India IAS Reshuffle: Key Secretary-Level Changes Announced

The Indian government has approved a significant reshuffle of senior bureaucrats, appointing new secretaries across several key ministries, including Information and Broadcasting, Rural Development, and Tourism.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the changes on 31 March 2026. The decision affects more than a dozen Indian Administrative Service officers at the secretary level, according to an official order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

Key changes in Information and Broadcasting

Among the most notable appointments, Chanchal Kumar, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, has been named Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. He replaces Sanjay Jaju, who has been reassigned as Secretary of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.

The reshuffle involves a direct exchange of roles between the two officers, reflecting a broader administrative reorganisation aimed at strengthening governance across ministries.

Administrative reforms and pensions

Nivedita Shukla Verma, a 1991-batch officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been appointed Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances. She will also hold additional charge as Secretary of the Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare.

Her previous role in the Department of Chemicals and Petro-Chemicals will now be taken over by Tejveer Singh, a 1994-batch officer of the Punjab cadre.

Rural development and land resources

Rohit Kansal, currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles, has been appointed Secretary of the Department of Rural Development. He succeeds Shailesh Kumar Singh, who retired on the same day the order was issued.

Meanwhile, Narendra Bhooshan, a 1992-batch IAS officer, has been appointed Secretary of the Department of Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development.

Changes in agriculture and minority affairs

Chandra Sekhar Kumar, previously Secretary in the Ministry of Minority Affairs, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the National Rainfed Area Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.

Following his transfer, Srivatsa Krishna, a 1994-batch officer from the Karnataka cadre, has been moved from the Ministry of Tourism to take charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Tourism and financial services appointments

Bhuvnesh Kumar, who previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the Unique Identification Authority of India, has been appointed Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism.

In the financial sector, Sanjay Lohiya, currently Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Mines, has been appointed Special Secretary in the Department of Financial Services. He is expected to assume full charge as Secretary after the retirement of the current incumbent.

National Testing Agency leadership change

Abhishek Singh, Director General of the National Informatics Centre, has been appointed Director General of the National Testing Agency under the Ministry of Education. The position has been temporarily upgraded to the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.

The National Testing Agency conducts several major national examinations, including engineering and medical entrance tests, and has faced scrutiny in recent years over examination processes and integrity.

Additional appointments and upgrades

Bharat Harbanslal Khera has been appointed Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. He will assume full responsibilities following the retirement of the current secretary in April 2026.

The government has also approved in-situ upgrades for two senior officers. Sanjay Rastogi, Director General of the National Archives of India, and Sajjan Singh Yadav, Additional Secretary in the Department of Expenditure, have both been granted the rank and pay of Secretary while continuing in their existing roles.

Such upgrades are typically granted as personal measures and do not involve changes to official responsibilities.

Context and significance

The reshuffle reflects periodic administrative adjustments undertaken by the central government to align leadership across ministries with evolving policy priorities. Secretary-level appointments are among the most senior positions in India’s civil service, playing a critical role in policy implementation and governance.

Taken together, the latest changes cover 12 secretary-level appointments along with two in-situ upgrades, indicating a broad-based effort to streamline administrative functioning across departments.