For several reasons, the simultaneous empanelment of the 1984 and 1985 batches for secretary-level appointments in the government of India may continue to engage the attention of all concerned as it has set new precedents and opened up a Pandora's box of interpretations. At this juncture, most of the readers in bureaucracy, PSUs and corporate appear to be foxed about the features and facets of the empanelment list which may be summed up as follows: It is probably for the first time that the secretary-level empanelment of two batches is done together and thus spanning secretary-level posts across five batches from 1980 to 1985 - except the posts having two years fixed tenure (Cabinet secretary, Home Secretary, and Defence Secretary). Altogether 73 IAS officers joined the league who may hold 'Secretary or secretary equivalent' and 'Secretary equivalent' posts in Govt of India. Out of 73 names, 32 belong to the 1984 batch whereas 41 are from the 1985 batch of IAS officers. Keeping both batches together, 37 out of 73 are empanelled to hold 'secretary or Secretary equivalent' posts whereas 36 officers are empanelled to hold 'Secretary equivalent' post. Certainly, many of them would be empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent' in the next round of reviews. V S Senthil (Kerala) from the 1984 batch would be the first one who will be retiring on September 30 this year whereas, from the 1985 batch, only two officers will be retiring in 2018 - Sudhir Tripathy (Jharkhand) on 30 September 2018 and Vipin Kumar Saxena (Odisha) will be superannuating in December 2018. Among 1984 batch officers, none retiring in 2017 and 2018 are empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent'. Ms. Malini V Shankar (MP cadre) is the only exception who, though retiring in 2018, is empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent'. It applies to the 1985 batch as well. Without any exception, officers retiring in 2018 and 2019 are empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent' only. It conforms to Indianmandarins previous reports which had said that PM Modi wanted secretaries with longer tenure. From the 1984 batch, AP Sawhney (AP) and from the 1985 batch Ms. Usha Sharma (RJ) will have the longest tenure. Sawhney & Ms. Sharma will retire in February 2022 and June 2023 respectively. May be a mere coincidence, but there appears a clear pattern in favor of officers retiring in a particular year. Officers from the 1984 batch retiring in 2021 and 1985 batch officers retiring in 2022 are all empanelled as 'Secretary or Secretary equivalent;' on the other hand, officers retiring in years except 2021 and 2022 have a mix of those empanelled as 'Secretary equivalent' as well. The 1985 batch has maximum retirements in 2021 (12 officers retiring in 2021) and in the 1984 batch, maximum officers (10 officers) will complete their innings in service in 2018. In the 1984 batch, none from as many as 08 states got empanelment as Secy or Equivalent' or ' Secy equivalent). These states are Haryana, Gujarat, WB, J&K, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Tripura & Chhattisgarh. In the 1985 batch, none from Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur & J&K got empanelled as 'Secy or Equivalent' or 'Secy Equivalent' A maximum of 06 IAS officers from each of Maharashtra, MP & Orissa got empanelled as Secretary or Secretary equivalent' and 'Secretary equivalent.' Few more facts about 1984 & 1985 batch