New Delhi (25.10.2024): Amid empanelment review talks of senior batches (1992 & 1993) of IAS officers the New Delhi establishment on 19.10.2024 effected appointments of Secretary-level posts in the Government of India (CLICK TO READ). The midsize-reshuffle of secretaries of 1993 batch of IAS officers besides three from 1990 and 1991 batches was an explanation in itself.
Out of total eight officers reshuffled, Subrata Gupta, Puneet Kumar Goel and V Umashankar were brought from their respective cadres while five of them were already serving at the Centre namely; S Gopalakrishnan, Tanmay Kumar, Vikram Dev Dutt, Neerja Sekhar and Surendra Kumar Bagde.
Subrata Gupta (IAS: 1990: WB): By appointing Gupta as Union Secretary just six-month ahead of retirement was not only a surprise but a myth buster too because in each successive empanelment and posting, the NaMo administration has been giving priority to such officers having a long tenure of service. Gupta, topper of his batch, is currently in the cadre who will succeed Anita Parveen (IAS: 1989: TN) as Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing & Industry on her retirement on 30.11.2024. He will take over on 01.12.2024 and may bid adieu to the service on 31.05.2025. Subrata Gupta might be thankful to the Modi administration while NaMo administration’s move on Gupta has sparked rays of hope to others who might have lost hope while navigating course in their career ahead.
S Gopalakrishnan (IAS: 1991: TN): Gopalkrishnan's appointment as Chairman, Staff Selection Commission (SSC) in the rank and pay scale of Secretary came as an announcement of VRS of Rakesh Ranjan (IAS: 1992: MN) who will bid adieu to the service on 31.10.2024. Currently, Gopalakrishnan is DG, National Productivity Council (NPC) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Empanelled for holding Secretary-equivalent post, Gopalkrishnan has a fairly long tenure of service ending in March 2029.
Among eight names on the list, his is the only case of lateral-shift.
Reportedly, he wanted a more meaningful assignment. In the backdrop of National Testing Agency (NTA) controversy, the SSC has assumed more significance for New Delhi establishment as never before. The SSC catches the imagination of millions of youths and families and the aspiration thus reflects upon the image of the government. Having served in the PMO as Additional Secretary, he is considered to be well versed with the expectation and aspiration of the highest offices.
Puneet Kumar Goel (IAS: 1991: AGMUT): Goel’s posting may have dismayed him and his well-wishers in his peer group but in the due course of time, this may prove to be the basis of his future placement in New Delhi. Goel, Goa Chief Secretary, is considered among the brightest lot of officers who deserved a better and an engaging assignment than the Secretary, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. In NCST, Goel replaces Alka Tiwari (JH: 1988) who is on her way to become Chief Secretary of Jharkhand.
With less than two years of service left (August 2026), Goel’s journey would be a little different than another bright and promising officer Neelam Shammi Rao (MP: 1992) who was in last reshuffle given Minority Commission as she stands a better assignment with a comparatively long service terms till March 2028.
V Umashankar (IAS: 1993: HY): Getting a Secretary level berth, with four years of service in hand, in the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) offers him the same challenge that his predecessors Aramane Giridhar (AP: 1988) and Anurag Jain (MP: 1989) had faced but completed their tenure successfully and got prized postings later on too. In the present context, MoRTH is considered to be one of the toughest and trickiest assignment as a Union Secretary.
It was being assumed that the Centre would certainly pull Umashankar out of the Cadre before Haryana Assembly election results were announced but it turned out to be a win-win situation for all and now he is at the Centre with the BJP coming to power in the state for the third consecutive term. His appointment gave heartburn to those who were gleefully disappointed after his wife Deepti Umashankar was given a mere ceremonious position at Raisina Hills as Secretary to the President of India. One must not forget the craftsmanship of the New Delhi establishment which is explained in this that how it rolls dice to strike a balance in its favour.
A section of insiders believes that Manohar Lal wanted Umashankar as Power Secretary but minister and secretary from the same state and cadre was against the cardinal principle of balance of power.
Tanmay Kumar (IAS: 1993: RJ): The NaMo administration has virtually positioned Tanmay Kumar as OSD in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF & CC). He will continue as Special Secretary in MoEF&CC until the outgoing Secretary Leena Nandan (UP: 1987) retires on 31.12.2024. Indianmandarins has learnt that Kumar may succeed her a little early in the event of Nandan getting a prized position before she retires. Kumar’s case is rare as NaMo administration rarely gives in-situ posting as Union Secretary. It may also be underlined that earlier Kumar’s name did rounds for the post of Coal Secretary but interestingly he got an assignment that has a heavy mandate of impact assessment and regulatory clearances to sectors across coal, mines, oil, steel and industries and infra projects in general. He has a tenure up to September 2026.
Surendra Kumar Bagde (IAS: 1993: MH): DG, National Centre for Good Governance, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India; a Secretary-equivalent post. Having tenure up to March 2029, he stands a brighter prospect of being empanelled and posted to secretary position in the days to come. Currently, he is Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
Neerja Sekhar (IAS: 1993: HY): The reshuffle concluded with Neerja Sekhar, the longest serving among eight officers on the current list and the only case of in-situ upgradation. She is empanelled for holding Secretary-equivalent post, and currently working as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B). Neerja Sekhar was upgraded (in-situ) as Special Secretary. She has a term up to September 2030 and stands the chance of further empanelment (review) as well as posting as a Union Secretary.
Vikram Dev Dutt (IAS: 1993: AGMUT): Having held a critically important and regulatory assignment as DG, DGCA, Dutt was appointed as Coal Secretary which is also a vast regulatory framework. His posting has put a key post (DGCA) on offer for the next round of reshuffle at Additional Secretary-level. Having posted as Union secretary, Dutt may have a fairly long service ending in September 2029.
(By Rakesh Ranjan)
ALSO READ:-
