Centre Reshuffles 17 Top IAS as Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi Transferred Amid NEET Row

Major ACC Reshuffle: 17 Top-Level Appointments, 13 IAS Officers Elevated To Secretary Posts

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a major bureaucratic reshuffle with 17 top-level changes, including 13 IAS officers elevated to Secretary-level posts.

The reshuffle comes amid significant developments in the education sector, with Vineet Joshi (IAS:1992:Manipur), currently Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, transferred as Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj. He will succeed Vivek Bhardwaj (IAS:1990:West Bengal), who is set to retire on July 31, 2026.

Naresh Pal Gangwar (IAS:1994:Rajasthan), Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Higher Education, replacing Vineet Joshi.

Other key appointments approved by the ACC:

– Katikithala Srinivas (IAS:1989:Gujarat), presently Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

– Piyush Goyal (IAS:1994:Nagaland), Secretary, Ministry of Mines, has been appointed Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India.

– T.K. Anil Kumar (IAS:1995:Karnataka), Additional Secretary, Department of Rural Development, has been appointed Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education.

– Sushil Kumar Lohani (IAS:1995:Odisha), Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, has been appointed Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying. He will take over as Secretary after Naresh Pal Gangwar moves to Higher Education.

– Mritunjay Kumar Narayan (IAS:1995:Uttar Pradesh) – Registrar General of India & Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs.

– Santosh Kumar Yadav (IAS:1995:Uttar Pradesh) – Chairman, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The post has been restored to Secretary level.

– Rajeev Singh Thakur (IAS:1995:Rajasthan) – Adviser, NITI Aayog.

• Dilip Kumar (IAS:1995:Punjab) – Director General (Training), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.

The reshuffle reflects the Centre’s focus on key sectors including education, rural development, infrastructure, skill development and governance at both central and state levels.