If some top sources are to be believed several surprises appear
to be in the store for top bureaucracy. And these are related to personnel and
appointments policy to be followed through the initial days in the second term
of NaMO administration. The outgoing and 31st Cabinet Secretary P K
Sinha (IAS:1977:UP) may well be given another three months extension. Ahead of
LS Polls his term was extended for six months. Thus, it has been slated to end
on 12 June 2019. In case he gets further extension, as being assumed or at
least not being ruled out now, a few aspirants for the top job would be out of
the race. They include the outgoing Telecom Secretary Ms Aruna Sundararajan
(IAS:1982:KL) and Ramesh Abhishek (IAS:1982:BH) the outgoing Secretary, DIPP.
This is so because both of them are retiring on 31 July 2019. Furthermore, if Sinha’s term is extended it would be an
indication from the NaMo administration that Rajiv Gauba (IAS:1982:JH), the
incumbent Union Home Secretary, may be ruled out for the top job despite the
fact that till few days back Gauba was considered as the fittest candidate to
become Sinha’s successor. Though there are several senior officers who still
believe that Gauba should remain hopeful as Sinha’s term (in case of its being
extended) would end on 12 September 2019 and Gauba may be appointed OSD to
Cabinet Secretary in August itself. Gauba will be retiring on 31 August 2019. The later view is endorsed by the fact that Defence Secretary
Sanjay Mitra (IAS:1982:WB) was given three months extension on 31 May 2019. It
was assumed that this has been to ensure consistency and synergy as the new
Defence Minister assisted by a new Defence Secretary might not have been a good
idea. The same reason may apply to Gauba as well because new Union Home
Minister assisted by a new Home Secretary would not be of much help. And this could
be among the reasons for not announcing Gauba as OSD to Cabinet Secretary. Yet, it may not be prudent to rush to any conclusion as
unleashing one surprise after the other has been the hallmark of NaMo
administration. This has been more so vis-Ã -vis matters related to personnel
and postings in the past. 
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What if Cabinet Secretary gets another extension?
By IndianMandarins - 2019-06-06 12:33:47
If some top sources are to be believed several surprises appear
to be in the store for top bureaucracy. And these are related to personnel and
appointments policy to be followed through the initial days in the second term
of NaMO administration. The outgoing and 31st Cabinet Secretary P K
Sinha (IAS:1977:UP) may well be given another three months extension. Ahead of
LS Polls his term was extended for six months. Thus, it has been slated to end
on 12 June 2019.
In case he gets further extension, as being assumed or at least not being ruled out now, a few aspirants for the top job would be out of the race. They include the outgoing Telecom Secretary Ms Aruna Sundararajan (IAS:1982:KL) and Ramesh Abhishek (IAS:1982:BH) the outgoing Secretary, DIPP. This is so because both of them are retiring on 31 July 2019.
Furthermore, if Sinha’s term is extended it would be an indication from the NaMo administration that Rajiv Gauba (IAS:1982:JH), the incumbent Union Home Secretary, may be ruled out for the top job despite the fact that till few days back Gauba was considered as the fittest candidate to become Sinha’s successor. Though there are several senior officers who still believe that Gauba should remain hopeful as Sinha’s term (in case of its being extended) would end on 12 September 2019 and Gauba may be appointed OSD to Cabinet Secretary in August itself. Gauba will be retiring on 31 August 2019.
The later view is endorsed by the fact that Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra (IAS:1982:WB) was given three months extension on 31 May 2019. It was assumed that this has been to ensure consistency and synergy as the new Defence Minister assisted by a new Defence Secretary might not have been a good idea. The same reason may apply to Gauba as well because new Union Home Minister assisted by a new Home Secretary would not be of much help. And this could be among the reasons for not announcing Gauba as OSD to Cabinet Secretary.
Yet, it may not be prudent to rush to any conclusion as unleashing one surprise after the other has been the hallmark of NaMo administration. This has been more so vis-Ã -vis matters related to personnel and postings in the past.
