Ajit Kumar Gets Six-Month Extension as MyGov CEO; ACC Continues Kerala IAS Officer in Additional Charge
The Central Government has extended the additional charge of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MyGov for Ajit Kumar, a 2006-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, allowing him to continue leading the government’s flagship citizen engagement platform for another six months. The decision, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), ensures continuity in the leadership of one of India’s most prominent digital governance initiatives while the search for a regular CEO continues.
The order was issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on August 20, 2026, following a proposal from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). According to the notification, Ajit Kumar, who currently serves as Joint Secretary in MeitY, will continue holding the additional charge of CEO, MyGov for a period of six months with effect from May 24, 2026, or until a regular incumbent is appointed, or until further orders, whichever comes earlier.
The extension reflects the government’s preference for maintaining administrative stability in a platform that has become central to public outreach, citizen participation, digital campaigns, and policy communication.
ACC Approves Extension of Additional Charge
The DoPT order was issued under File No. 22/1/2024-EO(SM-I)(Pt.2) after the ACC approved MeitY’s proposal to continue Ajit Kumar’s additional assignment.
The ministry’s recommendation had been sent through its communication dated June 10, 2026, and has now received formal approval from the Cabinet’s appointments authority.
Under the latest order, Ajit Kumar’s tenure as the additional charge holder for the CEO’s post has been extended for six months with retrospective effect from May 24, 2026.
The order also includes a standard administrative clause stating that the arrangement will remain valid until the appointment of a regular CEO or until further government orders, whichever occurs first.
Who Is Ajit Kumar?
Ajit Kumar belongs to the 2006 batch of the Indian Administrative Service and is an officer of the Kerala cadre. Over the years, he has handled a range of administrative responsibilities across both state and central government assignments.
At present, he serves as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, one of the Union Government’s most influential ministries as India accelerates its digital governance agenda.
His continued leadership of MyGov places him at the intersection of technology, public communication, digital participation, and citizen-centric governance.
Holding both positions simultaneously reflects the government’s confidence in his ability to manage strategic digital initiatives while overseeing broader responsibilities within MeitY.
What Is MyGov?
Launched by the Government of India in 2014, MyGov has evolved into one of the country’s largest digital citizen engagement platforms.
The portal was created with the objective of encouraging people to participate directly in governance by sharing ideas, offering suggestions, contributing to policy discussions, and taking part in national campaigns.
Over the years, MyGov has grown beyond a simple consultation platform. Today, it serves as a digital bridge between the government and citizens through initiatives that include public consultations, online competitions, surveys, awareness campaigns, crowdsourced ideas, volunteer participation, and communication around flagship government programmes.
The platform has played a visible role in campaigns related to Digital India, Swachh Bharat, COVID-19 awareness, vaccination drives, G20 outreach, environmental initiatives, and numerous public policy consultations. Its growing influence has made the CEO’s role increasingly important within India’s digital governance ecosystem.
Why the CEO’s Role Matters
The Chief Executive Officer of MyGov is responsible for guiding the platform’s overall strategy while coordinating with multiple ministries and government agencies.
The role involves overseeing citizen engagement campaigns, digital outreach initiatives, platform innovation, content strategy, stakeholder coordination, and technology-driven participation mechanisms.
As public communication increasingly shifts toward digital platforms, MyGov has become an essential channel for governments to connect directly with citizens.
The leadership position therefore requires balancing technology, communication, governance, and public participation, making continuity in the role particularly valuable.
A Strategic Decision for Digital Governance
The extension comes at a time when digital governance continues to expand rapidly across India. MeitY remains at the forefront of several major initiatives, including digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence adoption, cybersecurity, digital identity systems, online public services, and technology-enabled governance reforms.
Within this broader ecosystem, MyGov functions as a public-facing engagement platform that complements policy implementation by creating opportunities for citizen feedback and participation.
Keeping an experienced officer in charge allows ongoing campaigns and platform operations to continue without interruption while the government considers the appointment of a permanent CEO.
Additional Charge Ensures Continuity
Rather than appointing an interim standalone CEO, the government has chosen to continue the additional charge arrangement, a common administrative practice used for senior positions requiring uninterrupted functioning.
Under this system, a serving senior officer temporarily manages another important post alongside existing responsibilities.
Such arrangements are frequently adopted when a regular appointment is under consideration or when continuity is considered more beneficial than an immediate leadership transition.
In Ajit Kumar’s case, his experience within MeitY also ensures institutional familiarity with the ministry’s broader digital priorities.
Government’s Ongoing Administrative Approach
The extension forms part of a series of senior-level administrative decisions cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet in recent weeks.
The ACC regularly approves appointments, tenure extensions, additional charge arrangements, repatriations, and senior bureaucratic postings across ministries to maintain administrative continuity.
These decisions are particularly significant for ministries driving flagship national programmes, where uninterrupted leadership helps sustain ongoing initiatives and policy execution.
The latest order underscores the Centre’s emphasis on stability in digital governance at a time when technology-driven public engagement continues to gain prominence.
What Happens Next?
With the ACC’s approval now in effect, Ajit Kumar will continue serving as CEO of MyGov in additional charge until one of three conditions is met.
The arrangement will continue for six months from May 24, 2026, or until a regular CEO is appointed, or until further government orders are issued.
Until then, the Kerala cadre IAS officer will continue balancing his responsibilities as Joint Secretary in MeitY with the leadership of MyGov, ensuring that the government’s flagship citizen engagement platform continues operating under experienced administrative oversight while India pushes ahead with its expanding digital governance agenda.
