The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a series of appointments at the Joint Secretary and Joint Secretary-equivalent levels, corresponding to Pay Level 14, across various ministries, departments and government organisations. The appointments cover administrative, regulatory, health, infrastructure, education and other key areas of the Government of India.
The appointments include officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS) and other central services. Their tenures vary according to the respective orders, with several appointments carrying combined or overall tenures extending into 2027–2030.
ACC Appointments Across Ministries and Departments
Shri Brijesh Panday, IAS (TR:2004), has been appointed Joint Secretary, Department of Capital Development, for five years, succeeding Ms. Thara D, IAS (GJ:1995).
Shri Nikhil Varma, IRS (IT:2005), will serve as Additional Director General of Foreign Trade in the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Delhi, under the Department of Commerce, for five years. He succeeds Ms. Vrunda Manohar Desai, IRS (IT:2003).
Ms. Tanvi Sundriyal, IAS (MP:2010), has been appointed Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, for a combined tenure of five years up to August 25, 2030, succeeding Shri Rahul Jain, IAS (MP:2005).
Shri Inderjeet Singh, IAS (RJ:2010), will serve as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, for a combined tenure up to August 26, 2030, succeeding Ms. Amita Prasad Sarbhai, IRAS (1993).
Shri Prakash Rajpurohit, IAS (RJ:2010), has been appointed Deputy Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India, for a combined tenure up to April 8, 2030, succeeding Shri Sanjay Kumar, IAS (AGMUT:2008).
Shri Tamboli Ayyaj Fakirbhai, IAS (CG:2009), has been appointed Executive Director at the Joint Secretary level in the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), under the Department of Financial Services. His combined tenure will run up to March 20, 2029.
Shri Rajesh Malik, IRSME (1994), has been appointed Executive Director, Food Corporation of India (FCI), New Delhi, for an overall tenure up to February 5, 2029, succeeding Shri Ashutosh Joshi, IA&AS (1994).
ACC Appointments in Health and Education
The Department of Health and Family Welfare will see two Joint Secretary-level appointments. Shri Mohammed Y Safirulla K, IAS (KL:2010), has been appointed Joint Secretary for a combined tenure up to August 27, 2030, succeeding Shri Nikhil Gajraj, IAS (HY:2008). Ms. Ritu Sharma, IRS (IT:2005), has also been appointed Joint Secretary for a five-year tenure, succeeding Ms. Vandana Jain, CSS.
At the National Health Authority (NHA), Ms. Varnali Deka, IAS (AM:2009), has been appointed Joint Secretary for a combined tenure up to August 28, 2030, succeeding Ms. Jyoti Yadav, IAS (UD:2009). Shri More Ashish Madhaorao, IAS (UT:2005), has been appointed Additional CEO at the Joint Secretary level for a combined tenure up to June 15, 2030, succeeding Ms. Madhu Rani Teotia, IAS (UT:2008).
Shri Vivek Khare, ITS (1996), has been appointed Joint Secretary, National Testing Agency (NTA), under the Department of Higher Education, for an overall tenure up to December 2, 2029. The appointment involves the temporary upgrading of a newly created post.
Four Joint Secretary Appointments in Home Affairs
The Ministry of Home Affairs will have four new Joint Secretary-level appointments:
- Shri Ravi Shankar, IAS (GJ:2007), for a combined tenure up to July 31, 2028.
- Shri Chittaranjan Dash, IRS (IT:1999), for an overall tenure up to January 11, 2028.
- Shri P Manoj Kumar, ISS (1998), for an overall tenure up to December 1, 2027.
- Shri Abhishek Bhagotia, IAS (AM:2007), for a combined tenure of seven years up to April 3, 2029.
Appointments Across Legal Affairs, Policy and Infrastructure
Shri Navin Agarwal, IRPS (1997), has been appointed Joint Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, for an overall tenure up to March 14, 2027.
Shri M Ramachandrudu, IAS (BH:2009), will serve as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, for a combined tenure of seven years up to August 26, 2029.
Ms. Sonia Pant, IES (2001), has been appointed Adviser at the Joint Secretary level in NITI Aayog for five years. Shri Nitin Kumar, CSS, has been appointed Additional Secretary at the Joint Secretary level in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) for five years.
Shri C. Murugan, IAS (WB:2007), has been appointed Joint Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, for a combined tenure up to September 15, 2030.
Shri Rajneesh Kumar Tomar, IRSME (1998), has been appointed CEO at the Joint Secretary level of National Highways Logistics Management Ltd (NHLML) for an overall tenure up to November 2, 2030.
Ms. Nishtha Tiwari, IRS (IT:2005), has been appointed CEO at the Joint Secretary level of the Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs), for a combined tenure of seven years up to December 9, 2027.
Further Appointments in Urban Development, Water Resources and Social Welfare
Ms. Manisha Trighatia, IAS (UP:2002), has been appointed Joint Secretary, Department of Urban Development, for five years.
Shri Avinash Jain, IRSE (Civil:2001), has been appointed Joint Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, for an overall tenure of seven years up to February 6, 2029.
Shri Pawan Kumar, IRS (C&IT:2005), has been appointed Joint Secretary, National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD), for five years.
Ms. Anita Shah Akella, IA&AS (1996), has been appointed Joint Secretary, National Commission for Women (NCW), for an overall tenure up to May 25, 2027.
All appointments will take effect from the date the officers assume charge of their respective posts, or until further orders, whichever is earlier, as specified in the individual orders.
