Advisor to the NITI Aayog; and Dilip Kumar (IAS, Punjab Cadre 1995), Director General (Training) in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Regarding the transfers, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey posted on the social media platform X, stating that Prime Minister Modi has replaced the education secretary due to negligence in the paper leak case. He emphasized that strict action will be taken against those responsible for the leak and any negligence.
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